THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  ILLINOIS 


LIBRARY 


Presented  by 
Stuart  R.  Scott 
•Champaign,  111. 
in  1926 


28A 

C i2)iEl  6v 

N/.l 


f 


% 


CENTRAL  CIRCULATION  BOOKSTACKS 

The  person  charging  this  material  is  re- 
sponsible for  its  renewal  or  its  return  to 
the  library  from  which  it  was  borrowed 
on  or  before  the  Latest  Date  stamped 
below.  You  may  be  charged  a minimum 
fee  of  $75.00  for  each  lost  book. 

Theft,  mutilaHen,  ond  underlining  of  books  ore  reosons 
for  discipllncny  action  and  may  result  In  dismissal  from 
the  University. 

TO  RENEW  CALL  TELEPHONE  CENTER,  333-8400 
UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS  LIBRARY  AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 


When  renewing  by  phone,  write  new  due  date  below 
previous  due  date.  L162 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


iJ* 


https://archive.org/details/institutesofchri01calv_0 


INSTITUTES 


OF  THE 

CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

BY 

JOHN  CALVIN. 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  LATIN,  AND  COLLATED  WITH 
THE  author’s  last  EDITION  IN  FRENCH, 

BY  JOHN  ALLEN. 


Non  tamen  omnino  potuit  mors  invida  totura 
Tollere  Calvinum  terris  ; jeterna  manebunt 
Ingenii  monumenta  tui : et  livor’.s  iniqui 
Languida  paulatim  cum  flamma  resederit,  omnes 
Religio  qua  pura  nitet  se  fundet  in  oras 
Fama  tui Buchanan 


SIXTH  AMERICAN  EDITION,  REVISED  AND  CORRECTED. 

IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 

VOL.  I. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  in  introducing  to  the 
public  a new  edition  of  the  inimitable  “ Institutes  of  the  Chris- 
tian Religion,”  do  not  wish  to  be  regarded  as  adopting  all  the 
sentiments  and  forms  of  expression  of  the  venerated  writer  ; 
although  they  agree  with  him  in  his  general  views,  and  admire 
the  skill  and  learning  with  which  he  has  pointed  out  the  rela- 
tive positions  and  bearings  of  the  great  doctrines  of  revelation. 
Calvin  was  better  qualified  than  any  of  his  contemporaries,  to  pre- 
sent revealed  truth  in  a connected  and  systematic  form.  His 
great  natural  abilities,  his  profound  erudition,  his  well  balanced 
and  discriminating  judgment,  and  his  habits  of  diligent  inves- 
tigation, eminently  fitted  him  to  prepare  such  a work  as  the 
Institutes,”  in  which  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  so  clearly 
developed  and  harmonized,  that  the  system  has  been  closely 
associated  with  his  name,  from  the  period  of  its  publication 
until  the  present  time. 

The  honour  of  Calvin  consisted,  not  in  suggesting  ingenious 
theories  and  speculations,  but  in  his  general  accuracy  in  inter- 
preting the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  in  detecting  and  pointing  out 
the  connection  of  Scripture  doctrines,  which,  instead  of  being 
insulated,  were  shown  to  occupy  their  respective  places  in 
forming  a complete  and  perfect  system  of  Divine  truth.  The 
doctrines  embraced  in  the  formularies  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  are  termed  Calvinistic,  from  their  general  accordance 
with  Calvin’s  interpretation  of  scriptural  truth ; but  the  admis- 
sion of  this  term,  as  explanatory  of  their  general  character,  is 
not  understood  as  by  any  means  implying  an  entire  coincidence 
in  the  views  of  Calvin,  or  a submission  to  his  authority  as  an 
umpire  in  theological  controversies.  Although  a learned  and 
pious,  he  was  a fallible  man  ; and  his  opinions,  although  de- 
serving of  profound  respect,  are  not  to  be  blindly  followed. 

While  admitting  that  the  Institutes,”  considering  the  times 
and  circumstances  in  which  they  were  written,  form  an  inva- 
luable body  of  divinity,  still  it  must  be  acknowledged,  that 
some  of  the  doctrines  therein  maintained  have  been  more 
luminously  set  forth  in  modern  times.  We  would  especially 
mention  as  an  instance  the  doctrine  of  justification  through  the 


611784 


4 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


imputed  righteousness  of  Christ.  Some  of  the  expressions  of 
Calvin  on  the  subject  of  reprobation  may  be  regarded  as  too  un- 
qualified, and  we  can  no  further  endorse  them  than  as  they  are 
incorporated  in  the  Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith.  The  most 
decidedly  objectionable  feature  in  the  “Christian  Institutes,” 
is  to  be  found  in  the  explanation  of  the  Fourth  Commandment, 
where  the  author  asserts  the  abrogation  of  the  Sabbath.  In 
Calvin’s  view,  this  ordinance  was  a mere  type  of  better  bless- 
ings, and,  with  the  types  and  ceremonies  of  the  old  dispensa- 
tion, was  done  away  by  the  introduction  of  a new  and  better 
dispensation.  In  this  opinion  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  he 
greatly  erred ; and  so  universal  is  the  conviction  of  the  Church 
on  the  perpetual  obligation  of  the  Sabbath  as  a moral  institu- 
tion, that  no  danger  is  to  be  apprehended  from  a contrary  view, 
even  under  the  sanction  of  so  great  a name  as  that  of  Calvin, 
In  justice  to  his  opinion  on  this  subject,  however,  it  should  be 
stated,  that  he  distinctly  recognized  not  only  the  propriety  but 
the  necessity  of  a consecration  of  stated  days  for  public  reli- 
gious services,  without  which  regulation,  he  declares  that  “it  is 
so  far  from  being  possible  to  preserve  order  and  decorum,  that 
if  it  were  abolished,  the  Church  would  be  in  imminent  danger 
of  immediate  convulsion  and  ruin.”  It  is  much  to  be  Jainented 
that  so  great  a mind  should  have  been  led  astray  on  so  im- 
portant a point  by  attempting  to  avoid  an  opposite  extreme. 

The  Board  of  Publication  have  been  induced  to  undertake 
this  edition,  by  the  very  generous  offer  of  the  First  and  Se- 
cond Presbyterian  Churches  in  Baltimore,  of  which  the  Rev. 
John  Backus  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  R.  J.  Breckinridge  are  respec- 
tively Pastors,  to  defray  the  expense  of  stereotyping  the  work. 
Under  the  direction  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Board, 
the  translation  has  been  diligently  compared  throughout  with 
the  original  Latin  and  French,  and  various  corrections  have 
been  made  to  convey  the  meaning  of  the  author  more  dis- 
tinctly and  accurately.  This  laborious  duty  has  been  per- 
formed by  a member  of  the  Publishing  Committee.  The 
intrinsic  excellence  of  the  work,  taken  in  connection  with  the 
attractive  style,  and  comparative  cheapness,  of  the  present 
edition,  induces  the  Committee  to  hope,  that  it  may  be  widely 
circulated  and  carefully  studied,  both  by  the  clergy  and  laymen 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

In  behalf  of  the  Executive  Committee, 


WILLIAM  M.  ENGLES,  Editor. 


THE 


TRANSLATOR’S  PREFACE. 


The  English  Reader  is  here  presented  with  a transla- 
tion of  one  of  the  principal  theological  productions  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  Few  persons,  into  whose  hands  this 
translation  is  likely  to  fall,  will  require  to  be  informed 
that  the  Author  of  the  original  work  was  one  of  an  illus- 
trious triumvirate,  who  acted  a most  conspicuous  part  in 
what  has  been  generally  and  justly  denominated  The  Re- 
formation. Of  that  important  revolution  in  ecclesiastical 
affairs,  so  necessary  to  the  interests  of  true  religion,  and 
productive  of  such  immense  advantages  even  to  civil  so- 
ciety, Luther,  Zuingle,  and  Calvin,  were  honoured,  by 
the  providence  of  God,  to  be  the  most  highly  distinguished 
instruments.  It  is  no  degradation  to  the  memory  of  the 
many  other  ornaments  of  that  age,  to  consider  them  as 
brilliant  satellites  in  the  firmament  of  the  Church,  revolving 
round  these  primary  luminaries,  to  whom  they  w^ere  in- 
debted for  much  of  that  lustre  which  they  diffused  over  the 
earth ; while  they  were  all  together  revolving  around  one 
and  the  same  common  centre,  though,  it  must  be  confessed, 
with  considerable  varieties  of  approximation,  velocity,  and 
obliquity  in  their  courses;  yet  all  deriving  more  or  less 
copious  communications  of  light  from  the  great  Sun  of  the 
moral  system,  the  true  Light  of  the  world. 

Differing  in  the  powers  of  their  minds,  as  well  as  in  the 
temperament  of  their  bodily  constitutions,  placed  in  dif- 
ferent circumstances,  and  called  to  act  in  different  scenes, 
these  tending  Reformers,  though  engaged  in  the  same  com- 
mon cause,  displayed  their  characteristic  and  peculiar  ex- 


6 


translator’s  preface. 


cellences ; which,  it  is  no  disparagement  of  that  cause  to 
admit,  were  likewise  accompanied  by  peculiar  failings.  It 
is  not  the  design  of  this  preface  to  portray  and  discriminate 
their  respective  characters.  They  alike  devoted  their  lives 
and  labours  to  rescue  Christianity  from  the  absurdities, 
superstitions,  and  vices  by  which  it  had  been  so  deplorably 
deformed,  mutilated,  and  obscured,  and  to  recall  the  atten- 
tion of  mankind  from  the  doubtful  traditions  of  men  to  the 
unerring  word  of  God.  But  while  they  were  all  distin- 
guished Reformers,  Calvin  has  been  generally  acknowledged 
to  have  been  the  most  eminent  theologian  of  the  three. 

Such  was  the  superiority  of  the  talents  and  attainments 
of  Calvin  to  those  of  most  other  great  men,  that  the  strictest 
truth  is  in  danger  of  being  taken  for  exaggeration.  It  is 
impossible  for  any  candid  and  intelligent  person  to  have 
even  a slight  acquaintance  with  his  writings,  without  ad- 
miring his  various  knowledge,  extensive  learning,  profound 
penetration,  solid  judgment,  acute  reasoning,  pure  morality, 
and  fervent  piety. 

His  Commentaries  on  the  Scriptures  have  been  cele- 
brated for  a juster  method  of  exposition  than  had  been 
exhibited  by  any  preceding  writer.  Above  a hundred 
years  after  his  death,  Poole,  the  author  of  the  Synopsis,  in 
the  preface  to  that  valuable  work,  says,  “ Calvin’s  Com- 
mentaries abound  in  solid  discussions  of  theological  subjects, 
and  practical  improvements  of  them.  Subsequent  writers 
have  borrowed  most  of  their  materials  from  Calvin,  and  his 
interpretations  adorn  the  books  even  of  those  who  repay  the 
obligation  by  reproaching  their  master.”  And  nothing  can 
more  satisfactorily  evince  the  high  estimation  to  which  they 
are  still  entitled  from  the  biblical  student,  than  the  follow- 
ing testimony,  given,  after  the  lapse  of  another  century,  by 
the  late  learned  Bishop  Horsley  : ‘‘I  hold  the  memory  of 
Calvin  in  high  veneration:  his  works  have  a place  in  my 
library ; and  in  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  he  is  one 
of  the  commentators  whom  I frequently  consult.” 


translator’s  preface. 


i 


But  perhaps,  of  all  the  writings  of  Calvin,  none  has  ex 
cited  so  much  attention  as  his  Institutes  of  the  Chris 
TiAN  Religion. 

His  original  design  in  commencing  this  work  is  stated 
by  himself,  in  the  beginning  of  his  dedication,  to  have  been 
to  supply  his  countrymen,  the  French,  with  an  elementary 
compendium  for  their  instruction  in  the  principles  of  true 
religion.  But  we  learn  from  Beza  that,  by  the  time  of  its 
completion,  existing  circumstances  furnished  the  Author 
with  an  additional  motive  for  sending  it  into  the  world, 
during  his  residence  at  Basil,  whither  he  had  retired  to 
avoid  the  persecution  which  was  then  raging  in  France 
against  all  the  dissentients  from  the  Church  of  Rome. 
Francis  the  First,  king  of  France,  courted  the  friendship 
of  the  Protestant  princes  of  Germany  ; and  knowing  their 
detestation  of  the  cruelties  which  he  employed  against  his 
subjects  of  the  reformed  religion,  he  endeavoured  to  excuse 
his  conduct  by  alleging  that  he  caused  none  to  be  put  to 
death  except  some  few  fanatics ; who,  so  far  from  taking 
the  word  of  God  as  the  rule  of  their  faith,  gave  themselves  up 
to  the  impulses  of  their  disordered  imaginations,  and  even 
openly  avowed  a contempt  of  magistrates  and  sovereign 
princes.  Unable  to  bear  such  foul  aspersions  of  his  bre- 
thren, Calvin  determined  on  the  immediate  publication  of 
this  treatise,  which  he  thought  would  serve  as  an  answer 
to  the  calumnies  circulated  by  the  enemies  of  the  truth, 
and  as  an  apology  for  his  pious  and  persecuted  country- 
men. 

The  Dedication  to  Francis  is  one  of  the  most  masterly 
compositions  of  modern  times.  The  purity,  elegance,  and 
energy  of  style ; the  bold,  yet  respectful,  freedom  of  ad- 
dress ; the  firm  attachment  to  the  Divine  word ; the 
Christian  fortitude  in  the  midst  of  persecution  ; the  trium- 
phant refutation  of  the  calumnies  of  detractors  ; with  other 
qualities  which  distinguish  this  celebrated  remonstrance, 
will  surely  permit  no  reader  of  taste  or  piety  to  withhold 


8 


translator’s  preface. 


his  concurrence  from  the  general  admiration  which  it  has 
received. 

The  Author  composed  this  treatise  in  Latin  and  French  , 
and  though,  at  its  first  appearance,  it  was  little  more  than 
an  outline  of  what  it  afterwards  became,  it  was  received 
with  uncommon  approbation,  and  a second  edition  of  it 
was  soon  required.  How  many  editions  it  passed  through 
during  his  life,  it  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  now  to  as- 
certain ; but  it  obtained  a very  extensive  circulation,  and 
was  reprinted  several  times,  and  every  time  was  further 
improved  and  enlarged  by  him,  till,  in  the  year  1559, 
twenty-three  years  after  the  first  impression,  he  put  the 
finishing  hand  to  his  work,  and  published  it  in  Latin  and 
French,  with  his  last  corrections  and  additions. 

The  circulation  which  it  enjoyed  was  not  confined  to 
persons  capable  of  reading  it  in  the  languages  in  which  it 
was  written.  It  was  translated  into  High  Dutch,  Low 
Dutch,  Italian,  and  Spanish. 

Soon  after  the  publication  of  the  Author’s  last  edition, 
it  was  translated  from  the  Latin  into  English.  In  this 
language  it  appears  to  have  reached  six  editions  in  the  life 
of  the  Translator.  A reflection  on  the  small  number  of 
persons  who  may  be  supposed  to  have  had  inclination  and 
ability  to  read  such  a book  at  that  period,  compared  with 
the  number  of  readers  in  the  present  age,  may  excite  some 
wonder  that  there  should  have  been  a demand  for  so  many 
editions.  But  no  surprise  at  this  circumstance  will  be 
felt  by  any  person  acquainted  with  the  high  estimation 
in  which  the  works  of  the  Author  were  held  by  the  vene- 
rable Reformers  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  their 
immediate  successors,  as  well  as  by  the  great  majority  of 
religious  people  in  this  country.  This  is  not  a question  of 
opinion,  but  an  undeniable  fact.  Dr.  Heylin,  the  admirer 
and  biographer  of  Archbishop  Laud,  speaking  of  the  early 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  says,  that  Calvin’s  “ Book 
of  Institutes  was,  for  the  most  part,  the  foundation  on  which 


translator’s  preface. 


9 


the  young  divines  of  those  times  did  build  their  studies.” 
The  great  Dr.  Saunderson,  who  was  chaplain  to  King 
Charles  I.,  and,  after  the  restoration  of  Charles  II.,  was 
created  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  says,  “ When  I began  to  set 
myself  to  the  study  of  divinity  as  my  proper  business, 
Calvin’s  Institutions  were  recommended  to  me,  as  they  were 
generally  to  all  young  scholars  in  those  times,  as  the  best 
and  perfectest  system  of  divinity,  and  the  fittest  to  be  laid 
as  a ground-work  in  the  study  of  this  profession.  And, 
indeed,  my  expectation  was  not  at  all  deceived  in  the  reading 
of  those  Institutions.”  * 

The  great  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  our  lan- 
guage render  it  difficult  to  form  a correct  opinion  of  the  me- 
rits of  Mr.  Norton’s  translation,  which  was  first  published 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago.  It  must  give 
rather  a favourable  idea  of  its  execution,  that  it  was  care- 
fully revised  by  the  Rev.  David  Whitehead,  a man  of 
learning  and  piety,  who,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  was 
nominated  by  Archbishop  Cranmer  to  a bishopric  in  Ireland, 
and,  soon  after  the  accession  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  was 
solicited  by  that  Princess  to  fill  the  metropolitan  see  of 
Canterbury,  but  declined  the  preferment.  But,  what- 
ever were  the  merits  or  defects  of  that  translation  at  its 
first  appearance,  it  has  long  been  too  antiquated,  uncouth, 
and  obscure,  to  convey  any  just  idea  of  the  original  work, 
and  abounds  with  passages  which,  to  the  modern  English 
reader,  cannot  but  be  altogether  unintelligible. 

The  intrinsic  excellence  of  the  book,  its  importance  in 
the  history  of  theological  controversy,  the  celebrity  of  the 

* It  is  not  uncommon,  among  persons  of  a certain  class,  to  represent  the  leading 
principles  of  Calvin  as  unfavourable  to  practical  religion,  and  to  that  kind  of 
preaching  which  is  adapted  to  affect  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the  hearers.  A 
reference  to  the  most  able  and  intelligent  theologians  and  preachers  who  have 
held  those  principles,  and  upon  whom  they  may  reasonably  be  concluded  to  have 
exerted  their  genuine  and  fullest  influence,  will  amply  evince  the  inaccuracy  of 
this  representation.  Of  the  excellent  divine  quoted  above,  King  Charles  I.  was 
wont  to  say,  that  “ he  carried  his  ears  to  hear  other  preachers,  but  his  conscience 
to  hear  Mr.  Saunderson.” 

2 


VOL.  I. 


10 


translator’s  preface. 


Author,  the  application  of  his  name  to  designate  the  leading 
principles  of  the  system  he  maintained,  and  the  frequent 
collision  of  sentiment  respecting  various  parts  of  that  sys- 
tem, combine  with  other  considerations  to  render  it  a matter 
of  wonder,  that  it  has  not  long  ago  been  given  to  the 
English  public  in  a new  dress.  The  importance  of  it  has 
also  been  much  increased  by  the  recent  controversy  respect- 
ing Calvinism,  commenced  by  Dr.  Tomline,  the  present 
Bishop  of  Lincoln,  in  which  such  direct  and  copious  re- 
ference has  been  made  to  the  writings  of  this  Reformer, 
and  especially  to  his  Christian  Institutes.  These  cir- 
cumstances and  considerations  have  led  to  the  present 
translation  and  publication,  which,  from  the  very  respect- 
able encouragement  it  has  received,  the  Translator  trusts 
will  be  regarded  as  an  acceptable  service  to  the  religious 
public. 

Among  the  different  methods  of  translation  which  have 
been  recommended,  he  has  adopted  that  which  appeared 
to  him  best  fitted  to  the  present  undertaking.  A servile 
adherence  to  the  letter  of  the  original,  the  style  of  which 
is  so  very  remote  from  the  English  idiom,  he  thought 
would  convey  a very  inadequate  representation  of  the 
work ; such  extreme  fidelity,  to  use  an  expression  of 
Cowper’s,  being  seldom  successful,  even  in  a faithful 
transmission  of  the  precise  sentiments  of  the  author  to  the 
mind  of  the  reader.  A mere  attention  to  the  ideas  and 
sentiments  of  the  original,  to  the  neglect  of  its  style  and 
manner,  would  expose  the  Translator  of  a treatise  of  this 
nature  to  no  small  danger  of  misrepresenting  the  meaning 
of  the  Author,  by  too  frequent  and  unnecessary  deviations 
from  his  language.  He  has,  therefore,  aimed  at  a medium 
between  servility  and  looseness,  and  endeavoured  to  follow 
the  style  of  the  original  as  far  as  the  respective  idioms  of 
the  Latin  and  English  would  admit. 

After  the  greater  part  of  the  work  had  been  translated, 
he  had  the  happiness  to  meet  with  an  edition  in  French 


translator’s  preface. 


11 


of  which  he  has  availed  himself  in  translating  the  re- 
mainder, and  in  the  revision  of  what  he  had  translated 
before.  Every  person,  who  understands  any  two  lan- 
guages, will  be  aware  that  the  ambiguity  of  one  will 
sometimes  be  explained  by  the  precision  of  another ; and, 
notwithstanding  the  acknowledged  superiority  of  the  Latin 
to  the  French  in  most  of  the  qualities  which  constitute  the 
excellence  of  a language,  the  case  of  the  article  is  not  the 
only  one  in  which  Calvin’s  French  elucidates  his  Latin. 

The  scriptural  quotations  which  occur  in  the  work,  the 
Translator  has  given,  generally,  in  the  words  of  our  com- 
mon English  version  ; sometimes  according  to  the  readings 
in  the  margin  of  that  version ; and,  in  a few  instances,  he 
has  literally  translated  the  version  adopted  by  the  Author, 
where  the  context  required  his  peculiar  reading  to  be  pre- 
served. Almost  all  the  writers  of  that  age,  writing  chiefly 
in  a dead  language,  were  accustomed  to  speak  of  their  ad- 
versaries  in  language  which  the  polished  manners  of  the 
modern  times  have  discarded,  and  which  would  now  be 
deemed  illiberal  and  scurrilous.  Where  these  cases  occur, 
the  Translator  has  not  thought  himself  bound  to  a literal 
rendering  of  every  word,  or  at  liberty  to  refine  them  en- 
tirely away,  but  has  adopted  such  expressions  as  he  appre- 
hends will  give  a faithful  representation  of  the  spirit  of  the 
Author  to  modern  readers. 

Intending  this  work  as  a complete  system  of  theology, 
the  Author  has  made  it  the  repository  of  his  sentiments  on 
all  points  of  faith  and  practice.  The  whole  being  distri- 
buted into  four  parts,  in  conformity  to  the  Apostles’  Creed, 
and  this  plan  being  very  different  from  that  of  most  other 
bodies  of  divinity,  the  Translator  has  borrowed  from  the 
Latin  edition  of  Amsterdam  a very  perspicuous  general 
syllabus,  which  will  give  the  reader  a clear  view  of  the 
original  design  and  plan  of  the  treatise. 

He  would  not  be  understood  to  represent  these  Institutes 
as  a perfect  summary  of  Christian  doctrines  and  morals,  or 


12 


TRANSLATORS  PREFACE. 


to  profess  an  unqualified  approbation  of  all  the  sentiments 
they  contain.  This  is  a homage  to  which  no  uninspired 
writings  can  ever  be  entitled.  But  the  simplicity  of  the 
method;  the  freedom  from  the  barbarous  terms,  captious 
questions,  minute  distinctions,  and  intricate  subtilties  of 
many  other  Divines  ; the  clearness  and  closeness  of  argu- 
ment ; the  complete  refutation  of  the  advocates  of  the 
Romish  Church,  sometimes  by  obvious  conclusions  from 
their  professed  principles,  sometimes  by  clear  proofs  of  the 
absurdities  they  involve  ; the  intimate  knowledge  of  eccle- 
siastical history;  the  intimate  acquaintance  with  former 
theological  controversies ; the  perspicuity  of  scriptural  in- 
terpretation ; and  the  uniform  spirit  of  genuine  piety, 
which  pervade  the  book,  cannot  escape  the  observation  of 
any  judicious  reader. 

It  has  been  advised  by  some  persons  that  the  translation 
should  be  accompanied  by  a few  notes,  to  elucidate  and 
enforce  some  passages,  and  to  correct  others;  but,  on  all 
the  consideration  which  the  Translator  has  been  able  to 
give  to  this  subject,  he  has  thought  it  would  be  best  to 
content  himself  with  the  humble  office  of  placing  the  senti- 
ments of  Calvin  before  the  reader,  with  all  the  fidelity  in 
his  power,  without  any  addition  or  limitation.  He  hopes 
that  the  present  publication  will  serve  the  cause  of  true 
religion,  and  that  the  reputation  of  the  work  itself  will 
sustain  no  diminution  from  the  form  in  which  it  now 
appears. 


London,  Mo,y  12,  1813. 


CONTENTS 


The  Author’s  Preface  to  the  edition  published  in  1559 p.  17 

Dedication 20 

General  Syllabus 41 


BOOK  I. 

U Chap.  I.  The  connection  between  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  knowledge 
of  ourselves. 

Chap.  II.  The  nature  and  tendency  of  the  knowledge  of  God. 

Chap,  III.  The  mind  of  man  naturally  endued  with  the  knowledge  of  God. 

Chap.  IV.  This  knowledge  extinguished  or  corrupted,  partly  by  ignorance, 
partly  by  wickedness. 

♦ Chap.  V.  The  knowledge  of  God  conspicuous  in  the  formation  and  continual 
government  of  the  world. 

^ Chap.  VI.  The  guidance  and  teaching  of  the  Scripture  necessary  to  lead  to 
the  knowledge  of  God  the  Creator. 

V Chap.  VII.  The  testimony  of  the  Spirit  necessary  to  confirm  the  Scripture,  ^ 
in  order  to  the  complete  establishment  of  its  authority.  The  suspension 
of  its  authority,  on  the  judgment  of  the  Church,  an  impious  fiction. 

Chap.  VIII.  Rational  proofs  to  establish  the  belief  of  the  Scripture. 

Chap.  IX.  The  fanaticism  which  discards  the  Scripture,  under  the  pretence 
of  resorting  to  immediate  revelations,  subversive  of  every  principle  of 
piety. 

Chap.  X.  All  idolatrous  worship  discountenanced  in  the  Scripture,  by  its 
exclusive  opposition  of  the  true  God  to  all  the  fictitious  deities  of  the 
heathen. 

Chap.  XI.  Unlawfulness  of  ascribing  to  God  a visible  form.  All  idolatry  a 
defection  from  the  true  God. 

Chap.  XII.  God  contradistinguished  from  idols,  that  he  may  be  solely  and 
supremely  worshipped. 

Chap.  XIII.  One  Divine  essence,  containing  three  persons,  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
ture since  the  beginning. 


14  CONTENTS. 

Chap.  XI V.  The  true  God  distinguished  in  the  Scripture  from  all  fictitious 
ones,  by  the  creation  of  the  world 

Chap.  XV.  The  state  of  man  at  his  creation  ; the  faculties  of  the  soul,  the 
Divine  image,  free-will,  and  the  original  purity  of  his  nature. 

Chap.  XVI.  God’s  preservation  and  support  of  the  world  by  his  power  and 
his  government  of  every  part  of  it  by  his  providence. 

Chap.  XVII.  The  proper  application  of  this  doctrine  to  render  it  useful  to  us. 

Chap.  XVIII.  God  uses  the  agency  of  the  impious,  and  inclines  their  minds  to 
execute  his  judgments,  yet  without  the  least  stain  of  his  perfect  purity. 


BOOK  II. 

Chap.  I.  The  fall  and  defection  of  Adam  the  cause  of  the  curse  inflicted  on  all 
mankind,  and  of  the  degeneracy  from  their  primitive  condition.  The  doc- 
trine of  original  sin. 

Chap.  11.  Man  in  his  present  state  despoiled  of  freedom  of  will,  and  subjected 
to  a miserable  slavery. 

Chap.  III.  Every  thing  that  proceeds  from  the  corrupt  nature  of  man  worthy 
of  condemnation. 

Chap.  IV.  The  operation  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  men. 

Chap.  V.  A refutation  of  the  objections  commonly  urged  in  the  support  of 
free-will. 

l^Chap.  VI.  Redemption  for  lost  man  to  be  sought  in  Christ 

Chap.  VII.  The  law  given  not  to  confine  the  ancient  people  to  itself,  but  to 
encourage  their  hope  of  salvation  in  Christ,  till  the  time  of  his  coming. 

Chap.  VIII.  An  exposition  of  the  moral  law. 

Chap.  IX.  Christ,  though  known  to  the  Jews  under  the  law,  yet  clearly  re- 
vealed only  in  the  gospel. 

Chap.  X.  The  similarity  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 

Chap.  XL  The  difference  of  the  two  Testaments, 
h Chap.  XII.  The  necessity  of  Christ  becoming  man,  in  order  to  fulfil  the  office 
of  Mediator. 

Chap.  XIII.  Christ’s  assumption  of  real  humanity. 

Chap.  XIV.  The  union  of  the  two  natures  constituting  the  person  of  tlie  Me- 
diator. 

Chap.  XV.  The  consideration  of  Christ’s  three  offices,  prophetical,  regal,  and 
sacerdotal,  necessary  to  our  knowing  the  end  of  his  mission  from  the 
Father,  and  the  benefits  which  he  confers  on  us. 

Chap.  XVI.  Christ’s  execution  of  the  office  of  a Redeemer  to  procure  our  sal- 
vation ; his  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  to  Iieaven. 

Chap.  XVII.  Christ  truly  and  properly  said  to  have  merited  tlie  grace  of  God 
and  salvation  for  us. 


CONTENTS. 


15 


BOOK  III. 

Chap.  I.  What  is  declared  concerning  Christ  rendered  profitable  to  us  by  the 
secret  operation  of  the  Spirit. 

. Chap.  11.  Faith  defined,  and  its  properties  described. 

Chap.  III.  On  repentance. 

Chap.  IV.  The  sophistry  and  jargon  of  the  schools  concerning  repentance 
very  remote  from  the  purity  of  the  gospel.  On  confession  and  satis- 
faction. 

Chap.  V.  The  supplements  to  their  doctrine  of  satisfactions,  indulgences,  and 
purgatory. 

t/^Chap.  VI.  The  life  of  a Christian.  Scriptural  arguments  and  exhortations 
to  it. 

Chap.  VII.  Summary  of  the  Christian  life.  Self-denial. 

Chap.  VIII.  Bearing  the  cross,  which  is  a branch  of  self-denial. 

Chap.  IX.  Meditation  on  the  future  life. 

Chap.  X.  The  right  use  of  the  present  life  and  its  supports. 

Chap.  XI.  Justification  by  faith.  The  name  and  thing  defined. 

Chap.  XII.  A consideration  of  the  Divine  tribunal  necessary  to  a serious  con- 
viction of  gratuitous  justification. 

Chap.  XIII.  Two  things  necessary  to  be  observed  in  gratuitous  justifi- 
cation. 

Chap.  XIV.  The  commencement  and  continual  progress  of  justifica- 
tion. "" 

Chap.  XV.  Boasting  of  the  merit  of  works  equally  subversive  of  God’s  glory 
in  the  gift  of  righteousness,  and  of  the  certainty  of  salvation. 

Chap.  XVI.  A refutation  of  the  injurious  calumnies  of  the  Papists  against 
this  doctrine. 

Chap.  XVII.  The  harmony  between  the  promises  of  the  law  and  those  of  the 
gospel. 

Chap.  XVIII.  Justification  from  works  not  to  be  inferred  from  the  promise  of 
a reward. 

Chap.  XIX.  On  Christian  liberty. 

Chap.  XX.  On  prayer,  the  principal  exercise  of  faith,  and  the  medium  of  our 
daily  reception  of  Divine  blessings. 

*^Chap.  XXI.  Eternal  election,  or  God’s  predestination  of  some  to  salvation,  and 
of  others  to  destruction. 

^ Chap.  XXn.  Testimonies  of  Scripture  in  confirmation  of  this  doctrine. 

Chap.  XXIII.  A refutation  of  the  calumnies  generally,  but  unjustly,  urged 
against  this  doctrine. 

. Chap.  XXIV.  Election  confirmed  by  the  Divine  call.  The  destined  destruc 
tion  of  the  reprobate  procured  by  themselves. 

^ Chap.  XXV.  The  final  resurrection. 


16 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK  IV. 

•oChap.  1.  The  true  Church,  and  the  necessity  of  our  union  with  her,  being  the 
mother  of  all  the  pious. 

0 Chap.  II.  The  true  and  false  Church  compared. 

Chap.  III.  The  teachers  and  ministers  of  the  Church,  their  election  and  office. 

o Chap.  IV.  The  state  of  the  ancient  Church,  and  the  mode  of  government  prac- 
tised before  the  Papacy. 

^ Chap.  V.  The  ancient  form  of  government  entirely  subverted  by  the  Papal 
tyranny. 

Chap.  VI.  The  primacy  of  the  Roman  see. 

0 Chap.  VII.  The  rise  and  progress  of  the  Papal  power  to  its  present  eminence 
attended  with  the  loss  of  liberty  to  the  Church,  and  the  ruin  of  all  mode- 
ration. 

C^Chap.  VIII.  The  power  of  the  Church  respecting  articles  of  faitli,  and  its 
licentious  perversion  under  the  Papacy,  to  the  corruption  of  all  purity  of 
doctrine. 

Chap.  IX.  Councils  ; their  authority. 

^ Chap.  X.  The  power  of  legislation,  in  which  the  pope  and  his  adherents  have 
most  cruelly  tyrannized  over  the  minds,  and  tortured  the  bodies  of  men. 

Chap.  XI.  The  jurisdiction  of  the  Church,  and  its  abuse  under  the  Papacy. 

■'-'Chap.  XII.  The  discipline  of  the  Church ; its  principal  use  in  censures  and 
excommunication. 

Chap.  XIII.  Vows  ; the  misery  of  rashly  making  them. 

Chap.  XIV.  The  sacraments. 

Chap.  XV.  Baptism. 

Chap.  XVI.  Psedobaptism  perfectly  consistent  with  the  institution  of  Christ, 
and  the  nature  of  the  sign. 

Chap.  XVII.  The  Lord’s  supper  and  its  advantages. 

Chap.  XVIII.  The  Papal  mass  not  only  a sacrilegious  profanation  of  the  Lord’s 
supper,  but  a total  anniliilation  of  it 

Chap.  XIX.  The  five  other  ceremonies,  falsely  called  sacraments,  proved  not 
to  be  sacraments ; their  true  nature  explained. 

Chap.  XX.  On  civil  government. 


THE 


AUTHOR’S  PREFACE 


TO 

AN  EDITION  PUBLISHED  IN  THE  YEAR  1559, 

■WITH  HIS 

LAST  CORRECTIONS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


In  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  not  expecting  that  success 
which  the  Lord,  in  his  infinite  goodness,  hath  given,  I handled 
the  subject  for  the  most  part  in  a superficial  manner,  as  is 
usual  in  small  treatises.  But  when  I understood  that  it  had 
obtained  from  almost  all  pious  persons  such  a favourable  ac- 
ceptance as  I never  could  have  presumed  to  wish,  much  less 
to  hope ; while  I was  conscious  of  receiving  far  more  attention 
than  I had  deserved,  I thought  it  would  evince  great  ingrat- 
itude, if  I did  not  endeavour  at  least,  according  to  my  humble 
ability,  to  make  some  suitable  return  for  the  attentions  paid  to 
me  — attentions  of  themselves  calculated  to  stimulate  my  in- 
dustry. Nor  did  I attempt  this  only  in  the  second  edition ; 
but  m every  succeeding  one  the  work  has  been  improved  by 
some  further  enlargements.  But  though  I repented  not  the 
labour  then  devoted  to  it,  yet  I never  satisfied  myself,  till  it 
was  arranged  in  the  order  in  which  it  is  now  published ; and 
I trust  I have  here  presented  to  my  readers  what  their  judg- 
ments will  unite  in  approving.  Of  my  diligent  application  to 
the  accomplishment  of  this  service  for  the  Church  of  God,  I 
can  produce  abundant  proof.  For,  last  winter,  when  I thought 
that  a quartan  ague  would  speedily  terminate  in  my  death,  the 
more  my  disorder  increased,  the  less  I spared  myself,  till  I had 
finished  this  book,  to  leave  it  behind  me,  as  some  grateful  re- 
3 


VOL.  I. 


18 


author’s  preface. 

turn  to  such  kind  solicitations  of  the  religious  public.  Indeed^ 
I would  rather  it  had  been  done  sooner ; but  it  is  soon  enough, 
if  well  enough.  I shall  think  it  has  appeared  at  the  proper 
time,  when  I shall  find  it  to  have  been  more  beneficial  than 
before  to  the  Church  of  God.  This  is  my  only  wish. 

I should  indeed  be  ill  requited  for  my  labour,  if  I did  not  con- 
tent myself  with  the  approbation  of  God  alone,  despising 
equally  the  foolish  and  perverse  judgments  of  ignorant  men, 
and  the  calumnies  and  detractions  of  the  wicked.  For  though 
God  hath  wholly  devoted  my  mind  to  study  the  enlargement 
of  his  kingdom,  and  the  promotion  of  general  usefulness ; and 
I have  the  testimony  of  my  own  conscience,  of  angels,  and  of 
God  himself,  that,  since  I undertook  the  office  of  a teacher  in 
the  Church,  I have  had  no  other  object  in  view  than  to  profit 
the  Church  by  maintaining  the  pure  doctrine  of  godliness  ; yet 
I suppose  there  is  no  man  more  slandered  or  calumniated  than 
myself.  When  this  Preface  was  actually  in  the  press,  1 had 
certain  information,  that  at  Augsburg,  where  the  States  of  the 
Empire  were  assembled,  a report  had  been  circulated  of  my 
defection  to  popery,  and  received  with  unbecoming  eager- 
ness in  the  courts  of  the  princes.  This  is  the  gratitude  of 
those  who  cannot  be  unacquainted  with  the  numerous  proofs 
of  my  constancy,  which  not  only  refute  such  a foul  calumny, 
but,  with  all  equitable  and  humane  judges,  ought  to  preserve 
me  from  it.  But  the  devil,  with  all  his  host,  is  deceived,  if  he 
think  to  overwhelm  me  with  vile  falsehoods,  or  to  render  me 
more  timid,  indolent,  or  dilatory,  by  such  indignities.  For  I 
trust  that  God,  in  his  infinite  goodness,  will  enable  me  to  per- 
severe with  patient  constancy  in  the  career  of  his  holy  calling  ; 
of  which  I afford  my  pious  readers  a fresh  proof  in  this  edition. 

Now,  my  design  in  this  work  has  been  to  prepare  and  qualify 
students  of  theology  for  the  reading  of  the  divine  word,  that 
they  may  have  an  easy  introduction  to  it,  and  be  enabled  to 
proceed  in  it  without  any  obstruction.  For  I think  I have 
given  such  a comprehensive  summary,  and  orderly  arrange- 
ment of  all  the  branches  of  religion,  that,  with  proper  attention. 


author’s  preface. 


no  person  will  find  any  difficulty  in  determining  what  ought 
to  be  the  principal  objects  of  his  research  in  the  Scripture,  and 
to  what  end  he  ought  to  refer  any  thing  it  contains.  This 
way,  therefore,  being  prepared,  if  I should  hereafter  publish 
any  expositions  of  the  Scripture,  I shall  have  no  need  to  in- 
troduce long  discussions  respecting  doctrines,  or  digressions  on 
common  topics,  and  therefore  shall  always  compress  them 
within  a narrow  compass.  This  will  relieve  the  pious  reader 
from  great  trouble  and  tediousness,  provided  he  come  previous- 
ly furnished  with  the  necessary  information,  by  a knowledge 
of  the  present  work.  But  as  the  reason  of  this  design  is  very 
evident  in  my  numerous  Commentaries,  I would  rather  have 
it  known  from  the  fact  itself,  than  from  my  declaration. 

Farewell,  friendly  reader  ,*  and  if  you  receive  any  benefit 
from  my  labours,  let  me  have  the  assistance  of  your  prayers 
with  God  our  Father. 


Geneva,  Is^  August,  1559. 


DEDICATION. 


To  His  Most  Christian  Majesty^  Francis,  King  of  the  French^ 
and  his  Sovereign,  John  Calvin  wisheth  'peace  and  salvation 
in  Christ, 

When  I began  this  work,  Sire,  nothing  was  further  from  my 
thoughts  than  writing  a book  which  would  afterwards  be  pre- 
sented to  your  Majesty.  My  intention  was  only  to  lay  down 
some  elementary  principles,  by  which  inquirers  on  the  subject 
of  religion  might  be  instructed  in  the  nature  of  true  piety. 
And  this  labour  I undertook  chiefly  for  my  countrymen,  the 
French,  of  whom  I apprehended  multitudes  to  be  hungering 
and  thirsting  after  Christ,  but  saw  very  few  possessing  any 
real  knowledge  of  him.  That  this  was  my  design,  the  book 
itself  proves  by  its  simple  method  and  unadorned  composition. 
But  when  I perceived  that  the  fury  of  certain  wicked  men  in 
your  kingdom  had  grown  to  such  a height,  as  to  leave  no  room 
in  the  land  for  sound  doctrine,  I thought  I should  be  usefully 
employed,  if  in  the  same  work  I delivered  my  instructions  to 
them,  and  exhibited  my  confession  to  you,  that  you  may  know 
the  nature  of  that  doctrine,  which  is  the  object  of  such  un- 
bounded rage  to  those  madmen  who  are  now  disturbing  the 
country  with  fire  and  sword.  For  I shall  not  be  afraid  to  ac- 
knowledge, that  this  treatise  contains  a summary  of  that  very 
doctrine,  which,  according  to  their  clamours,  deserves  to  be 
punished  with  imprisonment,  banishment,  proscription,  and 
flames,  and  to  be  exterminated  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  I 
well  know  with  what  atrocious  insinuations  your  ears  have 
been  filled  by  them,  in  order  to  render  our  cause  most  odious 
in  your  esteem ; but  your  clemency  should  lead  you  to  con- 
sider that,  if  accusation  be  accounted  a sufficient  evidence  of 
guilt,  there  will  be  an  end  of  all  innocence  in  words  and 
tions.  If  any  one,  indeed,  with  a view  to  bring  an  odium 
upon  t]ie*  doctrine  which  I am  endeavouring  to  defend,  should 


DEDICATION. 


21 


allege  that  it  has  long  ago  been  condemned  by  the  general 
consent,  and  suppressed  by  many  judicial  decisions,  this  will 
be  only  equivalent  to  saying,  that  it  has  been  sometimes 
violently  rejected  through  the  influence  and  power  of  its  ad- 
versaries, and  sometimes  insidiously  and  fraudulently  op- 
pressed by  falsehoods,  artifices,  and  calumnies.  Violence  is 
displayed,  when  sanguinary  sentences  are  passed  against  it 
without  the  cause  being  heard;  and  fraud,  when  it  is  un- 
justly accused  of  sedition  and  mischief.  Lest  any  one  should 
suppose  that  these  our  complaints  are  unfounded,  you  yourself. 
Sire,  can  bear  witness  of  the  false  calumnies  with  which  you 
hear  it  daily  traduced ; that  its  only  tendency  is  to  wrest  the 
sceptres  of  kings  out  of  their  hands,  to  overturn  all  the  tribu- 
nals and  judicial  proceedings,  to  subvert  all  order  and  govern- 
ments, to  disturb  the  peace  and  tranquillity  of  the  people,  to 
abrogate  all  laws,  to  scatter  all  properties  and  possessions,  and, 
in  a word,  to  involve  every  thing  in  total  confusion.  And  yet 
you  hear  the  smallest  portion  of  what  is  alleged  against  it  ; 
for  such  horrible  things  are  circulated  amongst  the  vulgar,  that, 
if  they  were  true,  the  whole  world  would  justly  pronounce  it 
and  its  abettors  worthy  of  a thousand  fires  and  gibbets.  Who, 
then,  will  wonder  at  its  becoming  the  object  of  public  odium, 
where  credit  is  given  to  such  most  iniquitous  accusations  ? 
This  is  the  cause  of  the  general  consent  and  conspiracy  to 
condemn  us  and  our  doctrine.  Hurried  away  with  this  im- 
pulse, those  who  sit  in  judgment  pronounce  for  sentences  the 
prejudices  they  brought  from  home  with  them ; and  think 
their  duty  fully  discharged  if  they  condemn  none  to  be  pun- 
ished but  such  as  are  convicted  by  their  OAvn  confession,  or  by 
sufficient  proofs.  Convicted  of  what  crime  ? Of  this  con- 
demned doctrine,  they  say.  But  with  what  justice  is  it  con- 
demned? Now,  the  ground  of  defence  was  not  to  abjure  the 
doctrine  itself,  but  to  maintain  its  truth.  On  this  subject, 
however,  not  a word  is  allowed  to  be  uttered. 

Wherefore  I beseech  you.  Sire,  — and  surely  it  is  not  an  un- 
reasonable request,  — to  take  upon  yourself  the  entire  cognizance 
of  this  cause,  which  has  hitherto  been  confusedly  and  care- 
lessly agitated,  without  any  order  of  law,  and  Avith  outrageous 
passion  rather  than  judicial  gravity.  Think  not  that  I am 


22 


DEDICATION. 


now  meditating  my  own  individual  defence,  in  order  to  effect 
a safe  return  to  my  native  country ; for,  though  I feel  the  af- 
fection which  every  man  ought  to  feel  for  it,  yet,  under  the 
existing  circumstances,  I regret  not  my  removal  from  it.  But. 
I plead  the  cause  of  all  the  godly,  and  consequently  of  Christ 
himself,  which,  having  been  in  these  times  persecuted  and 
trampled  on  in  all  ways  in  your  kingdom,  now  lies  in  a most 
deplorable  state ; and  this  indeed  rather  through  the  tyranny 
of  certain  Pharisees,  than  with  your  knowledge.  How  this 
comes  to  pass  is  foreign  to  my  present  purpose  to  say ; but  it 
certainly  lies  m a most  afflicted  state.  For  the  ungodly  have 
gone  to  such  lengths,  that  the  truth  of  Christ,  if  not  van- 
quished, dissipated,  and  entirely  destroyed,  is  buried,  as  it 
were,  in  ignoble  obscurity,  while  the  poor,  despised  church  is 
either  destroyed  by  cruel  massacres,  or  driven  away  into  ban- 
ishment, or  menaced  and  terrified  into  total  silence.  And 
still  they  continue  their  wonted  madness  and  ferocity,  pushing 
violently  against  the  wall  already  bent,  and  finishing  the  ruin 
they  have  begun.  In  the  mean  time,  no  one  comes  forward  to 
plead  the  cause  against  such  furies.  If  there  be  any  persons 
desirous  of  appearing  most  favourable  to  the  truth,  they  only 
venture  an  opinion,  that  forgiveness  should  be  extended  to  the 
error  and  imprudence  of  ignorant  people.  For  this  is  the  lan- 
guage of  these  moderate  men,  calling  that  error  and  imprudence 
which  they  know  to  be  the  certain  truth  of  God,  and  those  ig- 
norant people,  whose  understanding  they  perceive  not  to  have 
been  so  despicable  to  Christ,  but  that  he  has  favoured  them 
with  the  mysteries  of  his  heavenly  wisdom.  Thus  all  are 
ashamed  of  the  Gospel.  But  it  shall  be  yours.  Sire,  not  to 
turn  away  your  ears  or  thoughts  from  so  just  a defence,  es- 
pecially in  a cause  of  such  importance  as  the  maintenance  of 
^ God’s  glory  unimpaired  in  the  world,  the  preservation  of  the 
honour  of  divine  truth,  and  the  continuance  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  uninjured  among  us.  This  is  a cause  worthy  of  your 
attention,  worthy  of  your  cognizance,  worthy  of  your  throne. 
This  consideration  constitutes  true  royalty,  to  acknowledge 
yourself  in  the  government  of  your  kingdom  to  be  the  minis- 
ter of  God.  For  where  the  glory  of  God  is  not  made  the  end 
of  the  government,  it  is  not  a legitimate  sovereignty,  but  a 


DEDICATION. 


23 


usurpation.  And  he  is  deceived  who  expects  lasting  prosperity 
in  that  kingdom  which  is  not  ruled  by  the  sceptre  of  God,  that 
is,  his  holy  word ; for  that  heavenly  oracle  cannot  fail,  which 
declares  that  ‘Gvhere  there  is  no  vision,  the  people  perish.”  (a) 
Nor  should  you  be  seduced  from  this  pursuit  by  a contempt  of 
our  meanness.  We  are  fully  conscious  to  ourselves  how  very 
mean  and  abject  we  are,  being  miserable  sinners  before  God, 
and  accounted  most  despicable  by  men;  being  (if  you  please) 
the  refuse  of  the  world,  deserving  of  the  vilest  appellations 
that  can  be  found ; so  that  nothing  remains  for  us  to  glory  in 
before  God,  but  his  mercy  alone,  by  which,  without  any  merit 
of  ours,  we  have  been  admitted  to  the  hope  of  eternal  salva- 
tion, and  before  men  nothing  but  our  weakness,  the  slightest 
confession  of  which  is  esteemed  by  them  as  the  greatest  dis- 
grace. But  our  doctrine  must  stand,  exalted  above  all  the 
glory,  and  invincible  by  all  the  power  of  the  world ; because 
it  is  not  ours,  but  the  doctrine  of  the  living  God,  and  of  his  ^ 
Christ,  whom  the  Father  hath  constituted  King,  that  he  may 
have  dominion  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  to  the 
ends  of  the  eaxth,  and  that  he  may  rule  in  such  a manner,  that 
the  whole  earth,  with  its  strength  of  iron  and  with  its  splendour 
of  gold  and  silver,  smitten  by  the  rod  of  his  mouth,  may  be 
broken  to  pieces  like  a potter’s  vessel;  (6)  for  thus  do  the 
prophets  foretell  the  magnificence  of  his  kingdom. 

Our  adversaries  reply,  that  our  pleading  the  word  of  God  is 
a false  pretence,  and  that  we  are  nefarious  corrupters  of  it. 
But  that  this  is  not  only  a malicious  calumny,  but  egregious 
impudence,  by  reading  our  confession,  you  will,  in  your  wis- 
dom, be  able  to  judge.  Yet  something  further  is  necessary  to 
be  said,  to  excite  your  attention,  or  at  least  to  prepare  your 
mind  for  this  perusal.  Paul’s  direction,  that  every  prophecy 
be  framed  “according  to  the  analogy  of  faith,”  (c)  has  fixed  an 
invariable  standard  by  which  all  interpretation  of  Scripture 
ought  to  be  tried.  If  our  principles  be  examined  by  this  rule 
of  faith,  the  victory  is  ours.  For  Avhat  is  more  consistent  with 
faith  than  to  acknowledge  ourselves  naked  of  all  virtue,  that 
we  may  be  clothed  by  God ; empty  of  all  good,  that  we  may 


(a)  Prov.  xxix.  18. 


(b)  Dan.  ii.  34.  Isaiah  xi.  4.  Psalm  ii.  9. 

(c)  Rom.  xii.  6. 


24 


DEDICATION. 


be  filled  by  him ; slaves  to  sin,  that  we  may  be  liberated  by 
him ; blind,  that  we  may  be  enlightened  by  him ; lame,  that 
we  may  be  guided ; weak,  that  we  may  be  supported  by  him ; 
to  divest  ourselves  of  all  ground  of  glorying,  that  he  alone  may 
be  eminently  glorious,  and  that  we  may  glory  in  him  ? When 
we  advance  these  and  similar  sentiments,  they  interrupt  us 
with  complaints  that  this  is  the  way  to  overturn,  I know  not 
what  blind  light  of  nature,  pretended  preparations,  free  will, 
and  works  meritorious  of  eternal  salvation,  together  with  all 
their  supererogations ; because  they  cannot  bear  that  the  praise 
and  glory  of  all  goodness,  strength,  righteousness,  and  wisdom, 
should  remain  entirely  with  God.  But  we  read  of  none  being 
reproved  for  having  drawn  too  freely  from  the  fountain  of 
living  waters ; on  the  contrary,  they  are  severely  upbraided 
who  have  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can 
hold  no  water.”  {d)  Again,  what  is  more  consistent  with 
faith,  than  to  assure  ourselves  of  God  being  a propitious  Fa- 
ther, where  Christ  is  acknowledged  as  a brother  and  Mediator  ? 
than  securely  to  expect  all  prosperity  and  happiness  from  Him, 
whose  unspeakable  love  towards  us  went  so  far,  that  he 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us?”(e) 
than  to  rest  in  the  certain  expectation  of  salvation  and  eternal 
life,  when  we  reflect  upon  the  Father’s  gift  of  Christ,  in  whom 
such  treasures  are  hidden  ? Here  they  oppose  us,  and  com- 
plain that  this  certainty  of  confidence  is  chargeable  with  arro- 
gance and  presumption.  But  as  we  ought  to  presume  nothing 
of  ourselves,  so  we  should  presume  every  thing  of  God ; nor 
are  we  divested  of  vain  glory  for  any  other  reason  than  that 
we  may  learn  to  glory  in  the  Lord.  What  shall  I say  more  ? 
Review,  Sire,  all  the  parts  of  our  cause,  and  consider  us  worse 
than  the  most  abandoned  of  mankind,  unless  you  clearly  dis- 
cover that  we  thus  ^^both  labour  and  sulfer  reproach,  because 
we  trust  in  the  living  God,”  (/)  because  we  believe  that  ^Ghis 
is  life  eternal,  to  know  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  he  hath  sent.”  {g)  For  this  hope  some  of  us  are  bound 
in  chains,  others  are  lashed  with  scourges,  others  are  carried 
about  as  laughing-stocks,  others  are  outlawed,  others  are  cruelly 


{d)  Jer  ii  13 


(e)  Rom.  viii.  32. 
(^)  John  xvii.  3. 


if)  1 Tim.  iv.  10. 


DEDICATION. 


25 


tortured,  others  escape  by  flight ; but  we  are  all  reduced  to 
extreme  perplexities,  execrated  with  dreadful  curses,  cruelly 
slandered  and  treated  with  the  greatest  indignities.  Now, 
look  at  our  adversaries,  (I  speak  of  the  order  of  priests,  at 
whose  will  and  directions  others  carry  on  these  hostilities 
against  ns,)  and  consider  a little  with  me  by  Avhat  principles 
they  are  actuated.  The  true  religion,  Avhich  is  taught  in  the 
Scriptures,  and  ought  to  be  universally  maintained,  they  readily 
permit  both  themselves  and  others  to  be  ignorant  of,  and  to 
treat  with  neglect  and  contempt.  They  think  it  unimportant 
what  any  one  holds  or  denies  concerning  God  and  Christ,  pro- 
vided he  submits  his  mind  with  an  implicit  faith  (as  they  call 
it)  to  the  judgment  of  the  Church.  Nor  are  they  much  af- 
fected, if  the  glory  of  God  happens  to  be  violated  with  open 
blasphemies,  provided  no  one  lift  a Anger  against  the  primacy 
of  the  Apostolic  See,  and  the  authority  of  their  holy  Mother 
Church,  Why,  therefore,  do  they  contend  with  such  extreme 
bitterness  and  cruelty  for  the  mass,  purgatory,  pilgrimages,  and 
similar  trifles,  and  deny  that  any  piety  can  be  maintained  with- 
out a most  explicit  faith,  so  to  speak,  in  these  things ; whereas 
they  prove  none  of  them  from  the  Word  of  God?  Why,  but 
because  their  belly  is  their  god,  their  kitchen  is  their  religion ; 
deprived  of  which  they  consider  themselves  no  longer  as 
Christians,  or  even  as  men.  For  though  some  feast  themselves 
in  splendour,  and  others  subsist  on  slender  fare,  yet  all  live  on 
the  same  pot,  which,  without  this  fuel,  would  not  only  cool, 
but  completely  freeze.  Every  one  of  them,  therefore,  who  is 
most  solicitous  for  his  belly,  is  found  to  be  a most  strenuous 
champion  for  their  faith.  Indeed,  they  universally  exert  them- 
selves for  the  preservation  of  their  kingdom,  and  the  repletion 
of  their  bellies  ; but  not  one  of  them  discovers  the  least  indi- 
cation of  sincere  zeal. 

Nor  do  their  attacks  on  our  doctrine  cease  here ; they  urge 
every  topic  of  accusation  and  abuse  to  render  it  an  object  of 
hatred  or  suspicion.  They  call  it  novel,  and  of  recent  origin, 
— they  cavil  at  it  as  doubtful  and  uncertain,  — they  inquire 
by  Avhat  miracles  it  is  confirmed,  — they  ask  whether  it  is 
right  for  it  to  be  received  contrary  to  the  consent  of  so  many 
holy  fathers,  and  the  custom  of  the  highest  antiquity,  — they 
4 


VOL.  I. 


26 


DEDICATION. 


urge  us  to  confess  that  it  is  schismatical  in  stirring  up  opposi 
tion  against  the  Church,  or  that  the  Church  was  wholly  extinct 
for  many  ages,  during  which  no  such  thing  was  known.  — 
Lastly,  they  say  all  arguments  are  unnecessary  ; for  that  its 
nature  may  be  determined  by  its  fruits,  since  it  has  produced 
such  a multitude  of  sects,  so  many  factious  tumults,  and  such 
great  licentiousness  of  vices.  It  is  indeed  very  easy  for  them 
to  insult  a deserted  cause  with  the  credulous  and  ignorant  mul- 
titude ; but,  if  we  had  also  the  liberty  of  speaking  in  our  turn, 
this  acrimony,  which  they  now  discover  in  violently  foaming 
against  us  with  equal  licentiousness  and  impunity,  would  pres- 
ently cool. 

In  the  first  place,  their  calling  it  novel  is  highly  injurious  to 
God,  whose  holy  word  deserves  not  to  be  accused  of  novelty. 
I have  no  doubt  of  its  being  new  to  them,  to  whom  Jesus 
Christ  and  the  Gospel  are  equally  new.  But  those  who  know 
the  antiquity  of  this  preaching  of  Paul,  that  Jesus  Christ  died 
for  our  sins,  and  rose  again  for  our  justification,”  (h)  will  find 
no  novelty  among  us.  That  it  has  long  been  concealed,  buried, 
and  unknown,  is  the  crime  of  human  impiety.  Now  that  the 
goodness  of  God  has  restored  it  to  us,  it  ought  at  least  to  be 
allowed  its  just  claim  of  antiquity. 

Prom  the  same  source  of  ignorance  springs  the  notion  of  its 
being  doubtful  and  uncertain.  This  is  the  very  thing  which 
the  Lord  complains  of  by  his  prophet ; that  the  ox  knoweth 
his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master’s  crib,”  (^)  but  that  his  people 
know  not  him.  But  however  they  may  laugh  at  its  uncer- 
tainty, if  they  were  called  to  seal  their  own  doctrine  with 
their  blood  and  lives,  it  would  appear  how  much  they  value  it. 
Very  different  is  our  confidence,  which  dreads  neither  the  ter- 
rors of  death,  nor  even  the  tribunal  of  God. 

Their  requiring  miracles  of  us  is  altogether  unreasonable ; 
for  we  forge  no  new  Gospel,  but  retain  the  very  same  whose 
truth  was  confirmed  by  all  the  miracles  ever  wrought  by  Christ 
and  the  apostles.  But  they  have  this  peculiar  advantage  above 
us,  that  they  can  confirm  their  faith  by  continual  miracles  even 
to  this  day.  But  the  truth  is,  they  allege  miracles  which  are 
calculated  to  unsettle  a mind  otherwise  well  established,  they 


(h)  Rom.  iv.  25.  1 Cor.  xv.  3, 17. 


(i)  Isaiah  i.  3. 


DEDICATION. 


2/ 


are  so  frivolous  and  ridiculous,  or  vain  and  false.  Nor,  if  they 
were  ever  so  preternatural,  ought  they  to  have  any  weight  in 
opposition  to  the  truth  of  God,  since  the  name  of  God  ought 
to  be  sanctified  in  all  places  and  at  all  times,  Avhether  by  mirac- 
ulous events,  or  by  the  common  order  of  nature.  This  fallacy 
might  perhaps  be  more  specious,  if  the  Scripture  did  not  apprize 
us  of  the  legitimate  end  and  use  of  miracles.  For  Mark  informs 
us,  that  the  miracles  which  followed  the  preaching  of  the  apos- 
tles were  wrought  in  confirmation  {k)  of  it,  and  Luke  tells  us, 
that(^)  ^Ghe  Lord  gave  testimony  to  the  word  of  his  grace,” 
when  signs  and  wonders  ” were  “ done  by  the  hands  ” of  the 
apostles.  Very  similar  to  which  is  the  assertion  of  the  apostle, 
that  salvation  was  confirmed  ” by  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel, God  also  bearing  witness  with  signs,  and  wonders,  and 
divers  miracles.”  (m)  But  those  things  which  we  are  told 
were  seals  of  the  Gospel,  shall  we  pervert  to  undermine  the 
faith  of  the  Gospel  ? Those  things  which  were  designed  to  be 
testimonials  of  the  truth,  shall  we  accommodate  to  the  con- 
firmation of  falsehood  ? It  is  right,  therefore,  that  the  doctrine, 
which,  according  to  the  evangelist,  claims  the  first  attention, 
be  examined  and  tried  in  the  first  place  ; and  if  it  be  approved, 
then  it  ought  to  derive  confirmation  from  miracles.  But  it  is 
the  characteristic  of  sound  doctrine,  given  by  Christ,  that  it 
tends  to  promote,  not  the  glory  of  men,  but  the  glory  of  God.  (?^) 
Christ  having  laid  down  this  proof  of  a doctrine,  it  is  wrong  to 
esteem  those  as  miracles  which  are  directed  to  any  other  end 
than  the  glorification  of  the  name  of  God  alone.  And  we 
should  remember  that  Satan  has  his  wonders,  which,  though 
they  are  juggling  tricks  rather  than  real  miracles,  are  such  as 
to  delude  the  ignorant  and  inexperienced.  Magicians  and  en- 
chanters have  always  been  famous  for  miracles ; idolatry  has 
been  supported  by  astonishing  miracles ; and  yet  we  admit  them 
not  as  proofs  of  the  superstition  of  magicians  or  idolaters.  With 
this  engine  also  the  simplicity  of  the  vulgar  was  anciently  as- 
sailed by  the  Donatists,  who  abounded  in  miracles.  We  there- 
fore give  the  same  answer  now  to  our  adversaries  as  Augus- 
tine (o)  gave  to  the  Donatists,  that  our  Lord  hath  cautioned  us 
against  these  miracle-mongers  by  his  prediction,  that  there 

(/c)  Mark  xvi.  20.  (1)  Acts  xiv.  3.  (m)  Heb.  ii.  3,  4. 

(n)  John  vii.  18.  viii.  50.  (o)  In  Joan,  tract.  13. 


28 


DEDICATION. 


should  arise  false  prophets,  who,  by  various  signs  and  lying 
wonders,  ‘‘should  deceive  (if  possible)  the  very  elect.”  (i?) 
And  Paul  has  told  us,  that  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist  would 
be  “with  all  power,  and  signs,  and  lying  wonders.”  {q)  But 
these  miracles  (they  say)  are  wrought,  not  by  idols,  or  sor- 
cerers, or  false  prophets,  but  by  saints ; as  if  we  were  ignorant, 
that  it  is  a stratagem  of  Satan  to  “ transform  ” himself  “ into  an 
angel  of  light.”  (r)  At  the  tomb  of  Jeremiah,  (s)  who  was 
buried  in  Egypt,  the  Egyptians  formerly  offered  sacrifices  and 
other  divine  honours.  Was  not  this  abusing  God’s  holy  prophet 
to  the  purposes  of  idolatry  ? Yet  they  supposed  this  venera- 
tion of  his  sepulchre  to  be  rewarded  with  a cure  for  the  bite  of 
serpents.  What  shall  we  say,  but  that  it  has  been,  and  ever 
will  be,  the  most  righteous  vengeance  of  God  to  “ send  those 
who  receive  not  the  love  of  the  truth  strong  delusions,  that 
they  should  believe  a lie  ” ? (^)  We  are  by  no  means  without 
miracles,  and  such  as  are  certain,  and  not  liable  to  cavils.  But 
those  under  which  they  shelter  themselves  are  mere  illusions 
of  Satan,  seducing  the  people  from  the  true  worship  of  God  to 
vanity. 

Another  calumny  is  their  charging  us  with  opposition  to  the 
fathers,  — I mean  the  writers  of  the  earlier  and  purer  ages,  — as 
if  those  writers  were  abettors  of  their  impiety  ; whereas,  if  the 
contest  Avere  to  be  terminated  by  this  authority,  the  victory  in 
most  parts  of  the  controversy  — to  speak  in  the  most  modest 
terms  — would  be  on  our  side.  But  though  the  Avritings  of  those 
fathers  contain  many  Avise  and  excellent  things,  yet  in  some 
respects  they  have  suffered  the  common  fate  of  mankind  ; these 
very  dutiful  children  reverence  only  their  errors  and  mistakes, 
but  their  excellences  they  either  overlook,  or  conceal,  or  cor- 
rupt ; so  that  it  may  be  truly  said  to  be  their  only  study  to 
collect  dross  from  the  midst  of  gold.  Then  they  overAvhelm 
us  Avith  senseless  clamours,  as  despisers  and  enemies  of  the 
fathers.  But  Ave  do  not  hold  them  in  such  contempt,  but  that, 
if  it  Avere  consistent  Avith  my  present  design,  I could  easily 
support  by  their  suffrages  most  of  the  sentiments  that  Ave  noAV 
maintain.  But  Avhile  Ave  make  use  of  their  Avritings,  Ave  ahvays 
remember  that  “ all  things  are  ours,”  to  serve  us,  not  to  have 

(p)  Matt.  xxiv.  24.  {q)  2 Thess.  ii.  9.  (r)  2 Cor.  xi.  14. 

(s)  Hierom.  in  prjef.  Jerem.  (t)  2 Thess,  ii.  10,  11. 


DEDICATION. 


29 


dominion  over  us,  and  that  are  Christ’s  ”(v)  alone,  and 
owe  him  universal  obedience.  He  who  neglects  this  distinction 
will  have  nothing  decided  in  religion  ,•  since  those  holy  men 
were  ignorant  of  many  things,  frequently  at  variance  with 
each  other,  and  sometimes  even  inconsistent  with  themselves. 
There  is  great  reason,  they  say,  for  the  admonition  of  Solomon, 
not  to  transgress  or  remove  the  ancient  landmarks,  which  our 
fathers  have  set.”  {lo)  But  the  same  rule  is  not  applicable  to 
the  bounding  of  fields,  and  to  the  obedience  of  faith,  which 
ought  to  be  ready  to  ‘^forget  her  own  people  and  her  father’s 
house.”  {x)  But  if  they  are  so  fond  of  allegorizing,  why  do 
they  not  explain  the  apostles,  rather  than  any  others,  to  be 
those  fathers,  whose  appointed  landmarks  it  is  so  unlawful  to 
remove  ? For  this  is  the  interpretation  of  Jerome,  whose  works 
they  have  received  into  their  canons.  But  if  they  insist  on 
preserving  the  landmarks  of  those  whom  they  understand  to  be 
intended,  why  do  they  at  pleasure  so  freely  transgress  them 
themselves  ? There  were  two  fathers,  (y)  of  whom  one  said, 
that  our  God  neither  eats  nor  drinks,  and  therefore  needs  nei- 
ther cups  nor  dishes ; the  other,  that  sacred  things  require  no 
gold,  and  that  gold  is  no  recommendation  of  that  which  is  not 
purchased  with  gold.  This  landmark  therefore  is  transgressed 
by  those  who  in  sacred  things  are  so  much  delighted  with  gold, 
silver,  ivory,  marble,  jewels,  and  silks,  and  suppose  that  God 
is  not  rightly  worshipped,  unless  all  things  abound  in  exqui- 
site splendour,  or  rather  extravagant  profusion.  There  was  a 
father  {z)  who  said  he  freely  partook  of  flesh  on  a day  when 
others  abstained  from  it,  because  he  was  a Christian.  They 
transgress  the  landmarks  therefore  when  they  curse  the  soul 
that  tastes  flesh  in  Lent.  There  were  two  fathers,  (a)  of  whom 
one  said,  that  a monk  who  labours  not  with  his  hands  is  on  a 
level  with  a cheat  or  a robber ; and  the  other,  that  it  is  unlaw- 
ful for  monks  to  live  on  what  is  not  their  own,  notwithstanding 
their  assiduity  in  contemplations,  studies,  and  prayers ; and 
they  have  transgressed  this  landmark  by  placing  the  idle  and 
distended  carcasses  of  monks  in  cells  and  brothels,  to  be  pam- 

(v)  1 Cor.  iii.  21,  23.  (tc)  Prov.  xxii.  28.  ■i(z)  Psalm  xlv.  10 

(y)  Acat.  in  lib.  11.  cap.  16.  Trip.  Hist.  Amb.  lib.  2.  de  Off.  c.  28 
(z)  Spiridion.  Trip.  Hist.  lib.  1.  c.  10. 

(a)  Trip.  Hist,  lib  8.  c.  1.  August,  de  Opere  Mon.  c.  17. 


30 


DEDICATION. 


pered  on  the  substance  of  others.  There  was  a father  {b)  who 
said,  that  to  see  a painted  image  of  Christ,  or  of  any  saint,  in 
the  temples  of  Christians,  is  a dreadful  abomination.  Nor  was 
this  merely  the  sentence  of  an  individual ; it  was  also  decreed 
by  an  ecclesiastical  council,  that  the  object  of  worship  should 
not  be  painted  on  the  walls.  They  are  far  from  confining 
themselves  within  these  landmarks,  for  every  corner  is  filled 
with  images.  Another  father  (c)  has  advised  that,  after  having 
discharged  the  office  of  humanity  towards  the  dead  by  the  rites 
of  sepulture,  we  should  leave  them  to  their  repose.  They  break 
through  these  landmarks  by  inculcating  a constant  solicitude 
for  the  dead.  There  was  one  of  the  fathers  (d)  who  asserted 
that  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine  in  the  eucharist  ceases 
not,  but  remains,  just  as  the  substance  of  the  human  nature  re- 
mains in  the  Lord  Christ  united  with  the  divine.  They  trans- 
gress this  landmark  therefore  by  pretending  that,  on  the  words 
of  the  Lord  being  recited,  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine 
ceases,  and  is  transubstantiated  into  his  body  and  blood. 
There  were  fathers  (e)  who,  while  they  exhibited  to  the  uni- 
versal Church  only  one  eucharist,  and  forbade  all  scandalous 
and  immoral  persons  to  approach  it,  at  the  same  time  severely 
censured  all  who,  when  present,  did  not  partake  of  it.  How  far 
have  they  removed  these  landmarks,  when  they  fill  not  only 
the  churches,  but  even  private  houses,  with  their  masses,  admit 
all  who  choose  to  he  spectators  of  them,  and  every  one  the  more 
readily  in  proportion  to  the  magnitude  of  his  contribution,  how- 
ever chargeable  with  impurity  and  wickedness  ! They  invite 
none  to  faith  in  Christ  and  a faithful  participation  of  the  sacra- 
ments ; but  rather  for  purposes  of  gain  bring  forward  their  own 
work  instead  of  the  grace  and  merit  of  Christ.  There  were 
two  fathers,  (/)  of  whom  one  contended  that  the  use  of  Christ’s 
sacred  supper  should  be  wholly  forbidden  to  those  who,  content 
with  partaking  of  one  kind,  abstained  from  the  other  ; the  other 
strenuously  maintained  that  Christian  people  ought  not  to  be 
refused  the  blood  of  their  Lord,  for  the  confession  of  whom 
they  are  required  to  shed  their  own.  These  landmarks  also 

(h)  Epiph.  Epist.  ab.  Hier.  vers.  Con.  Eliber.  c.  36.  (c)  Amb.  de  Abra.  lib.  1.  c.  7. 

(d)  Gelas.  Pap.  in  Cone.  Rom. 

(e)  Chrys.  in  1 Cap.  Ephes.  Calix.  Papa  de  Cons.  dist.  2. 

(/)  Gelas.  can.  Comperimus  de  Cons.  dist.  2.  Cypr.  Epist.  2.  lib.  1,  de  Laps. 


DEDICATION. 


31 


they  have  removed,  in  appointing,  by  an  inviolable  law,  that' 
very  thing  which  the  former  pmiished  with  excommunication, 
and  the  latter  gave  a powerful  reason  for  disapproving.  There 
was  a father  (g)  who  asserted  the  temerity  of  deciding  on  either 
side  of  an  obscure  subject,  without  clear  and  evident  testimonies 
of  Scripture.  This  landmark  they  forgot  when  they  made  so 
many  constitutions,  canons,  and  judicial  determinations,  with- 
out any  authority  from  the  word  of  God.  There  was  a fa- 
ther (/i)  who  upbraided  Montanus  with  having,  among  other 
heresies,  been  the  first  imposer  of  laws  for  the  observance  of 
fasts.  They  have  gone  far  beyond  this  landmark  also,  in  es- 
tablishing fasts  by  the  strictest  laws.  There  was  a father  («') 
who  denied  that  marriage  ought  to  be  forbidden  to  the  minis- 
ters of  the  Church,  and  pronounced  cohabitation  with  a wife  to 
be  real  chastity ; and  there  were  fathers  who  assented  to  his 
judgment.  They  have  transgressed  these  landmarks  by  en- 
joining on  their  priests  the  strictest  celibacy.  There  was  a fa- 
ther who  thought  that  attention  should  be  paid  to  Christ  only, 
of  whom  it  is  said,  “ Hear  ye  him,”  and  that  no  regard  should 
be  had  to  what  others  before  us  have  either  said  or  done,  only 
to  what  has  been  commanded  by  Christ,  who  is  preeminent 
over  all.  This  landmark  they  neither  prescribe  to  themselves, 
nor  permit  to  be  observed  by  others,  when  they  set  up  over 
themselves  and  others  any  masters  rather  than  Christ.  There 
was  a father  (k)  who  contended  that  the  Church  ought  not  to 
take  the  precedence  of  Christ,  because  his  judgment  is  always 
according  to  truth  ; but  ecclesiastical  judges,  like  other  men, 
may  generally  be  deceived.  Breaking  down  this  landmark 
also,  they  scruple  not  to  assert,  that  all  the  authority  of  the 
Scripture  depends  on  the  decision  of  the  Church.  All  the  fa- 
thers, with  one  heart  and  voice,  have  declared  it  execrable 
and  detestable  for  the  holy  word  of  God  to  be  contaminated 
with  the  subtleties  of  sophists,  and  perplexed  by  the  wrangles 
of  logicians.  Do  they  confine  themselves  within  these  land- 
marks, when  the  whole  business  of  their  lives  is  to  involve  the 
simplicity  of  the  Scripture  in  endless  controversies,  and  worse 

(^)  August,  lib.  2.  de  Pec.  Mer.  cap.  ult. 

(/i)  Apollon,  de  quo  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  5.  cap.  11,  12. 

(i)  Paphnut.  Trip.  Hist.  lib.  2.  c.  14.  Cypr.  Epist.  2.  lib.  2. 

(/i)  Aug.  cap.  2.  contr.  Cresc.  Grammatic. 


32 


DEDICATION. 


than  sophistical  wrangles  ? so  that  if  the  fathers  were  now 
restored  to  life,  and  heard  this  art  of  wrangling,  which  they 
call  speculative  divinity,  they  would  not  suspect  the  dispute  to 
have  the  least  reference  to  God.  But  if  I would  enumerate  all 
the  instances  in  which  the  authority  of  the  fathers  is  insolently 
rejected  by  those  who  would  be  thought  their  dutiful  children, 
my  address  would  exceed  all  reasonable  bounds.  Months  and 
years  would  be  insufficient  for  me.  And  yet  such  is  their  con- 
summate and  incorrigible  impudence,  they  dare  to  censure  us 
for  presuming  to  transgress  the  ancient  landmarks. 

Nor  can  they  gain  any  advantage  against  us  by  their  argu- 
ment from  custom ; for,  if  we  were  compelled  to  submit  to  cus- 
tom, we  should  have  to  complain  of  the  greatest  injustice. 
Indeed,  if  the  judgments  of  men  were  correct,  custom  should 
be  sought  among  the  good.  But  the  fact  is  often  very  different. 
What  appears  to  be  practised  by  many  soon  obtains  the  force 
of  a custom.  And  human  affairs  have  scarcely  ever  been  in  so 
good  a state  as  for  the  majority  to  be  pleased  with  things  of 
real  excellence.  From  the  private  vices  of  multitudes,  there- 
fore, has  arisen  public  error,  or  rather  a common  agreement  of 
vices,  which  these  good  men  would  now  have  to  be  received 
as  law.  It  is  evident  to  all  who  can  see,  that  the  world  is  in- 
undated with  more  than  an  ocean  of  evils,  that  it  is  overrun 
with  numerous  destructive  pests,  that  every  thing  is  fast  ver- 
ging to  ruin,  so  that  we  must  altogether  despair  of  human 
affairs,  or  vigorously  and  even  violently  oppose  such  immense 
evils.  And  the  remedy  is  rejected  for  no  other  reason,  but 
because  we  have  been  accustomed  to  the  evils  so  long.  Bat 
let  public  error  be  tolerated  in  human  society ; in  the  king- 
dom of  God  nothing  but  his  eternal  truth  should  be  heard  and 
regarded,  which  no  succession  of  years,  no  custom,  no  con- 
federacy, can  circumscribe.  Thus  Isaiah  once  taught  the 
chosen  people  of  God : “ Say  ye  not,  A confederacy,  to  all  to 
whom  this  people  shall  say,  A confederacy ; ” that  is,  that 
they  should  not  unite  in  the  wicked  consent  of  the  people ; 
“nor  fear  their  fear,  nor  be  afraid,’’  but  rather  “sanctify  the 
Lord  of  hosts,”  that  he  might  “ be  their  fear  and  their  dread.”  (1) 
Now,  therefore,  let  them,  if  they  please,  object  against  us  past 
ages  and  present  examples ; if  we  “ sanctify  the  Lord  of  hosts,’' 
(0  Isaiah  viii.  12, 13. 


DEDICATION. 


33 


we  shall  not  be  much  afraid.  For,  whether  many  ages  agree 
in  similar  impiety,  he  is  mighty  to  take  vengeance  on  the  third 
and  fourth  generation  ,*  or  whether  the  whole  world  combine  in 
the  same  iniquity,  he  has  given  an  example  of  the  fatal  end  of 
those  who  sin  with  a multitude,  by  destroying  all  men  with  a 
deluge,  and  preserving  Noah  and  his  small  family,  in  order  that 
his  individual  faith  might  condemn  the  whole  world.  Lastly, 
a corrupt  custom  is  nothing  but  an  epidemical  pestilence,  which 
is  equally  fatal  to  its  objects,  though  they  fall  with  a multitude. 
Besides,  they  ought  to  consider  a remark,  somewhere  made  by 
Cyprian,  (m)  that  persons  who  sin  through  ignorance,  though 
they  cannot  be  wholly  exculpated,  may  yet  be  considered  in 
some  degree  excusable ; but  those  who  obstinately  reject  the 
truth  otfered  by  the  Divine  goodness,  are  without  any  excuse 
at  all. 

Nor  are  we  so  embarrassed  by  their  dilemma  as  to  be  obliged 
to  confess,  either  that  the  Church  was  for  some  time  extinct, 
or  that  we  have  now  a controversy  with  the  Church.  The 
Church  of  Christ  has  lived,  and  will  continue  to  live,  as  long 
as  Christ  shall  reign  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  by  whose 
hand  she  is  sustained,  by  whose  protection  she  is  defended,  by 
whose  power  she  is  preserved  in  safety.  For  he  will  undoubt- 
edly perform  what  he  once  promised,  to  be  with  his  people 
“even  to  the  end  of  the  world.”  (^)  We  have  no  quarrel 
against  the  Church,  for  with  one  consent  we  unite  with  all  the 
company  of  the  faithful  in  worshipping  and  adoring  the  one 
God  and  Christ  the  Lord,  as  he  has  been  adored  by  all  the  pious 
in  all  ages.  But  our  opponents  deviate  widely  from  the  truth 
when  they  acknowledge  no  Church  but  what  is  visible  to  the 
corporeal  eye,  and  endeavour  to  circumscribe  it  by  those  limits 
within  which  it  is  far  from  being  included.  , Our  controversy 
turns  on  the  two  following  points  : — first,  they  contend  that  the 
form  of  the  Church  is  always  apparent  and  visible ; secondly, 
they  place  that  form  in  the  see  of  the  Roman  Church  and  her 
order  of  prelates.  We  assert,  on  the  contrary,  first,  that  the 
Church  may  exist  without  any  visible  form ; secondly,  that  its 
form  is  not  contained  in  that  external  splendour  which  they  fool- 

(m)  Epist.  3.  lib.  2.  et  in  Epist.  ad  Julian,  de  Hseret.  baptiz. 

(n)  Matt  xxviii.  20. 


VOL.  I. 


5 


34 


DEDICATION. 


ishly  admire,  but  is  distinguished  by  a very  different  criterion, 
viz.  the  pure  preaching  of  God’s  word,  and  the  legitimate  ad- 
ministration of  the  sacraments.  They  are  not  satisfied  unless  the 
Church  can  always  be  pointed  out  with  the  finger.  But  how 
often  among  the  Jewish  people  was  it  so  disorganized,  as  to 
have  no  visible  form  left  ? What  splendid  form  do  we  suppose 
could  be  seen,  when  Elias  deplored  his  being  left  alone  ?(o) 
How  long,  after  the  coming  of  Christ,  did  it  remain  without 
any  external  form?  How  often,  since  that  time,  have  wars, 
seditions,  and  heresies,  oppressed  and  totally  obscured  it  ? If 
they  had  lived  at  that  period,  would  they  have  believed  that 
any  Church  existed?  Yet  Elias  was  informed  that  there 
were  left  seven  thousand  ” who  had  “ not  bowed  the  knee 
to  Baal.”  Nor  should  we  entertain  any  doubt  of  Christ’s 
having  always  reigned  on  earth  ever  since  his  ascension  to 
heaven.  But  if  the  pious  at  such  periods  had  sought  for  any 
form  evident  to  their  senses,  must  not  their  hearts  have  been 
quite  discouraged  ? • Indeed  it  was  already  considered  by  Hilary 
in  his  day  as  a grievous  error,  that  people  were  absorbed  in 
foolish  admiration  of  the  episcopal  dignity,  and  did  not  per- 
ceive the  dreadful  mischiefs  concealed  under  that  disguise. 
For  this  is  his  language  : (y>)  One  thing  I advise  you — beware 
of  Antichrist,  for  you  have  an  improper  attachment  to  walls ; 
your  veneration  for  the  Church  of  God  is  misplaced  on  houses 
and  buildings ; you  wrongly  introduce  under  them  the  name 
of  peace.  Is  there  any  doubt  that  they  will  be  seats  of  Anti- 
christ ? I think  mountains,  woods,  and  lakes,  prisons  and 
whirlpools,  less  dangerous ; for  these  were  the  scenes  of  retire- 
ment or  banishment  in  which  the  prophets  prophesied.”  But 
what  excites  the  veneration  of  the  multitude  in  the  present  day 
for  their  horned  bishops,  but  the  supposition  that  those  are  the 
holy  prelates  of  religion  whom  they  see  presiding  over  great 
cities?  Away,  then,  with  such  stupid  admiration.  Let  us 
rather  leave  it  to  the  Lord,  since  he  alone  “ knoweth  them 
that  are  his,”  (<7 ) sometimes  to  remove  from  human  observa- 
tion all  external  knowledge  of  his  Church.  I admit  this  to  be 
a dreadful  judgment  of  Gpd  on  the  earth ; but  if  it  be  deserved 
by  the  impiety  of  men,  why  do  we  attempt  to  resist  the  right- 
eous vengeance  of  God  ? Thus  the  Lord  punished  the  ingrati- 

(o)  1 Kings  xix.  14,  18.  (p)  Contr.  Auxent.  (9)  2 Tim.  ii.  19. 


DEDICATION. 


35 


tilde  of  men  in  former  ages  ; for,  in  consequence  of  their  resist- 
ance to  his  truth,  and  extinction  of  the  light  he  had  given 
them,  he  permitted  them  to  be  blinded  by  sense,  deluded  by 
absurd  falsehoods,  and  immerged  in  profound  darkness,  so  that 
there  was  no  appearance  of  the  true  Church  left ; yet,  at  the  same 
time,  in  the  midst  of  darkness  and  errors,  he  preserved  his  scat- 
tered and  concealed  people  from  total  destruction.  Nor  is  this 
to  be  wondered  at ; for  he  knew  how  to  save  in  all  the  con- 
fusion of  Babylon,  and  the  flame  of  the  fiery  furnace.  But  how 
dangerous  it  is  to  estimate  the  form  of  the  Church  by  I know 
not  what  vain  pomp,  which  they  contend  for ; I shall  rather 
briefly  suggest  than  state  at  large,  lest  I should  protract  this 
discourse  to  an  excessive  length.  The  Pope,  they  say,  who 
holds  the  Apostolic  see,  and  the  bishops  anointed  and  conse- 
crated by  him,  provided  they  are  equipped  with  mitres  and 
crosiers,  represent  the  Church,  and  ought  to  be  considered  as 
the  Church.  Therefore  they  cannot  err.  How  is  this?  — 
Because  they  are  pastors  of  the  Church,  and  consecrated  to  the 
Lord.  And  did  not  the  pastoral  character  belong  to  Aaron, 
and  the  other  rulers  of  Israel?  Yet  Aaron  and  his  sons,  after 
their  designation  to  the  priesthood,  fell  into  error  when  they 
made  the  golden  calf,  (r)  According  to  this  mode  of  reason- 
ing, why  should  not  the  four  hundred  prophets,  who  lied  to  Ahab, 
have  represented  the  Church  ?(s)  But  the  Church  remained 
on  the  side  of  Micaiah,  solitary  and  despised  as  he  was,  and 
out  of  his  mouth  proceeded  the  truth.  Did  not  those  prophets 
exhibit  both  the  name  and  appearance  of  the  Church,  who 
with  united  violence  rose  up  against  Jeremiah,  and  threatened 
and  boasted,  the  law  shall  not  perish  from  the  priest,  nor 
counsel  from  the  wise,  nor  the  word  from  the  prophet  ’’  ? (^) 
Jeremiah  is  sent  singly  against  the  whole  multitude  of  prophets, 
with  a denunciation  from  the  Lord,  that  the  “ law  shall  perish 
from  the  priest,  counsel  from  the  wise,  and  the  word  from  the 
prophet.”  (v)  And  was  there  not  the  like  external  respecta- 
bility in  the  council  convened  by  the  chief  priests,  scribes,  and 
Pharisees,  to  consult  about  putting  Christ  to  death  ? (w?)  Now, 
let  them  go  and  adhere  to  the  external  appearance,  and  thereby 
make  Christ  and  all  the  prophets  schismatics,  and,  on  the  other 

(r)  Exod.  xxxii.  4.  (s)  1 Kings  xxii.  6,  11 — 23.  (t)  Jer.  xviii.  18.  , 

(v)  Jer.  iv.  9.  (w)  Matt.  xxvi.  3,  4. 


36 


DEDICATION. 


hand,  make  the  ministers  of  Satan  instruments  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  But  if  they  speak  their  real  sentiments,  let  them 
answer  me  sincerely,  what  nation  or  place  they  consider  as  the 
seat  of  the  Church,  from  the  time  when,  by  a decree  of  the 
council  of  Basil,  Eugenius  was  deposed  and  degraded  from  the 
pontificate,  and  Amadeus  substituted  in  his  place.  They  can- 
not deny  that  the  council,  as  far  as  relates  to  external  forms, 
was  a lawful  one,  and  summoned  not  only  by  one  pope,  but  by 
two.  There  Eugenius  was  pronounced  guilty  of  schism,  re- 
bellion, and  obstinacy,  together  with  all  the  host  of  cardinals 
and  bishops  who  had  joined  him  in  attempting  a dissolution 
of  the  council.  Yet  afterwards,  assisted  by  the  favour  of 
princes,  he  regained  the  quiet  possession  of  his  former  dignity. 
That  election  of  Amadeus,  though  formally  made  by  the  au- 
thority of  a general  and  holy  synod,  vanished  into  smoke  ; and 
he  was  appeased  with  a cardinal’s  hat,  like  a barking  dog  with 
a morsel.  From  the  bosom  of  those  heretics  and  rebels  have 
proceeded  all  the  popes,  cardinals,  bishops,  abbots,  and  priests, 
ever  since.  Here  they  must  stop.  For  to  which  party  will 
they  give  the  title  of  the  Church  ? Will  they  deny  that  this 
was  a general  council,  which  wanted  nothing  to  complete  its 
external  majesty,  being  solemnly  convened  by  two  papal  bulls, 
consecrated  by  a presiding  legate  of  the  Roman  see,  and  well 
regulated  in  every  point  of  order,  and  invariably  preserving  the 
same  dignity  to  the  last?  Will  they  acknowledge  Eugenius 
to  be  a schismatic,  with  all  his  adherents,  by  whom  they  have 
all  been  consecrated  ? Either,  therefore,  let  them  give  a differ- 
ent definition  of  the  form  of  the  Church,  or,  whatever  be  their 
number,  we  shall  account  them  all  schismatics,  as  having  been 
knowingly  and  voluntarily  ordained  by  heretics.  But  if  it  had 
never  been  ascertained  before,  that  the  Church  is  not  confined 
to  external  pomps,  they  would  themselves  afford  us  abundant 
proof  of  it,  who  have  so  long  superciliously  exhibited  them- 
selves to  the  world  under  the  title  of  the  Church,  though  they 
were  at  the  same  time  the  deadly  plagues  of  it.  I speak  not 
of  their  morals,  and  those  tragical  exploits  with  which  all  theii 
lives  abound,  since  they  profess  themselves  to  be  Pharisees, 
who  are  to  be  heard  and  not  imitated.  I refer  to  the  very  doc- 
trine itself,  on  which  they  found  their  claim  to  be  considered 
as  Ihe  Church.  If  you  devote  a portion  of  your  leisure.  Sire, 


DEDICATION. 


37 


to  the  perusal  of  our  writings,  you  will  clearly  discover  that 
doctrine  to  be  a fatal  pestilence  of  souls,  the  firebrand,  ruin^ 
and  destruction  of  the  Church. 

Finally,  they  betray  great  want  of  candour,  by  invidiously 
repeating  what  great  commotions,  tumults,  and  contentions, 
have  attended  the  preaching  of  our  doctrine,  and  what  elfects 
it  produces  in  many  persons.  For  it  is  unfair  tp  charge  it  with 
those  evils  which  ought  to  be  attributed  to  the  malice  of  Satan. 
It  is  the  native  property  of  the  Divine  word,  never  to  make  its 
appearance  without  disturbing  Satan,  and  rousing  his  opposi- 
tion. This  is  the  most  certain  and  unequivocal  criterion  by 
which  it  is  distinguished  from  false  doctrines,  which  are  easily 
broached  when  they  are  heard  with  general  attention,  and  re- 
ceived with  applauses  by  the  world.  Thus,  in  some  ages, 
when  all  things  were  immerged  in  profound  darkness,  the 
prince  of  this  world  amused  and  diverted  himself  with  the 
generality  of  mankind,  and,  like  another  Sardanapalus,  gave 
himself  up  to  his  ease  and  pleasures  in  perfect  peace ; for  what 
would  he  do  but  amuse  and  divert  himself,  in  the  quiet  and 
undisturbed  possession  of  his  kingdom  ? But  when  the  light 
shining  from  above  dissipated  a portion  of  his  darkness  — when 
that  Mighty  One  alarmed  and  assaulted  his  kingdom  — then  he 
began  to  shake  off  his  wonted  torpor,  and  to  hurry  on  his 
armour.  First,  indeed,  he  stirred  up  the  power  of  men  to  sup- 
press the  truth  by  violence  at  its  first  appearance  ,*  and  when 
this  proved  ineffectual,  he  had  recourse  to  subtlety.  He  made 
the  Catabaptists,  and  other  infamous  characters,  the  instru- 
ments of  exciting  dissensions  and  doctrinal  controversies,  with 
a view  to  obscure  and  finally  to  extinguish  it.  And  now  he 
continues  to  attack  it  in  both  ways  ; for  he  endeavours  to  root  up 
this  genuine  seed  by  means  of  human  force,  and  at  the  same 
time  tries  every  effort  to  choke  it  with  his  tares,  that  it  may 
not  grow  and  produce  fruit.  But  all  his  attempts  will  be  vain, 
if  we  attend  to  the  admonitions  of  the  Lord,  who  hath  long 
ago  made  us  acquainted  with  his  devices,  that  we  might  not 
be  caught  by  him  unawares,  and  has  armed  us  with  sufficient 
means  of  defence  against  all  his  assaults.  But  to  charge  the 
word  of  God  with  the  odium  of  seditions,  excited  against  it  by 
wicked  and  rebellious  men,  or  of  sects  raised  by  impostors,  — is 
not  this  extreme  malignity  ? Yet  it  is  not  without  example  in 


38 


DEDICATION. 


former  times.  Elias  was  asked  whether  it  was  not  he  “ th^‘t 
troubled  Israel.”  {x)  Christ  was  represented  by  the  Jews  as 
guilty  of  sedition,  (y)  The  apostles  were  accused  of  stirring 
up  popular  commotions,  (z)  Wherein  does  this  differ  from 
the  conduct  of  those  who,  at  the  present  day,  impute  to  us  all 
the  disturbances,  tumults,  and  contentions,  that  break  out 
against  us?  B^it  the  proper  answer  to  such  accusations  has 
been  taught  us  by  Elias,  that  the  dissemination  of  errors  and 
the  raising  of  tumults  is  not  chargeable  on  us,  but  on  those 
who  are  resisting  the  power  of  God.  But  as  this  one  reply 
is  sufficient  to  repress  their  temerity,  so,  on  the  other  hand,  we 
must  meet  the  weakness  of  some  persons,  who  are  frequently 
disturbed  with  such  offences,  and  become  unsettled  and  waver- 
ing in  their  minds.  Now,  that  they  may  not  stumble  and  fall 
amidst  this  agitation  and  perplexity,  let  them  know  that  the 
apostles  in  their  day  experienced  the  same  things  that  now  be- 
fall us.  There  were  “unlearned  and  unstable”  men,  Petei 
says,  who  “ wrested  ” the  inspired  writings  of  Paul  “ to  their 
own  destruction.”  (a)  There  were  despisers  of  God,  who, 
when  they  heard  that  “ where  sin  abounded  grace  did  much 
more  abound,”  immediately  concluded.  Let  us  “continue  in 
sin,  that  grace  may  abound.”  When  they  heard  that  the 
faithful  were  “ not  under  the  law,”  they  immediately  croaked, 
“We  will  sin,  because  we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
grace.”  (6)  There  were  some  who  accused  him  as  an  en- 
courager  of  sin.  Many  false  apostles  crept  in,  to  destroy  the 
churches  he  had  raised.  “ Some  preached  ” the  gospel  “ of 
envy  and  strife,  not  in  sincerity,”  maliciously  “ supposing  to 
add  affliction  to  his  bonds.”  (c)  In  some  places  the  Gospel 
was  attended  with  little  benefit.  “All  were  seeking  their 
own,  not  the  things  of  Jesus  Christ.”  (d)  Others  returned 
“like  dogs  to  their  vomit,  and  like  swine  to  their  wallowing 
in  the  mire.”  (e)  Many  perverted  the  liberty  of  the  spirit  into 
the  licentiousness  of  the  flesh.  Many  insinuated  themselves 
as  brethren,  who  afterwards  brought  the  pious  into  dangers. 
Various  contentions  were  excited  among  the  brethren  them- 
selves. What  was  to  be  done  by  the  apostles  in  such  circum- 
stances ? Should  they  not  have  dissembled  for  a time,  or 

(x)  1 Kings  xviii,  17.  (?/)  Luke  xxiii.  2,  5.  (z)  Acts  xvli.  6.  xxiv.  5. 

(a)  2 Pet.  iii.  16.  (b)  Rom.  v.  20.  vi.  1,  14, 15.  (c)  Phil.  i.  15,  16. 

(d)  Phil.  ii.  21.  (e)  2 Pet.  ii.  22. 


DEDICATION. 


39 


rather  have  rejected  and  deserted  that  Gospel  which  appeared 
to  be  the  nursery  of  so  many  disputes,  the  cause  of  so  many 
dangers,  the  occasion  of  so  many  offences  ? But  in  such  dif- 
ficulties as  these,  their  minds  were  relieved  by  this  reflection^ 
that  Christ  is  the  “ stone  of  stumbling  and  rock  of  offence,”  (/) 

set  for  the  fall  and  rising  again  of  many,  and  for  a sign 
which  shall  be  spoken  against ; ” (g)  and  armed  with  this  con- 
fidence, they  proceeded  boldly  through  all  the  dangers  of 
tumults  and  offences.  The  same  consideration  should  support 
us,  since  Paul  declares  it  to  be  the  perpetual  character  of  the 
Gospel,  that  it  is  “a  savour  of  death  unto  death  in  them  that 
perish,”  (h)  although  it  was  rather  given  us  to  be  the  savour 
of  life  unto  life,”  and  the  power  of  God  to  ” the  salvation  ” 
of  the  faithful ; (^)  which  we  also  should  certainly  experience 
it  to  be,  if  we  did  not  corrupt  this  eminent  gift  of  God  by  our 
ingratitude,  and  pervert  to  our  destruction  what  ought  to  be  a 
principal  instrument  of  our  salvation. 

But  I return  to  you.  Sire.  Let  not  your  Majesty  be  at  all 
moved  by  those  groundless  accusations  with  which  our  ad- 
versaries endeavour  to  terrify  you  ,•  as  that  the  sole  tendency 
and  design  of  this  new  Gospel  — for  so  they  call  it  — is  to  furnish 
a pretext  for  seditions,  and  to  gain  impunity  for  all  crimes. 

For  God  is  not  the  author  of  confusion,  hut  of  peace  ; ” (k) 
nor  is  the  Son  of  God,”  who  came  to  destroy  the  works 
of  the  devil,  the  minister  of  sin.”  (/)  And  it  is  unjust  to 
charge  us  with  such  motives  and  designs,  of  which  we  have 
never  given  cause  for  the  least  suspicion.  Is  it  probable  that 
we  are  meditating  the  subversion  of  kingdoms?  — we,  who 
were  never  heard  to  utter  a factious  word,  whose  lives  were 
ever  known  to  be  peaceable  and  honest  while  we  lived  under 
your  government,  and  who,  even  now  in  our  exile,  cease  not  to 
pray  for  all  prosperity  to  attend  yourself  and  your  kingdom ! 
Is  it  probable  that  we  are  seeking  an  unlimited  license  to  com- 
mit crimes  with  impunity?  in  whose  conduct,  though  man^^ 
things  may  be  blamed,  yet  there  is  nothing  worthy  of  such 
severe  reproach ! Nor  have  we,  by  Divine  Grace,  profited  so 
little  in  the  Gospel,  but  that  our  life  may  be  an  example  to  our 
detractors  of  chastity,  liberality,  mercy,  temperance,  patience, 

(/)  1 Pet.  ii.  8.  (//.)  2 Cor.  ii.  15,  16.  (k)  1 Cor.  xiv.  33. 

Luke  ii.  34.  (i)  Rom.  i.  16.  (/)  1 John  iii.  8.  Gal.  ii.  17. 


40 


DEDICATION. 


modesty,  and  every  other  virtue.  It  is  an  undeniable  fact, 
that  we  sincerely  fear  and  worship  God,  whose  name  we  de- 
sire to  he  sanctified  both  by  our  life  and  by  our  death ; and 
envy  itself  is  constrained  to  bear  testimony  to  the  innocence 
and  civil  integrity  of  some  of  us,  who  have  suffered  the  pun- 
ishment of  death  for  that  very  thing  which  ought  to  be  ac- 
counted their  highest  praise.  But  if  the  Gospel  be  made  a 
pretext  for  tumults,  which  has  not  yet  happened  in  your  king- 
dom ; if  any  persons  make  the  liberty  of  divine  grace  an  ex- 
cuse for  the  licentiousness  of  their  vices,  of  whom  I have 
known  many,  — there  are  laws  and  legal  penalties,  by  which 
they  may  he  punished  according  to  their  deserts ; only  let  not 
the  Gospel  of  God  be  reproached  for  the  crimes  of  wicked 
men.  You  have  now.  Sire,  the  virulent  iniquity  of  our  ca- 
lumniators laid  before  you  in  a sufficient  number  of  instances, 
that  you  may  not  receive  their  accusations  Avith  too  credulous 
an  ear.  — I fear  I have  gone  too  much  into  the  detail,  as  this 
preface  already  approaches  the  size  of  a full  apology ; Avhereas 
I intended  it  not  to  contain  our  defence,  but  only  to  prepare 
your  mind  to  attend  to  the  pleading  of  our  cause ; for,  though 
you  are  now  averse  and  alienated  from  us,  and  even  inflamed 
against  us,  we  despair  not  of  regaining  your  favour,  if  you  Avill 
only  once  read  with  calmness  and  composure  this  our  confes- 
sion, Avhich  we  intend  as  our  defence  before  your  Majesty. 
But,  on  the  contrary,  if  your  ears  are  so  preoccupied  with  the 
whispers  of  the  malevolent,  as  to  leave  no  opportunity  for  the 
accused  to  speak  for  themselves,  and  if  those  outrageous  furies, 
with  your  connivance,  continue  to  persecute  with  imprison- 
ments, scourges,  tortures,  confiscations,  and  flames,  Ave  shall 
indeed,  like  sheep  destined  to  the  slaughter,  be  reduced  to  the 
greatest  extremities.  Yet  shall  Ave  in  patience  possess  our 
souls,  and  Avait  for  the  mighty  hand  of  the  Lord,  Avhich  un- 
doubtedly Avill  in  time  appear,  and  shoAV  itself  armed  for  the 
deliverance  of  the  poor  from  their  affliction,  and  for  the  pun- 
ishment of  their  despisers,  Avho  noAV  exult  in  such  perfect  se- 
curity. May  the  Lord,  the  King  of  kings,  establish  your 
throne  Avith  righteousness,  and  your  kingdom  Avith  equity. 


Basil,  1st  August,  153G. 


GENERAL  SYLLABUS. 


The  design  of  the  Author  in  these  Christian  Institutes  is 
twofold,  relating,  First,  to  the  knowledge  of  God,  as  the  way 
to  attain  a blessed  immortality ; and,  in  connection  with  and 
subservience  to  this.  Secondly,  to  the  knowledge  of  ourselves. 

In  the  prosecution  of  this  design,  he  strictly  follows  the 
method  of  the  Apostles’  Creed,  as  being  most  familiar  to  all 
Christians.  For  as  the  Creed  consists  of  four  parts,  the  first 
relating  to  God  the  Father,  the  second  to  the  Son,  the  third 
to  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  fourth  to  the  Church ; so  the  Author 
distributes  the  whole  of  this  work  into  Four  Books,  correspond- 
ing respectively  to  the  four  parts  of  the  Creed ; as  will  clearly 
appear  from  the  following  detail : — 

I.  The  first  article  of  the  Creed  relates  to  God  the  Father, 
and  to  the  creation,  conservation,  and  government  of  all  things, 
which  are  included  in  his  omnipotence. 

So  the  first  book  is  on  the  knowledge  of  God,  considered 
as  the  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Governor  of  the  universe  at 
large,  and  of  every  thing  contained  in  it.  It  shows  both  the 
nature  and  tendency  of  the  true  knowledge  of  the  Creator  — 
that  this  i^  not  learned  in  the  schools,  but  that  every  man  from 
his  birth  is  self-taught  it  — Yet  that  the  depravity  of  men  is 
so  great  as  to  corrupt  and  extinguish  this  knowledge,  partly 
by  ignorance,  partly  by  wickedness ; so  that  it  neither  leads 
him  to  glorify  God  as  he  ought,  nor  conducts  him  to  the  at- 
tainment of  happiness  — And  though  this  internal  knowledge 
is  assisted  by  all  the  creatures  around,  Yvhich  serve  as  a mirror 
to  display  the  Divine  perfections,  yet  that  man  does  not  profit 
by  it  — Therefore,  that  to  those,  whom  it  is  God’s  will  to  bring 
to  an  intimate  and  saving  knowledge  of  himself,  he  gives  his 
written  word ; which  introduces  observations  on  the  sacred 
Scripture  — That  he  has  therein  revealed  himself ; that  not 
the  Father  only,  but  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  uni- 
6 


VOL.  I. 


42 


GENERAL  SYLLABUS. 


ted,  is  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth ; whom  neither  the 
knowledge  innate  by  nature,  nor  the  very  beautiful  mirror  dis- 
played to  us  in  the  world,  can,  in  consequence  of  our  depravity, 
teach  us  to  know  so  as  to  glorify  him.  This  gives  occasion 
for  treating  of  the  revelation  of  God  in  the  Scripture,  of  the 
unity  of  the  Divine  Essence,  and  the  trinity  of  Persons.  — To 
prevent  man  from  attributing  to  God  the  blame  of  his  own 
voluntary  blindness,  the  Author  shows  the  state  of  man  at  his 
creation,  and  treats  of  the*  image  of  God,  free-will,  and  the 
primitive  integrity  of  nature.  — Having  finished  the  subject  of 
creation,  he  proceeds  to  the  conservation  and  government  of 
all  things,  concluding  the  first  book  with  a full  discussion  of 
the  doctrine  of  divine  providence. 

II.  But  since  man  is  fallen  by  sin  from  the  state  in  which 
he  was  created,  it  is  necessary  to  come  to  Christ.  Therefore 
it  follows  in  the  Creed,  And  in  Jesus  Christ,  his  only  Son  our 
Lord,”  &c. 

So  in  the  second  book  of  the  Institutes  our  Author  treats  of 
the  knowledge  of  God  as  the  Redeemer  in  Christ ; and  having 
shown  the  fall  of  man,  leads  him  to  Christ  the  Mediator. 
Here  he  states  the  doctrine  of  original  sin  — that  man  pos- 
sesses no  inherent  strength  to  enable  him  to  deliver  himself 
from  sin  and  the  impending  curse,  but  that,  on  the  contrary, 
nothing  can  proceed  from  him,  antecedently  to  reconciliation 
and  renovation,  but  what  is  deserving  of  condemnation  — 
Therefore,  that,  man  being  utterly  lost  in  himself,  and  incapa- 
ble of  conceiving  even  a good  thought  by  which  he  may  re- 
store himself,  or  perform  actions  acceptable  to  God,  he  must 
seek  redemption  out  of  himself,  in  Christ  — That  the  Law  was 
given  for  this  purpose,  not  to  confine  its  observers  to  itself,  but 
to  conduct  them  to  Christ ; which  gives  occasion  to  introduce 
an  exposition  of  the  Moral  Law  — That  he  was^known,  as  the 
Author  of  salvation,  to  the  Jews  under  the  Law,  but  more 
fully  under  the  Gospel,  in  which  he  is  manifested  to  the  world. 

— Hence  follows  the  doctrine  of  the  similarity  and  difference 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  of  the  Law  and  Gospel.  — It 
is  next  stated,  that,  in  order  to  the  complete  accomplishment 
of  salvation,  it  was  necessary  for  the  eternal  Son  of  God  to  be- 
come man,  and  that  he  actually  assumed  a real  human  nature : 

— it  is  also  shown  how  these  two  natures  constitute  one  per- 


GENERAL  SYLLABUS. 


43 


son  — That  the  office  of  Christ,  appointed  for  the  acquisition 
and  application  of  complete  salvation  by  his  merit  and  efficacy, 
is  sacerdotal,  regal,  and  prophetical.  — Next  follows  the  man- 
ner in  which  Christ  executed  his  office,  or  actually  performed 
the  part  of  a Mediator,  being  an  exposition  of  the  Articles  re- 
specting his  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  to  heaven.  — 
Lastly,  the  Author  shows  the  truth  and  propriety  of  affirming 
that  Christ  merited  the  grace  of  God  and  salvation  for  us. 

III.  As  long  as  Christ  is  separate  from  us,  he  profits  us 
nothing.  Hence  the  necessity  of  our  being  ingrafted  into  him, 
as  branches  into  a vine.  Therefore  the  doctrine  concerning 
Christ  is  followed,  in  the  third  part  of  the  Creed,  by  this  clause, 

I believe  in  the  Holy  Spirit,”  as  being  the  bond  of  union 
between  us  and  Christ. 

So  in  the  third  book  our  Author  treats  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  unites  us  to  Christ  — and  consequently  of  faith,  by  which 
we  embrace  Christ,  with  his  twofold  benefit,  free  righteous- 
ness, which  he  imputes  to  us,  and  regeneration,  which  he 
commences  within  us,  by  bestowing  repentance  upon  us.  — 
And  to  show  that  we  have  not  the  least  room  to  glory  in  such 
faith  as  is  unconnected  with  the  pursuit  of  repentance,  before 
proceeding  to  the  full  discussion  of  justification,  he  treats  at 
large  of  repentance  and  the  continual  exercise  of  it,  which 
Christ,  apprehended  by  faith,  produces  in  us  by  his  Spirit.  — 
He  next  fully  discusses  the  first  and  chief  benefit  of  Christ 
when  united  to  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  is,  justification  — 
and  then  treats  of  prayer,  which  resembles  the  hand  that  ac- 
tually receives  those  blessings  to  be  enjoyed,  which  faith 
knows,  from  the  word  of  promise,  to  be  laid  up  with  God  for 
our  use.  — But  as  all  men  are  not  united  to  Christ,  the  sole 
Author  of  salvation,  by  the  Holy  Sphit,  who  creates  and  pre- 
serves faith  in  us,  he  treats  of  God’s  eternal  election  ; which  is 
the  cause  that  we,  in  whom  he  foresaw  no  good  but  what  he 
intended  freely  to  bestow,  have  been  favoured  with  the  gift  of 
Christ,  and  united  to  God  by  the  effectual  call  of  the  Gospel. 
— Lastly,  he  treats-  of  complete  regeneration,  and  the  fruition 
of  happiness ; that  is,  the  final  resurrection,  towards  which  our 
eyes  must  be  directed,  since  in  this  world  the  felicity  of  the 
pious,  in  respect  of  enjoyment,  is  only  begun. 

IV.  But  as  the  Holy  Spirit  does  not  unite  all  men  to  Christ, 


44 


GENERAL  SYLLABUS. 


or  make  them  partakers  of  faith,  and  on  those  to  whom  he  im- 
parts it  he  does  not  ordinarily  bestow  it  without  means,  but 
employs  for  this  purpose  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  and  the 
use  of  the  sacraments,  with  the  administration  of  all  discipline, 
therefore  it  follows  in  the  Creed,  I believe  in  the  Holy  Cath- 
olic Church,”  whom,  though  involved  in  eternal  death,  yet,  in 
pursuance  of  the  gratuitous  election,  God  has  freely  reconciled 
to  himself  in  Christ,  and  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
that,  being  ingrafted  into  Christ,  they  may  have  communion 
with  him  as  their  head,  whence  flows  a perpetual  remission  of 
sins,  and  a full  restoration  to  eternal  life. 

So  in  the  fourth  book  our  Author  treats  of  the  Church  — then 
of  the  means  used  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  eifectually  calling  from 
spiritual  death,  and  preserving  the  church  — the  word  and  sac- 
raments— baptism  and  the  Lord’s  supper  — which  are  as  it 
were  Christ’s  regal  sceptre,  by  which  he  commences  his  spir- 
itual reign  in  the  Church  by  the  energy  of  his  Spirit,  and  car- 
ries it  forwards  from  day  to  day  during  the  present  life,  after 
the  close  of  which  he  perfects  it  without  those  means. 

And  as  political  institutions  are  the  asylums  of  the  Church 
in  this  life,  though  civil  government  is  distinct  from  the  spir- 
itual kingdom  of  Christ,  our  Author  instructs  us  respecting  it 
as  a signal  blessing  of  God,  which  the  Church  ought  to  ac- 
knowledge with  gratitude  of  heart,  till  we  are  called  out  of 
this  transitory  state  to  the  heavenly  inheritance,  where  God 
will  be  all  in  all. 

This  is  the  plan  of  the  Institutes,  which  may  he  comprised 
in  the  following  brief  summary : — * 

Man,  created  originally  upright,  being  afterwards  ruined,  not 
partially,  but  totally,  finds  salvation  out  of  himself,  wholly  in 
Christ ; to  whom  being  united  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  freely  be- 
stowed, without  any  regard  of  future  works,  he  enjoys  in  him 
a twofold  benefit,  the  perfect  imputation  of  righteousness,  which 
attends  him  to  the  grave,  and  the  commencement  of  sanctifica- 
tion, which  he  daily  increases,^  till  at  length  he  completes  it  at 
the  day  of  regeneration  or  resurrection  of  the  body,  so  that  in 
eternal  life  and  the  heavenly  inheritance  his  praises  are  cele- 
brated for  such  stupendous  mercy. 


INSTITUTES 


OF  THE 

CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


BOOK  I . 


ON  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 


ARGUMENT. 

The  first  book  treats  of  the  knowledge  of  God  the  Creator ; but,  this 
being  chiefly  manifested  in  the  creation  of  man,  man  also  is  made 
the  subject  of  discussion.  Thus  the  principal  topics  of  the  whole 
treatise  are  two  — the  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  knowledge  of  man. 
In  the  first  chapter,  they  are  considered  together ; in  the  following 
chapters,  separately ; yet  some  things  are  introduced,  which  may  be 
referred  to  either  or  both.  What  respects  the  Scripture  and  images 
may  belong  to  the  knowledge  of  God ; what  respects  the  formation 
of  the  world,  the  holy  angels,  and  the  devils,  to  the  knowledge  of 
man;  and  what  respects  the  manner  in  which  God  governs  the 
world,  to  both. 

On  the  first  of  these  topics,  the  knowledge  of  God,  this  book  shows. 

First,  What  kind  of  knowledge  God  himself  requires — Chap.  11. 

Secondly,  W^here  it  must  be  sought — Chap.  III. — IX.,  as  follows: 

1.  Not  in  nlan;  because,  though  the  human  mind  is  naturally 
endued  with  it,  yet  it  is  extinguished,  partly  by  ignorance, 
partly  by  wickedness — Chap.  III.  IV. 

2.  Nor  in  the  structure  of  the  world;  because,  though  it 
shines  there  with  the  brightest  evidence,  testimonies  of 
that  kind,  however  plain,  are,  through  our  ‘stupidity, 
wholly  useless  to  us — Chap.  V. 

3.  But  in  the  Scripture — Chap,  VI. — IX. 


46 


ARGUMENT. 


Thirdly,  What  kind  of  a being  God  is — Chap.  X. 

Fourthly,  The  impiety  of  ascribing  to  God  a visible  form,  with  obser- 
vations on  the  adoration  and  origin  of  images — Chap.  XI. 

Fifthly,  The  reasonableness  that  God  alone  should  be  supremely  wor 
shipped — Chap.  XII. 

Lastly,  The  unity  of  the  Divine  Essence,  and  the  distinction  of  three 
Persons — Chap.  XIII. 

On  the  other  of  these  topics,  the  knowledge  of  man,  it  contains. 

First,  A dissertation  on  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  on  the  good 
and  evil  angels,  all  which  relate  to  man — Chap.  XIV. 

Secondly,  Proceeding  to  man  himself,  an  examination  of  his  nature 
and  powers — Chap.  XV. 

But,  in  order  to  a clearer  illustration  of  the  knowledge  of  God  and 
man,  the  three  remaining  chapters  treat  of  the  government  of  all 
human  actions  and  of  the  whole  world,  in  opposition  to  fortune  and 
fate,  stating  the  pure  doctrine,  and  showing  its  use ; and  conclude 
with  proving  that,  though  God  uses  the  agency  of  the  wicked,  he  is 
pure  from  all  pollution,  and  chargeable  with  no  blame. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  CONNECTION  BETWEEN  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD  AND  THE 
KNOWLEDGE  OF  OURSELVES. 

True  and  substantial  wisdom  principally  consists  of  two 
parts,  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  knowledge  of  ourselves. 
But,  while  these  two  branches  of  knowledge  are  so  intimately 
connected,  which  of  them  precedes  and  produces  the  other,  is 
not  easy  to  discover.  For,  in  the  first  place,  no  man  can  take 
a survey  of  himself  but  he  must  immediately  turn  to  the  con- 
templation of  God,  in  whom  he  lives  and  moves  ; ” (o)  since  it 
is  evident  that  the  talents  -which  we  possess  are  not  from  our- 
selves, and  that  our  very  existence  is  nothing  but  a subsistence 
in  God  alone.  These  bounties,  distilling  to  us  by  drops  from 
heaven,  form,  as  it  were,  so  many  streams  conducting  us  to 
the  fountain-head.  Our  poverty  conduces  to  a clearer  display 
of  the  infinite  fulness  of  God.  Especially,  the  miserable  ruin, 
into  which  we  have  been  plunged  by  the  defection  of  the  first 
man,  compels  us  to  raise  our  eyes  towards  heaven,  not  only  as 
hungry  and  famished,  to  seek  thence  a supply  for  our  wants. 


(a)  Acts  xvii.  2. 


BOOK  I.J 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


47 


but,  aroused  with  fear,  to  learn  humility.  For,  since  man  is 
subject  to  a world  of  miseries,  and  has  been  spoiled  of  his 
divine  array,  this  melancholy  exposure  discovers  an  immense 
mass  of  deformity : every  one,  therefore,  must  be  so  impressed 
with  a consciousness  of  his  own  infelicity,  as  to  arrive  at  some 
knowledge  of  God.  Thus  a sense  of  our  ignorance,  vanity, 
poverty,  infirmity,  depravity,  and  corruption,  leads  us  to  per- 
ceive and  acknowledge  that  in  the  Lord  alone  are  to  be  found 
true  wisdom,  solid  strength,  perfect  goodness,  and  unspotted 
righteousness ; and  so,  by  our  imperfections,  we  are  excited  to 
a consideration  of  the  perfections  of  God.  Nor  can  we  really 
aspire  toward  him,  till  we  have  begun  to  be  displeased  with 
ourselves.  For  who  would  not  gladly  rest  satisfied  with  him- 
self? where  is  the  man  not  actually  absorbed  in  self-compla- 
cency, while  he  remains  unacquainted  with  his  true  situation, 
or  content  with  his  own  endowments,  and  ignorant  or  forgetful 
of  his  own  misery  ? The  knowledge  of  ourselves,  therefore,  ^ 
is  not  only  an  incitement  to  seek  after  God,  but  likewise  a con- 
siderable assistance  towards  finding  him. 

II.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  plain  that  no  man  can  arrive  at 
the  true  knowledge  of  himself,  without  having  first  contem- 
plated the  divine  character,  and  then  descended  to  the  consid- 
eration of  his  own.  For,  such  is  the  native  pride  of  us  all,  we 
invariably  esteem  ourselves  righteous,  innocent,  wise,  and  holy, 
till  we  are  convinced,  by  clear  proofs,  of  our  unrighteousness, 
turpitude,  folly,  and  impurity.  But  we  are  never  thus  con- 
vinced, while  we  confine  our  attention  to  ourselves,  and  regard 
not  the  Lord,  who  is  the  only  standard  by  which  this  judgment 
ought  to  be  formed.  Because,  from  our  natural  proneness  to 
hypocrisy,  any  vain  appearance  of  righteousness  abundantly 
contents  us  instead  of  the  reality ; and,  every  thing  within 
and  around  us  being  exceedingly  defiled,-  we  are  delighted 
with  what  is  least  so,  as  extremely  pure,  while  we  confine  our 
reflections  within  the  limits  of  human  corruption.  So  the 
eye,  accustomed  to  see  nothing  but  black,  judges  that  to  be 
very  white,  which  is  but  whitish,  or  perhaps  brown.  Indeed, 
the  senses  of  our  bodies  may  assist  us  in  discovering  how 
grossly  we  err  in  estimating  the  powers  of  the  soul.  For  if  at 
noon-day  Ave  look  either  on  the  ground,  or  at  any  surrounding 
objects,  we  conclude  our  vision  to  be  very  strong  and  piercing  ; 
but  when  we  raise  our  eyes  and  steadily  look  at  the  sun,  they 
are  at  once  dazzled  and  confounded  with  such  a blaze  of 
brightness,  and  we  are  constrained  to  confess,  that  our  sight, 
so  piercing  in  viewing  terrestrial  things,  when  directed  to  the 
sun,  is  dimness  itself.  Thus  also  it  happens  in  the  considera- 
tion of  our  spiritual  endowments.  For  as  long  as  our  views 
are  bounded  by  the  earth,  perfectly  content  with  our  own 


48 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 


righteousness,  wisdom,  and  strength,  we  fondly  flatter  our- 
selves, and  fancy  we  are  little  less  than  demigods.  But,  if  we 
once  elevate  our  thoughts  to  God,  and  consider  his  nature,  and 
the  consummate  perfection  of  his  righteousness,  wisdom,  and 
strength,  to  which  we  ought  to  be  conformed,  — what  before 
charmed  us  in  ourselves  under  the  false  pretext  of  righteous- 
ness, will  soon  be  loathed  as  the  greatest  iniquity ; what 
strangely  deceived  us  under  the  title  of  wisdom,  will  be  de- 
spised as  extreme  folly  ; and  what  wore  the  appearance  of 
strength,  will  be  proved  to  be  most  wretched  impotence.  So 
very  remote  from  the  divine  purity  is  what  seems  in  us  the 
highest  perfection. 

III.  Hence  that  horror  and  amazement  with  which  the 
Scripture  always  represents  the  saints  to  have  been  impressed 
and  disturbed,  on  every  discovery  of  the  presence  of  God.  For 
when  we  see  those,  who  before  his  appearance  stood  secure  and 
firm,  so  astonished  and  affrighted  at  the  manifestation  of  his 
glory,  as  to  faint  and  almost  expire  through  fear,  — we  must 
infer  that  man  is  never  sufficiently  affected  with  a knowledge 
of  his  own  meanness,  till  he  has  compared  himself  with  the 
Divine  Majesty.  Of  this  consternation  we  have  frequent  ex- 
amples in  the  Judges  and  Prophets ; so  that  it  was  a common 
expression  among  the  Lord’s  people  — “We  shall  die,  because 
we  have  seen  God.”  (6)  Therefore  the  history  of  Job,  to 
humble  men  with  a consciousness  of  their  pollution,  impotence, 
and  folly,  derives  its  principal  argument  from  a description  of 
the  Divine  purity,  power,  and  wisdom.  And  not  without  rea- 
son. For  we  see  how  Abraham,  the  nearer  he  approached  to 
behold  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  the  more  fully  acknowledged 
himself  to  be  but  “dust  and  ashes;”  (c)  and  how  Elias  {d) 
could  not  bear  his  approach  without  covering  his  face,  his  ap- 
pearance is  so  formidable.  And  what  can  man  do,  all  vile  and 
corrupt,  when  fear  constrains  even  the  cherubim  themselves  to 
veil  their  faces?  This  is  what  the  prophet  isaiah  speaks  of — 
“ the  moon  shall  be  confounded,  and  the  sun  ashamed,  when 
the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign : ” (e)  that  is,  when  he  shall  make 
a fuller  and  nearer  exhibition  of  his  splendour,  it  shall  eclipse 
the  splendour  of  the  brightest  object  besides.  But,  though  the 
knowledge  of  God  and  the  knowledge  of  ourselves  be  intimate- 
ly connected,  the  proper  order  of  instruction  requires  us  first  to 
treat  of  the  former,  and  then  to  proceed  to  the  discussion  of  the 
latter. 


(b)  Judg.  xiii.  22. 

(c)  Gen.  xviii.  27. 


(d)  1 Kings  xix.  13. 

(c)  Isaiah  vi.  2;  xxiv.  23. 


CHAP.  II.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


49 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  NATURE  AND  TENDENCY  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 

By  the  J^nowledge  of  God,  I intend  not  merely  a notion  that 
there  is  such  a Being,  but  also  an  acquaintance  with  whatever 
we  ought  to  know  concerning  Him,  conducing  to  his  glory 
and  our  benefit.  For  we  cannot  with  propriety  say,  there  is 
any  knowledge  of  God  where  there  is  no  religion  or  piety.  I 
have  no  reference  here  to  that  species  of  knowledge  by  which 
men,  lost  and  condemned  in  themselves,  apprehend  God  the 
Redeemer  in  Christ  the  Mediator ; but  only  to  that  first  and 
simple  knowledge,  to  which  the  genuine  order  of  nature  would 
lead  us,  if  Adam  had  retained  his  innocence.  For  though,  in 
the  present  ruined  state  of  human  nature,  no  man  will  ever 
perceive  God  to  be  a Father,  or  the  Author  of  salvation,  or  in 
any  respect  propitious,  but  as  pacified  by  the  mediation  of 
Christ ; yet  it  is  one  thing  to  understand,  that  God  our  Maker 
supports  ns  by  his  power,  governs  us  by  his  providence,  nour- 
ishes us  by  his  goodness,  and  follows  us  with  blessings  of  every 
kind,  and  another  to  embrace  the  grace  of  reconciliation  pro- 
posed to  us  in  Christ.  Therefore,  since  God  is  first  manifested, 
both  in  the  structure  of  the  world  and  in  the  general  tenor  of 
Scripture,  simply  as  the  Creator,  and  afterwards  reveals  him- 
self in  the  person  of  Christ  as  a Redeemer,  hence  arises  a two- 
fold knowledge  of  him  ; of  which  the  former  is  first  to  be 
considered,  and  the  other  will  follow  in  its  proper  place.  For 
though  our  mind  cannot  conceive  of  God,  without  ascribing 
some  worship  to  him,  it  will  not  be  sufiicient  merely  to  appre- 
hend that  he  is  the  only  proper  object  of  universal  worship  and 
adoration,  unless  we  are  also  persuaded  that  he  is  the  fountain 
of  all  good,  and  seek  for  none  but  in  him.  This  I maintain, 
not  only  because  he  sustains  the  universe,  as  he  once  made  it, 
by  his  infinite  power,  governs  it  by  his  wisdom,  preserves  it 
by  his  goodness,  and  especially  reigns  over  the  human  race  in 
righteousness  and  judgment,  exercising  a merciful  forbearance, 
and  defending  them  by  his  protection  ; but  because  there  can- 
not be  found  the  least  particle  of  wisdom,  light,  righteousness, 
power,  rectitude,  or  sincere  truth  which  does  not  proceed  from 
him,  and  claim  him  for  its  author : we  should  therefore  learn 
to  expect  and  supplicate  all  these  things  from  him,  and  thank- 
fully to  acknowledge  what  he  gives  us.  For  this  sense  of  the 
divine  perfections  is  calculated  to  teach  us  piety,  which  pro- 
duces religion.  By  piety,  I mean  a reverence  and  love  of  God, 
VOL.  I.  7 


.50 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  1 

arising  from  a knowledge  of  his  benefits.  For,  till  men  are 
sensible  that  they  owe  every  thing  to  God,  that  they  are  sup- 
ported by  his  paternal  care,  that  he  is  the  Author  of  all  the 
blessings  they  enjoy,  and  that  nothing  should  be  sought  inde- 
pendently of  him,  they  will  never  voluntarily  submit  to  his 
authority ; they  will  never  truly  and  cordially  devote  them- 
selves to  his  service,  unless  they  rely  upon  him  alone  for  true 
felicity. 

II.  Cold  and  frivolous,  then,  are  the  speculations  of  those 
who  employ  themselves  in  disquisitions  on  the  essence  of  God, 
when  it  would  be  more  interesting  to  us  to  become  acquainted 
with  his  character,  and  to  know  what  is  agreeable  to  his  na- 
ture. For  what  end  is  answered  by  professing,  with  Epicu- 
rus, that  there  is  a God,  who,  discarding  all  concern  about  the 
World,  indulges  himself  in  perpetual  inactivity  ? What  benefit 
arises  from  the  knowledge  of  a God  with  whom  we  have  no 
concern  ? Our  knowledge  of  God  should  rather  tend,  first,  to 
teach  us  fear  and  reverence  ; and,  secondly,  to  instruct  us  to 
implore  all  good  at  his  hand,  and  to  render  him  the  praise  of 
all  that  we  receive.  For  how  can  you  entertain  a thought  of 
God  without  immediately  reflecting,  that,  being  a creature  of 
his  formation,  you  must,  by  right  of  creation,  be  subject  to  his 
authority  ? that  you  are  indebted  to  him  for  your  life,  and  that 
all  your  actions  should  be  done  with  reference  to  him  ? If 
this  be  true,  it  certainly  follows  that  your  life  is  miserably  cor- 
rupt, unless  it  be  regulated  by  a desire  of  obeying  him,  since 
his  will  ought  to  be  the  rule  of  our  conduct.  Nor  can  you 
have  a clear  view  of  him  without  discovering  him  to  be  the 
fountain  and  origin  of  all  good.  This  would  produce  a desire 
of  union  to  him,  and  confidence  in  him,  if  the  human  mind 
were  not  seduced  by  its  own  depravity  from  the  right  path  of 
investigation.  For,  even  at  the  first,  the  pious  mind  dreams 
not  of  any  imaginary  deity,  but  contemplates  only  the  one  true 
God ; and,  concerning  him,  indulges  not  the  fictions  of  fancy, 
but,  content  with  believing  him  to  be  such  as  he  reveals  him- 
self, uses  the  most  diligent  and  unremitting  caution,  lest  it 
should  fall  into  error  by  a rash  and  presumptuous  transgression 
of  his  will.  He  Avho  thus  knows  him,  sensible  that  all  things 
are  subject  to  his  control,  confides  in  him  as  his  Guardian  and 
Protector,  and  unreservedly  commits  himself  to  his  care.  As- 
sured that  he  is  the  author  of  all  blessings,  in  distress  or  want 
he  immediately  flies  to  his  protection,  and  expects  his  aid. 
Persuaded  of  his  goodness  and  mercy,  he  relies  on  him  whth 
unlimited  confidence,  nor  doubts  of  finding  in  his  clemency  a 
remedy  provided  for  all  his  evils.  Knowing  him  to  be  his 
Lord  and  Father,  he  concludes  that  he  ought  to  mark  his  gov- 
ernment in  all  things,  revere  his  majesty,  endeavour  to  promote 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  51 

his  glory,  and  obey  his  commands.  Perceiving  him  to  be  a 
just  Judge,  armed  with  severity  for  the  punishment  of  crimes, 
he  keeps  his  tribunal  always  in  view,  and  is  restrained  by  fear 
from  provoking  his  wrath.  Yet  he  is  not  so  terrified  at  the  ap- 
prehension of  his  justice,  as  to  wish  to  evade  it,  even  if  escape 
were  possible ; but  loves  him  as  much  in  punishing  the  wicked 
as  in  blessing  the  pious,  because  he  believes  it  as  necessary  to 
his  glory  to  punish  the  impious  and  abandoned,  as  to  reward  the 
righteous  with  eternal  life.  Besides,  he  restrains  himself  from 
sin,  not  merely  from  a dread  of  vengeance,  but  because  he 
loves  and  reveres  God  as  his  Father,  honours  and  worships  him 
as  his  Lord,  and,  even  though  there  were  no  hell,  would  shud-| 
der  at  the  thought  of  offending  him.  See,  then,  the  nature  of 
pure  and  genuine  religion.  It  consists  in  faith,  united  with  a 
serious  fear  of  God,  comprehending  a voluntary  reverence,  and 
producing  legitimate  worship  agreeable  to  the  injunctions  of 
the  law.  And  this  requires  to  be  the  more  carefully  remarked, 
because  men  in  general  render  to  God  a formal  worship,  but 
very  few  truly  reverence  him ; while  great  ostentation  in  cer- 
emonies is  universally  displayed,  but  sincerity  of  heart  is 
rarely  to  be  found. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  HUMAN  MIND  NATURALLY  ENDUED  WITH  THE  KNOWLEDGE 

OF  GOD. 

We  lay  it  down  as  a position  not  to  be  controverted,  that 
the  human  mind,  even  by  natural  instinct,  possesses  some 
sense  of  a Deity.  For  that  no  man  might  shelter  himself 
under  the  pretext  of  ignorance,  God  hath  given  to  all  some 
apprehension  of  his  existence,  (/)  the  memory  of  which  he 
frequently  and  insensibly  renews;  so  that,  as  men  universally 
know  that  there  is  a God,  and  that  he  is  their  Maker,  they 
must  be  condemned  by  their  own  testimony,  for  not  having 
worshipped  him  and  consecrated  their  lives  to  his  service.  If 
we  seek  for  ignorance  of  a Deity,  it  is  nowhere  more  likely  to 
be  found,  than  among  tribes  the  most  stupid  and  furthest  from 
civilization.  But,  as  the  celebrated  Cicero  observes,  there  is 
no  nation  so  barbarous,  no  race  so  savage,  as  not  to  be  firmly 
persuaded  of  the  being  of  a God.  (g')  Even  those  who  in 
other  respects  appear  to  differ  but  little  from  brutes,  always 

(/)  Rom.  i.  20.  (g)  Cicer.  de  Natur.  Deor.  lib.  i.  Lactant.  Inst.  lib.  iii.  cap.  10 


52  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

retain  some  sense  of  religion ; so  fully  are  the  minds  of  men 
possessed  with  this  common  principle,  which  is  closely  inter- 
woven with  their  original  composition.  Now,  since  there  has 
never  been  a country  or  family,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  totally  destitute  of  religion,  it  is  a tacit  confession, 
that  some  sense  of  the  Divinity  is  inscribed  on  every  heart. 
Of  this  opinion,  idolatry  itself  furnishes  ample  proof.  For 
we  know  how  reluctantly  man  would  degrade  himself  to 
exalt  other  creatures  above  him.  His  preference  of  wor- 
shipping a piece  of  wood  or  stone,  to  being  thought  to  have 
no  god,  evinces  the  impression  of  a Deity  on  the  human  mind 
to  be  very  strong,  the  obliteration  of  which  is  more  difficult 
than  a total  change  of  the  natural  disposition  ; and  this  is  cer- 
tainly changed,  whenever  man  leaves  his  natural  pride,  and 
voluntarily  descends  to  such  meannesses  under  the  notion  of 
worshipping  God. 

II.  It  is  most  absurd,  then,  to  pretend,  as  is  asserted  by 
some,  that  religion  was  the  contrivance  of  a few  subtle  and 
designing  men,  a political  machine  to  confine  the  simple  mul- 
titude to  their  duty,  while  those  who  inculcated  the  worship 
of  God  on  others,  were  themselves  far  from  believing  that  any 
god  existed.  I confess,  indeed,  that  artful  men  have  intro- 
duced many  inventions  into  religion,  to  fill  the  vulgar  with 
reverence,  and  strike  them  with  terror,  in  order  to  obtain  the 
greater  command  over  their  minds.  But  this  they  never  could 
have  accomplished,  if  the  minds  of  men  had  not  previously 
been  possessed  of  a firm  persuasion  of  the  existence  of  God, 
from  which  the  propensity  to  religion  proceeds.  And  that 
they  who  cunningly  imposed  on  the  illiterate,  under  the  pre- 
text of  religion,  were  themselves  wholly  destitute  of  any 
knowledge  of  God,  is  quite  incredible.  For  though  there 
were  some  in  ancient  times,  and  many  arise  in  the  present 
age,  who  deny  the  existence  of  God,  yet,  in  spite  of  their  re- 
luctance, they  are  continually  receiving  proofs  of  what  they 
desire  to  disbelieve.  We  read  of  no  one  guilty  of  more 
audacious  or  unbridled  contempt  of  the  Deity  than  Caligula  ; 
yet  no  man  ever  trembled  with  greater  distress  at  any  instance 
of  Divine  wrath,  so  that  he  was  constrained  to  dread  the  Di- 
vinity whom  he  professed  to  despise.  This  you  may  always 
see  exemplified  in  persons  of  similar  character.  For  the  most 
audacious  contemners  of  God  are  most  alarmed,  even  at  the 
noise  of  a falling  leaf.  Wdience  arises  this,  but  from  the  ven- 
geance of  the  Divine  Majesty,  smiting  their  consciences  the 
more  powerfully  in  proportion  to  their  efforts  to  fly  from  it  ? 
They  try  every  refuge  to  hide  themselves  from  the  Lord’s 
presence,  and  to  efface  it  from  their  minds ; but  their  attempts 
to  elude  it  are  all  in  vain.  Though  it  may  seem  to  disappear 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


53 


CHAP.  III.] 

for  a moment,  it  presently  returns  with  increased  violence  ; 
so  that,  if  they  have  any  remission  of  the  anguish  of  conscience, 
it  resembles  the  sleep  of  persons  intoxicated,  or  subject  to  fren- 
zy, who  enjoy  no  placid  rest  while  sleeping,  being  continually 
harassed  with  horrible  and  tremendous  dreams.  The  impious 
themselves,  therefore,  exemplify  the  observation,  that  the  idea 
of  a God  is  never  lost  in  the  human  mind. 

III.  It  will  always  be  evident  to  persons  of  correct  judgment, 
that  the  idea  of  a Deity  impressed  on  the  mind  of  man  is  in- 
delible. That  all  have  by  nature  an  innate  persuasion  of  the 
Divine  existence,  a persuasion  inseparable  from  their  very  con- 
stitution, we  have  abundant  evidence  in  the  contumacy  of  the 
wicked,  whose  furious  struggles  to  extricate  themselves  from 
the  fear  of  God  are  unavailing.  Though  Diagoras,  and  others 
like  him,  turn  to  ridicule  what  all  ages  have  believed  of  re- 
ligion ; (/i)  though  Dionysius  scotf  at  the  judgment  of  Heaven,  — 
it  is  but  a forced  laughter,  for  the  worm  of  a guilty  conscience 
torments  them  within,  worse  than  if  they  were  seared  with  hot 
irons.  I agree  not  with  Cicero,  that  errors  in  process  of  time 
become  obsolete,  and  that  religion  is  increased  and  ameliorated 
daily.  For  the  world,  as  will  shortly  be  observed,  uses  its  ut- 
most endeavours  to  banish  all  knowledge  of  God,  and  tries  every 
method  of  corrupting  his  worship.  I only  maintain,  that  while 
the  stupid  insensibility  which  the  wicked  wish  to  acquire,  to 
promote  their  contempt  of  God,  preys  upon  their  minds,  yet 
the  sense  of  a Deity,  which  they  ardently  desire  to  extinguish, 
is  still  strong,  and  frequently  discovers  itself.  Whence  we  in- 
fer, that  this  is  a doctrine,  not  first  to  be  learned  in  the  schools, 
but  which  every  man  from  his  birth  is  self-taught,  and  which, 
though  many  strain  every  nerve  to  banish  it  from  them,  yet 
nature  itself  permits  none  to  forget.  Now,  if  the  end  for  which 
all  men  are  born  and  live,  be  to  know  God,  — and  unless  the 
knowledge  of  God  have  reached  this  point,  it  is  uncertain  and 
vain,  — it  is  evident,  that  all  who  direct  not  every  thought  and 
action  of  life  to  this  end,  are  degenerated  from  the  law  of  their 
creation.  Of  this  the  heathen  philosophers  themselves  were 
not  ignorant.  This  was  Plato’s  meaning,  when  he  taught  that 
the  chief  good  of  the  soul  consists  in  similitude  to  God,  when 
the  soul,  having  a clear  knowledge  of  him,  is  wholly  trans- 
formed into  his  likeness.  (^)  The  reasoning  also  of  Gryllus,  in 
Plutarch,  is  very  accurate,  when  he  affirms,  that  men  entirely 
destitute  of  religion,  not  only  do  not  excel  the  brutes,  but  are 
in  many  respects  far  more  wretched,  being  obnoxious  to  evil 
under  so  many  forms,  and  always  dragging  on  a tumultuous 


(h)  Cicer.  de  Nat.  Deor.  lib.  1 & 3.  Valer.  Maxim,  lib.  1,  cap.  1. 
(i)  In  Ph®d.  & ThejEt. 


54 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

and  restless  life.  The  worship  of  God  is  therefore  the  only 
thing  which  renders  men  superior  to  brutes,  and  makes  them 
aspire  to  immortality. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THIS  KNOWLEDGE  EXTINGUISHED  OR  CORRUPTED,  PARTLY  BY 
IGNORANCE,  PARTLY  BY  WICKEDNESS. 

While  experience  testifies  that  the  seeds  of  religion  are  sown 
by  God  in  every  heart,  we  scarcely  find  one  man  in  a hundred 
who  cherishes  what  he  has  received,  and  not  one  in  whom 
they  grow  to  maturity,  much  less  bear  fruit  in  due  season. 
Some  perhaps  grow  vain  in  their  own  superstitions,  while 
others  revolt  from  God  with  intentional  wickedness ; but  all 
degenerate  from  the  true  knowledge  of  him.  The  fact  is,  that 
no  genuine  piety  remains  in  the  world.  But,  in  saying  that 
some  fall  into  superstition  through  error,  I would  not  insinuate 
that  their  ignorance  excuses  them  from  guilt ; because  their 
blindness  is  always  connected  with  pride,  vanity,  and  contu- 
macy. Pride  and  vanity  are  discovered,  when  miserable  men, 
in  seeking  after  God,  rise  not,  as  they  ought,  above  their  own 
level,  but  judge  of  him  according  to  their  carnal  stupidity,  and 
leave  the  proper  path  of  investigation  in  pursuit  of  speculations 
as  vain  as  they  are  curious.  Their  conceptions  of  him  are 
formed,  not  according  to  the  representations  he  gives  of  him- 
self, but  by  the  inventions  of  their  own  presumptuous  imagina- 
tions. This  gulf  being  opened,  whatever  course  they  take, 
they  must  be  rushing  forwards  to  destruction.  None  of  their 
subsequent  attempts  for  the  worship  or  service  of  God  can  be 
considered  as  rendered  to  him ; because  they  worship  not  him, 
but  a figment  of  their  own  brains  in  his  stead.  This  depravity 
Paul  expressly  remarks  : Professing  themselves  to  be  wise, 
they  became  fools.”  (k)  He  had  before  said,  “ they  became 
vain  in  their  imaginations.”  But  lest  any  should  exculpate 
them,  he  adds  that  they  were  deservedly  blinded,  because, 
not  content  within  the  bounds  of  sobriety,  but  arrogating  to 
themselves  more  than  was  right,  they  wilfully  darkened,  and 
even  infatuated  themselves  with  pride,  vanity,  and  perverse- 
ness. Whence  it  follows,  that  their  folly  is  inexcusable,  which 
originates  not  only  in  a vain  curiosity,  but  in  false  confidence, 
and  an  immoderate  desire  to  exceed  the  limits  of  human 
knowledge. 

(Jc)  Rom.  i.  22. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


55 


CHAP.  IV.] 

II.  David’s  assertion,  that  “ the  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart, 
There  is  no  God,”  {1)  is  primarily,  as  we  shall  soon  see  in  an- 
other place,  to  be  restricted  to  those  who  extinguish  the  light 
of  nature,  and  wilfully  stupefy  themselves.  For  we  see  many, 
become  hardened  by  bold  and  habitual  transgressions,  striving 
to  banish  all  remembrance  of  God,  which  the  instinct  of  nature 
IS  still  suggesting  to  their  minds.  To  render  their  madness 
more  detestable,  he  introduces  them  as  expressly  denying  the 
existence  of  God ; not  that  they  deprive  him  of  his  being,  but 
because  they  rob  him  of  his  justice  and  providence,  shutting 
him  up  as  an  idler  in  heaven.  Now,  as  nothing  would  be  more 
inconsistent  with  Deity,  than  to  abandon  the  government  of 
the  world,  leave  it  to  fortune,  and  connive  at  the  crimes  of 
men,  that  they  might  wanton  with  impunity,  — whoever  ex- 
tinguishes all  fear  of  the  heavenly  judgment,  and  indulges 
himself  in  security,  denies  that  there  is  any  God.  After  the 
impious  have  wilfully  shut  their  own  eyes,  it  is  the  righteous 
vengeance  of  God  upon  them,  to  darken  their  understandings, 
so  that,  seeing,  they  may  not  perceive,  (m)  David  is  the  best 
interpreter  of  his  own  meaning,  in  another  place,  where  he 
says,  “ The  wicked  have  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes ; ” (?i) 
and  again,  that  they  encourage  themselves  in  their  iniquities 
with  the  flattering  persuasion  that  God  doth  not  see  them,  (o) 
Though  they  are  constrained  to  acknowledge  the  existence  of 
God,  yet  they  rob  him  of  his  glory,  by  detracting  from  his 
power.  For  as  God,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul, 
‘^cannot  deny  himself,”  because  he  perpetually  remains 
like  himself,  — those  who  feign  him  to  be  a vain  and  lifeless 
image,  are  truly  said  to  deny  God.  It  must  also  be  remarked, 
that,  though  they  strive  against  their  own  natural  understand- 
ing, and  desire  not  only  to  banish  him  thence,  but  even  to  an- 
nihilate him  in  heaven,  their  insensibility  can  never  prevail, 
so  as  to  prevent  God  from  sometimes  recalling  them  to  his 
tribunal.  But  as  no  dread  restrains  them  from  violent  opposi- 
tion to  the  divine  will,  it  is  evident,  as  long  as  they  are  carried 
away  with  such  a blind  impetuosity,  that  they  are  governed 
by  a brutish  forgetfulness  of  God. 

III.  Thus  is  overthrown  the  vain  excuse  pleaded  by  many 
for  their  superstition  ; for  they  satisfy  themselves  with  any  at- 
tention to  religion,  however  preposterous,  not  considering  that 
the  Divine  Will  is  the  perpetual  rule  to  which  true  religion 
ought  to  be  conformed  ; that  God  ever  continues  like  himself ; 
that  he  is  no  spectre  or  phantasm,  to  be  metamorphosed  according 
to  the  fancy  of  every  individual.  It  is  easy  to  see  how  super- 
stition mocks  God  with  hypocritical  services,  while  it  attempts 

(l)  Psalm  xiv.  1.  (m)  Isaiah/vi.  9.  (n)  Psalm  xxxvi.  1. 

(o)  Psalm  X.  11.  (p)  2 Tim.  ii.  13. 


^6  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

to  please  him.  For,  embracing  only  those  things  which  he 
declares  he  disregards,  it  either  contemptuously  practises,  or 
even  openly  rejects,  what  he  prescribes  and  declares  to  be 
pleasing  in  his  sight.  Persons  who  introduce  newly-invented 
methods  of  worshipping  God,  really  worship  and  adore  the 
creature  of  their  distempered  imaginations ; for  they  would 
never  have  dared  to  trifle  in  such  a manner  with  God,  if  they 
had  not  first  feigned  a god  conformable  to  their  own  false  and 
foolish  notions.  Wherefore  the  apostle  pronounces  a vague 
and  unsettled  notion  concerning  the  Deity  to  be  ignorance  of 
God.  When  ye  knew  not  God,  (says  he,)  ye  did  service  unto 
them  whic.h  by  nature  were  no  gods.”  {q)  And  in  another 
place  he  speaks  of  the  Ephesians  as  having  been  without 
God,”  (r)  while  they  were  strangers  to  a right  knowledge  of 
the  only  true  God.  Nor,  in  this  respect,  is  it  of  much  im- 
portance, whether  you  imagine  to  yourself  one  god  or  more  ; 
for  in  either  case  you  depart  and  revolt  from  the  true  God,  and, 
forsaking  him,  you  have  nothing  left  you  but  an  execrable 
idol.  We  must  therefore  decide,  with  Lactantius,  that  there 
is  no  legitimate  religion  unconnected  with  truth. 

lY.  Another  sin  is,  that  they  never  think  of  God  but  against 
their  inclinations,  nor  approach  him  till  their  reluctance  is  over- 
come by  constraint  ; and  then  they  are  influenced,  not  by  a 
voluntary  fear,  proceeding  from  reverence  of  the  Divine  Ma- 
jesty, but  by  a servile  and  constrained  fear,  extorted  by  the 
divine  judgment,  which  they  dread  because  it  is  inevitable,  at 
the  same  time  that  they  hate  it.  Now,  to  impiety,  and  to  this 
species  of  it  alone,  is  applicable  that  assertion  of  Statius,  that 
fear  first  made  gods  in  the  world,  (s)  They,  whose  minds  are 
alienated  from  the  righteousness  of  God,  earnestly  desire  the 
subversion  of  that  tribunal,  which  they  know  to  be  established 
for  the  punishment  of  transgressions  against  it.  With  this 
disposition,  they  wage  war  against  the  Lord,  who  cannot  be 
deprived  of  his  judgment ; but  when  they  apprehend  his  irre- 
sistible arm  to  be  impending  over  their  heads,  unable  to  avert 
or  evade  it,  they  tremble  with  fear.  That  they  may  not  seem 
altogether  to  despise  him,  whose  majesty  troubles  them,  they 
practise  some  form  of  religion ; at  the  same  time  not  ceasing 
to  pollute  themselves  with  vices  of  every  kind,  and  to  add  one 
flagitious  act  to  another,  till  they  have  violated  every  part  of 
God’s  holy  law,  and  dissipated  all  its  righteousness.  It  is 
certain,  at  least,  that  they  are  not  prevented  by  that  pretended 
fear  of  God  from  enjoying  pleasure  and  satisfaction  in  their 
sins,  practising  self-adulation,  and  preferring  the  indulgence  of 
their  own  carnal  intemperance  to  the  salutary  restraints  of  the 


{q)  Gal.  iv.  8. 


(r)  Eph.  ii.  12. 


(s)  Statii  Thebaid.  lib.  3. 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  57 

Holy  Spirit.  But  that  being  a false  and  vain  shadow  of  re- 
ligion, and  scarcely  worthy  even  to  be  called  its  shadow,  — it  is 
easy  to  infer  the  wide  ditference  between  such  a confused 
notion  of  God,  and  the  piety  which  is  instilled  only  into  the 
minds  of  the  faithful,  and  is  the  source  of  religion.  Yet 
hypocrites,  who  are  flying  from  God,  resort  to  the  artifices  of 
superstition,  for  the  sake  of  appearing  devoted  to  him.  For 
whereas  the  whole  tenor  of  their  life  ought  to  be  a perpetual 
course  of  obedience  to  him,  they  make  no  scruple  of  rebelling 
against  him  in  almost  all  their  actions,  only  endeavouring  to 
appease  him  with  a few  paltry  sacrifices.  Whereas  he  ought 
to  be  served  with  sanctity  of  life  and  integrity  of  heart,  they 
invent  frivolous  trifles  and  worthless  observances,  to  con- 
ciliate his  favour.  They  abandon  themselves  to  their  im- 
purities with  the  greater  licentiousness,  because  they  confide 
in  being  able  to  discharge  all  their  duty  to  him  by  ridiculous 
expiations.  In  a Avord,  whereas  their  confidence  ought  to  be 
placed  on  him,  they  neglect  him,  and  depend  upon  themselves 
or  on  other  creatures.  At  length  they  involve  themselves  in 
such  a vast  accumulation  of  errors,  that  those  sparks  which 
enable  them  to  discover  the  glory  of  God  are  smothered,  and 
at  last  extinguished  by  the  criminal  darkness  of  iniquity. 
That  seed,  which  it  is  impossible  to  eradicate,  a sense  of  the 
existence  of  a Deity,  yet  remains  ; but  so  corrupted  as  to  pro- 
duce only  the  worst  of  fruits.  Yet  this  is  a further  proof  of 
Avhat  I now  contend  for,  that  an  idea  of  God  is  naturally  en- 
graved on  the  hearts  of  men,  since  necessity  extorts  a confes- 
sion of  it,  even  from  reprobates  themselves.  In  the  moment 
of  tranquillity,  they  facetiously  mock  the  Divine  Being,  and 
with  loquacious  impertinence  derogate  from  his  power.  But  if 
any  despair  oppress  them,  it  stimulates  them  to  seek  him,  and 
dictates  concise  prayers,  which  prove  that  they  are  not  alto- 
gether ignorant  of  God,  but  that  what  ought  to  have  ajipeared 
before  had  been  suppressed  by  obstinacy. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD  CONSPICUOUS  IN  THE  FORMATION  AND 
CONTINUAL  GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  WORLD. 

As  the  perfection  of  a happy  life  consists  in  the  knowledge 
of  God,  that  no  man  might  be  precluded  from  attaining  felicity, 
God  hath  not  only  sown  in  the  minds  of  men  the  seed  of  re- 

VOL.  I.  8 


58 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  1 

ligion,  already  mentioned,  but  hath  manifested  himself  iu  the 
formation  of  every  part  of  the  world,  and  daily  presents  him- 
self to  public  view,  in  such  a manner,  that  they  cannot  open 
n their  eyes  without  being  constrained  to  behold  him.  His  es- 
sence indeed  is  incomprehensible,  so  that  his  Majesty  is  not  to  be 
/perceived  by  the  human  senses ; but  on  all  his  works  he  hath 
inscribed  his  glory  in  characters  so  clear,  unequivocal,  and 
striking,  that  the  most  illiterate  and  stupid  cannot  exculpate 
themselves  by  the  plea  of  ignorance.  The  Psalmist  therefore, 
with  great  propriety,  exclaims,  He  covereth  himself  with  light 
as  with  a garment ; ” (/)  as  if  he  had  said,  that  his  first  appear- 
ance in  visible  apparel  was  at  the  creation  of  the  world,  when 
he  displayed  those  glories  which  are  still  conspicuous  on  every 
side.  In  the  same  place,  the  Psalmist  compares  the  expanded 
heavens  to  a royal  pavilion; — he  says  that  ‘‘he  layeth  the 
beams  of  his  chambers  in  the  waters  ; maketh  the  clouds  his 
chariot ; walketh  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind  ; ” and  maketh 
the  winds  and  the  lightnings  his  swift  messengers.  And  be- 
cause the  glory  of  his  power  and  wisdom  is  more  refulgently 
displayed  above,  heaven  is  generally  called  his  palace.  And, 
in  the  first  place,  whithersoever  you  turn  your  eyes,  there  is 
not  an  atom  of  the  world  in  which  you  cannot  behold  some 
brilliant  sparks  at  least  of  his  glory.  But  you  cannot  at  one 
view  take  a survey  of  this  most  ample  and  beautiful  machine 
in  all  its  vast  extent,  without  being  completely  overwhelmed 
with  its  infinite  splendour.  Wherefore  the  author  of  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  elegantly  represents  the  worlds  as  the  man- 

iifestations  of  invisible  things  ; (^7)  for  the  exact  symmetry  of 
the  universe  is  a mirror,  in  which  we  may  contemplate  the 
otherwise  invisible  God.  For  which  reason  the  Psalmist  (iv) 
attributes  to  the  celestial  bodies  a language  universally  known  ; 
for  they  afford  a testimony  of  the  Deity  too  evident  to  escape 
the  observation  even  of  the  most  ignorant  people  in  the  world. 
But  the  Apostle  more  distinctly  asserts  this  manifestation  to 
men  of  what  was  useful  to  be  known  concerning  God ; “for 
the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are 
clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made, 
even  his  eternal  power  and  godhead.”  (x) 

H.  Of  his  wonderful  wisdom,  both  heaven  and  earth  con- 
tain innumerable  proofs  ; not  only  those  more  abstruse  things, 
which  are  the  subjects  of  astronomy,  medicine,  and  the  whole 
science  of  physics,  but  those  things  which  force  themselves 
on  the  view  of  the  most  illiterate  of  mankind,  so  that  they 
cannot  open  their  eyes  without  being  constrained  to  witness 
them.  Adepts,  indeed,  in  those  liberal  arts,  or  persons  just 


(t)  Psalm  civ.  2.  (v)  Heb.  xi.  3.  {ic)  Psalm  xix.  1,3. 


(x)  Horn.  i.  20. 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  69 

initiated  into  them,  are  thereby  enabled  to  proceed  much  further 
in  investigating  the  secrets  of  Divine  Wisdom.  Yet  ignorance 
of  those  sciences  prevents  no  man  from  such  a survey  of  the 
workmanship  of  God,  as  is  more  than  sufficient  to  excite  his 
admiration  of  the  Divine  Architect.  In  disquisitions  concern- 
ing the  motions  of  the  stars,  in  fixing  their  situations,  measur- 
ing their  distances,  and  distinguishing  their  peculiar  properties, 
there  is  need  of  skill,  exactness,  and  industry  ; and  the  provi- 
dence of  God  being  more  clearly  revealed  by  these  discoveries, 
the  mind  ought  to  rise  to  a sublimer  elevation  for  the  contem- 
plation of  his  glory.  But  since  the  meanest  and  most  illiterate 
of  mankind,  who  are  furnished  with  no  other  assistance  than 
their  own  eyes,  cannot  be  ignorant  of  the  excellence  of  the 
Divine  skill,  exhibiting  itself  in  that  endless,  yet  regular  variety 
of  the  innumerable  celestial  host,  — it  is  evident,  that  the  Lord^ 
abundantly  manifests  his  wisdom  to  every  individual  on  earth. 
Thus  it  belongs  to  a man  of  preeminent  ingenuity  to  exarq,ine, 
with  the  critical  exactness  of  Galen,  the  connection,  the  sym- 
metry, the  beauty,  and  the  use  of  the  various  parts  of  the  hu- 
man body.  But  the  composition  of  the  human  body  is  univer- 
sally acknowledged  to  be  so  ingenious,  as  to  render  its  Maker 
the  object  of  deserved  admiration. 

III.  And  therefore  some  of  the  philosophers  {y)  o^  antiquity 
have  justly  called  man  a microcosm,  or  world  in  miniature ; 
because  he  is  an  eminent  specimen  of  the  power,  goodness, 
and  wisdom  of  God,  and  contains  in  him  wonders  enough  to 
occupy  the  attention  of  our  minds,  if  we  are  not  indisposed  to 
such  a study.  For  this  reason,  Paul,  having  remarked  that  the 
blind  might  feel  after  God  and  find  him,”  immediately  adds, 
that  ‘‘he  is  not  far  from  every  one  of  us ; ” (;2r)  because  every 
man  has  undoubtedly  an  inward  perception  of  the  celestial 
goodness,  by  which  he  is  quickened.  But  if,  to  attain  some 
ideas  of  God,  it  be  not  necessary  for  us  to  go  beyond  ourselves, 
what  an  unpardonable  indolence  is  it  in  those  who  will  not 
descend  into  themselves  that  they  may  find  him ! For  the 
same  reason,  David,  having  briefly  celebrated  the  wonderful 
name  and  honour  of  God,  which  are  universally  conspicuous, 
immediately  exclaims,  “ What  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful 
of  him  ? ” {a)  Again,  “ Out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  suck- 
lings thou  hast  ordained  strength.”  Thus  declaring  not  only 
that  the  human  race  is  a clear  mirror  of  the  works  of  God,  but 
that  even  infants  at  the  breast  have  tongues  so  eloquent  for  the 
publication  of  his  glory,  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  other 
orators ; whence  he  hesitates  not  to  produce  them  as  fully 

{y)  Macrob.  lib.  2.  de  Somn.  Scip.  c.  12.  Boet.  de  Defin.  Arist.  lib.  1.  de 
Hist.  Animal.  (z)  Acts  xvii.  27.  (a)  Psalm  viii.  2,  4 


60  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

capable  of  confuting  the  madness  of  those  whose  diabolical 
pride  would  wish  to  extinguish  the  name  of  God.  Hence  also 
what  Paul  quotes  from  Aratus,  that  we  are  the  offspring  of 
God  ;”(/>)  since  his  adorning  us  with  such  great  excellence 
has  proved  him  to  be  our  Father.  So,  from  the  dictates  of 
common  sense  and  experience,  the  heathen  poets  called  him 
the  Father  of  men.  Nor  will  any  man  freely  devote  himself 
to  the  service  of  God,  unless  he  have  been  allured  to  love  and 
reverence  him,  by  first  experiencing  his  paternal  love. 

IV.  But  herein  appears  the  vile  ingratitude  of  men  — that, 
while  they  ought  to  be  proclaiming  the  praises  of  God  for  the 
wonderful  skill  displayed  in  their  formation,  and  the  inestima- 
ble bounties  he  bestows  on  them,  they  are  only  inflated  with 
the  greater  pride.  They  perceive  how  wonderfully  God  works 
within  them,  and  experience  teaches  them  what  a variety  of 
blessings  they  receive  from  his  liberality.  They  are  con- 
strayied  to  know,  whether  willingly  or  not,  that  these  are 
proofs  of  his  divinity : yet  they  suppress  this  knowledge  in 
their  hearts.  Indeed,  they  need  not  go  out  of  themselves,  pro- 
vided they  do  not,  by  arrogating  to  themselves  what  is  given 
from  heaven,  smother  the  light  which  illuminates  their  minds 
to  a clearer  discovery  of  God.  Even  in  the  present  day,  there 
are  many  men  of  monstrous  dispositions,  who  hesitate  not  to 
pervert  all  the  seeds  of  divinity  sown  in  the  nature  of  man,  in 
order  to  bury  in  oblivion  the  name  of  God.  How  detestable 
is  this  frenzy,  that  man,  discovering  in  his  body  and  soul  a 
hundred  vestiges  of  God,  should  make  this  very  excellence  a 
pretext  for  the  denial  of  his  being ! They  will  not  say  that 
they  are  distinguished  from  the  brutes  by  chance  ; but  they 
ascribe  it  to  nature,  which  they  consider  as  the  author  of  all 
things,  and  remove  God  out  of  sight.  They  perceive  most 
exquisite  workmanship  in  all  their  members,  from  the  head  to 
the  feet.  Here  also  they  substitute  nature  in  the  place  of  God. 
But  above  all,  the  rapid  motions  of  the  soul,  its  noble  faculties, 
and  excellent  talents,  discover  a Divinity  not  easily  concealed  ; 
unless  the  Epicureans,  like  the  Cyclops,  from  this  eminence 
should  audaciously  wage  war  against  God.  Do  all  the  trea- 
sures of  heavenly  wisdom  concur  in  the  government  of  a worm 
five  feet  in  length  ? and  shall  the  universe  be  destitute  of  this 
privilege  ? To  state  that  there  is  in  the  soul  a certain  ma- 
chinery corresponding  to  every  part  of  the  body,  is  so  far  from 
obscuring  the  divine  glory,  that  it  is  rather  an  illustration  of  it. 
Let  Epicurus  answer;  what  concourse  of  atoms  in  the  con- 
coction of  food  and  drink  distributes  part  into  excrements  and 
part  into  blood,  and  causes  the  several  members  to  perform 


(b)  Acts  xvii.  23. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


CHAP.  V.] 


61 


their  different  offices  with  as  much  diligence  as  if  so  many 
souls  by  common  consent  governed  one  body  ? 

V.  But  my  present  concern  is  not  with  that  sty  of  swines  : 
I rather  address  those  who,  influenced  by  preposterous  subtil- 
ties,  would  indirectly  employ  that  frigid  dogma  of  Aristotle  to 
destroy  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  deprive  God  of  his 
rights.  For,  because  the  organs  of  the  body  are  directed  by 
the  faculties  of  the  soul,  they  pretend  the  soul  to  be  so  united 
to  the  body  as  to  be  incapable  of  subsisting  without  it ; and  by 
their  eulogies  of  nature  do  all  they  can  to  suppress  the  name 
of  God.  But  the  powers  of  the  soul  are  far  from  being  limited 
to  functions  subservient  to  the  body.  For  what  concern  has 
the  body  in  measuring  the  heavens,  counting  the  number  of 
the  stars,  computing  their  several  magnitudes,  and  acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  their  respective  distances,  of  the  celerity  or  tar- 
diness of  their  courses,  and  of  the  degrees  of  their  various  dec- 
linations ? I grant,  indeed,  the  usefulness  of  astronomy,  but 
only  remark  that,  in  these  profound  researches  relating  to  the 
celestial  orbs,  there  is  no  corporeal  cooperation,  but  that  the 
soul  has  its  functions  distinct  from  the  body.  I have  proposed 
one  example,  whence  inferences  may  readily  be  drawn  by  the 
readers.  The  manifold  agility  of  the  soul,  which  enables  it  to 
take  a survey  of  heaven  and  earth ; to  join  the  past  and  the 
present  ; to  retain  the  memory  of  things  heard  long  ago ; to 
conceive  of  whatever  it  chooses  by  the  help  of  imagination  • 
its  ingenuity  also  in  the  invention  of  such  admirable  arts,  — are 
certain  proofs  of  the  divinity  in  man.  Besides,  in  sleep,  it  not 
only  turns  and  moves  itself  round,  but  conceives  many  useful 
ideas,  reasons  on  various  subjects,  and  even  divines  future 
events.  What  shall  we  say,  but  that  the  vestiges  of  immortal- 
ity impressed  upon  man  are  absolutely  indelible  ? Now,  what 
reason  can  be  given,  why  man,  who  is  of  divine  original,  should 
not  acknowledge  his  Creator  ? Shall  we  indeed,  by  the  judg- 
ment with  which  we  are  endued,  discern  right  from  wrong, 
and  shall  there  be  no  judge  in  heaven  ? Shall  we,  even  in  our 
sleep,  have  some  remains  of  intelligence,  and  shall  there  be  no 
God  to  govern  the  world  ? Shall  we  be  esteemed  the  invent- 
ers of  so  many  useful  arts,  that  God  may  be  defrauded  of  his 
praise  ? Whereas  experience  abundantly  teaches,  that  all  we 
have  is  variously  distributed  to  us  by  some  superior  Being. 
The  clamour  of  some,  about  a secret  inspiration  animating  the 
whole  world,  is  not  only  weak,  but  altogether  profane.  They 
are  pleased  with  the  celebrated  passage  of  Virgil  — 

“Know,  first,  a spirit,  with  an  active  flame. 

Fills,  feeds,  and  animates  this  mighty  frame ; 

Runs  through  the  watery  worlds,  the  fields  of  air,  ^ 

Tlie  ponderous  earth,  the  depths  of  heaven  ; and  there  ^ 

Glows  in  the  sun  and  moon,  and  burns  in  every  star.  3 


62 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  < 


Thus,  mingling  with  the  mass,  the  general  soul 
Lives  in  the  parts,  and  agitates  the  whole. 

From  that  celestial  energy  began 

The  low-browed  brute,  th’  imperial  race  of  man, 

The  painted  birds  who  wing  th’  aerial  plain, 

And  all  the  mighty  monsters  of  the  main  j 

Their  souls  at  first  from  high  Olympus  came,”  &c.  (c) 

Just  as  if  the  world,  which  is  a theatre  erected  for  displaying 
the  glory  of  God,  were  its  own  creator ! For  thus  writes  the 
same  poet  in  another  place,  following  the  common  opinion  of 
the  Greeks  and  Latins  — 

“ Led  by  such  wonders,  sages  have  opined, 

That  bees  have  portions  of  a heavenly  mind  ; 

That  God  pervades,  and,  like  one  common  soul. 

Fills,  feeds,  and  animates  the  world’s  great  whole ; 

That  flocks,  herds,  beasts,  and  men,  from  him  receive 
Their  vital  breath  ; in  him  all  move  and  live  j 
That  souls  discerpt  from  him  shall  never  die,  ^ 

But  back  resolved  to  God  and  heaven  shall  fly,  > 

And  live  for  ever  in  the  starry  sky.”  (d)  ) 

See  the  efficacy  of  that  jejune  speculation  concerning  a 
universal  mind  animating  and  actuating  the  world,  in  the  pro- 
duction and  encouragement  of  piety  in  the  human  heart.  This 
more  fully  appears  also  from  the  profane  expressions  of  the 
filthy  Lucretius,  which  are  deductions  from  the  same  princi- 
ple. (e)  Its  true  tendency  is  to  set  up  a shadowy  deity,  and 
to  banish  all  ideas  of  the  true  God,  the  proper  object  of  fear  and 
worship.  I confess,  indeed,  that  the  expression,  that  nature  is 
God,  may  be  used  in  a pious  sense  b}?-  a pious  mind  ; but,  as  it 
is  harsh  and  inconsistent  with  strict  propriety  of  speech,  nature 
being  rather  an  order  prescribed  by  God,  it  is  dangerous  in 
matters  so  momentous,  and  demanding  peculiar  caution,  to 
confound  the  Deity  with  the  inferior  course  of  his  works. 

VI.  Let  us  remember,  then,  in  every  consideration  of  our 
own  nature,  that  there  is  one  God,  who  governs  all  natures,  and 
who  expects  us  to  regard  him,  to  direct  our  faith  to  him,  to 
worship  and  invoke  him.  For  nothing  is  more  preposterous 
than  to  enjoy  such  splendid  advantages,  which  proclaim  within 
us  their  divine  origin,  and  to  neglect  the  Author  who  bounti- 
fully bestows  them.  Now,  what  illustrious  specimens  of  his 
power  have  we  to  arrest  our  attention  ! unless  it  be  possible 
for  us  not  to  know  what  strength  is  required  to  sustain  with 
his  word  this  immense  fabric  of  heaven  and  earth  ; now  by  his 
mere  nod  to  sliake  the  heaven  with  roaring  peals  of  thunder, 
to  consume  whatever  he  choose  with  lightnings,  and  set  the 
atmosphere  on  fire  with  the  flame  ; now  to  disturb  it  with 


(c)  .®neid  vi.  Pitt’s  Translation.  (d)  Georg,  iv.  Warton’s  Translation, 
(c)  De  Rerum  Natur.  lib.  1. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


63 


CHAP.  V.] 

tempests  in  various  forms,  and  immediately,  if  he  please,  to 
compose  all  to  instantaneous  serenity  ; to  restrain,  suspended 
as  it  were  in  air,  the  sea,  which,  by  its  elevation,  seems  to 
threaten  the  earth  with  continual  devastation ; now  raising  it 
in  a tremendous  manner,  by  the  tumultuous  violence  of  the 
winds,  and  now  appeasing  .the  waves  to  render  it  calm.  To 
this  purpose  are  the  numerous  praises  of  the  power  of  God, 
drawn  from  the  testimonies  of  nature,  particularly  in  the  book 
of  Job,  and  in  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  ; which  I now  pur- 
posely omit,  as  they  will  be  more  suitably  introduced,  when  I 
discuss  the  scriptural  account  of  the  creation  of  the  world. 
Only  I wished  at  present  to  hint,  that  this  way  of  seeking  God, 
by  tracing  the  lineaments  which,  both  above  and  below  us,  ex- 
hibit such  a lively  adumbration  of  him,  is  common  to  aliens, 
and  to  those  who  belong  to  his  family.  His  power  leads  us  to 
the  consideration  of  his  eternity ; because  he,  from  whom  all 
things  derive  their  origin,  must  necessarily  be  eternal  and  self- 
existent.  But  if  we  inquire  the  reason  that  induced  him  first 
to  create  all  things,  and  now  to  preserve  them,  we  shall  find 
the  sole  cause  to  be  his  own  goodness.  But  though  this  be  the 
only  cause,  it  should  be  more  than  sufficient  to  attract  us  to 
love  him;  since,  according  to  the  Psalmist,  (/)  there  is  no 
creature  that  does  not  participate  in  the  effusions  of  his  mercy. 

YII.  In  the  second  species  of  his  works,  such  as  happen  out 
of  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  the  proofs  of  his  perfections 
are  equally  clear.  For  he  so  regulates  his  providence  in  the 
government  of  human  society,  that,  while  he  exhibits,  in  innu- 
merable ways,  his  benignity  and  beneficence  to  all,  he  likewise 
declares,  by  evident  and  daily  indications,  his  clemency  to  the 
pious,  and  his  severity  to  the  wicked  and  ungodly.  For  no 
doubt  can  be  entertained  respecting  his  punishment  of  flagi- 
tious crimes ; inasmuch  as  he  clearly  demonstrates  himself  to 
be  the  guardian  and  avenger  of  innocence,  in  prospering  with 
his  blessing  the  life  of  good  men,  in  assisting  their  necessi- 
ties, assuaging  and  comforting  their  sorrows,  alleviating  their 
calamities,  and  providing  in  all  things  for  their  safety.  Nor 
should  it  perplex  or  eclipse  his  perpetual  rule  of  righteousness, 
that  he  frequently  permits  the  wicked  and  guilty  for  a time  to 
exult  in  impunity ; but  suffers  good  men  to  be  undeservedly 
harassed  with  much  adversity,  and  even  to  be  oppressed  by 
the  iniquitous  malice  of  the  ungodly.  We  ought  rather  to 
make  a very  different  reflection  ; that,  when  he  clearly  mani- 
fests his  wrath  in  the  punishment  of  one  sin,  he  hates  all  sins  ; 
and  that,  since  he  now  passes  by  many  sins  unpunished,  there 
will  be  a judgment  hereafter,  till  which  the  punishment  is  de- 


(/)  Psalm  cxlv.  9. 


64 


INSTITUTES  or  THE 


[book  1 


ferred.  So,  also,  what  ample  occasion  he  supplies  us  for  the 
consideration  of  his  mercy,  while,  with  unwearied  benignity, 
he  pursues  the  miserable,  calling  them  back  to  himself  with 
more  than  paternal  indulgence,  till  his  beneficence  overcomes 
their  depravity  ! 

YIII.  To  this  end  the  Psalmist,  (g)  mentioning  that  God, 
in  desperate  cases,  suddenly  and  wonderfully  succors,  beyond 
all  expectation,  those  who  are  miserable  and  ready  to  perish, 
either  protecting  from  beasts  of  prey  such  as  are  wandering  in 
deserts,  and,  at  length,  reconducting  them  into  the  right  way, 
or  supplying  with  food  the  needy  and  hungry,  or  delivering 
captives  from  dreary  dungeons  and  iron  chains,  or  bringing  the 
shipwrecked  safe  into  port,  or  healing  the  diseases  of  some 
who  are  almost  dead,  or  scorching  the  earth  with  excessive 
heat  and  drought,  or  fertilizing  it  with  the  secret  showers  of 
his  mercy,  or  elevating  the  meanest  of  the  vulgar,  or  degrading 
nobles  from  their  dignified  stations,  — the  Psalmist,  I say,  having 
proposed  such  examples  as  these,  infers  from  them  that  what 
are  accounted  fortuitous  accidents,  are  so  many  proofs  of  his 
heavenly  providence,  especially  of  his  paternal  clemency  ; and 
that  hence  the  pious  have  cause  to  rejoice,  while  the  mouths  of 
the  impious  and  reprobate  are  stopped.  But,  since  the  majority 
of  men,  immersed  in  their  errors,  are  blind  amidst  the  greatest 
opportunities  of  seeing,  he  accounts  it  a rare  instance  of  sin- 
gular wisdom  discreetly  to  consider  these  works  of  God ; (h) 
from  the  sight  of  which,  some,  who,  in  other  instances,  discover 
the  greatest  acuteness,  receive  no  benefit.  And,  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  displays  of  the  glory  of  God,  scarcely  one  man  in  a 
hundred  is  really  a spectator  of  it.  His  power  and  wisdom  are 
equally  conspicuous.  His  power  is  illustriously  manifested, 
when  the  ferocity  of  the  impious,  universally  deemed  insuper- 
able, is  quelled  in  an  instant,  their  arrogance  subdued,  their 
strongest  fortresses  demolished,  their  weapons  and  armour 
broken  in  pieces,  their  strength  diminished,  their  machinations 
confounded,  and  they  fall  by  their  own  exertions  ; when  the 
audacity,  which  exalted  itself  above  the  heavens,  is  thrown 
down  to  the  centre  of  the  earth  ; when,  on  the  contrary,  the 
poor  are  raised  out  of  the  dust,  and  the  needy  out  of  the  dung- 
hill ; ” the  oppressed  and  afilicted  extricated  from  distress- 
ing extremities,  and  the  desperate  restored  to  a good  hope  ; 
when  the  unarmed  are  victorious  over  those  who  are  armed, 
the  few  over  the  many,  the  weak  over  the  strong.  But  his 
wisdom  is  eminently  displayed  in  ordering  every  dispensation 
at  the  best  possible  time,  confounding  the  greatest  worldly 
sagacity,  ‘Taking  the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness,”  (/j)  and 


(g)  Psalm  evil. 

(A)  Psalm  evil.  43. 


(i)  Psalm  exiii.  7. 
(A)  1 Cor.  iii.  19. 


CHAP.  V,]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  65 

finally  disposing  all  things  according  to  the  dictates  of  the 
highest  reason. 

IX.  We  see  that  there  is  no  need  of  any  long  or  laborious 
argumentation,  to  obtafn  and  produce  testimonies  for  illustra- 
ting and  asserting  the  Divine  Majesty ; since,  from  the  few 
which  we  have  selected  and  cursorily  mentioned,  it  appears 
that  they  are  every  where  so  evident  and  obvious,  as  easily  to 
be  distinguished  by  the  eyes,  and  pointed  out  with  the  fingers. 
And  here  it  must  again  be  observed,  that  we  are  invited  to  a 
knowledge  of  God  ; not  such  as,  content  with  empty  specula- 
tion, merely  floats  in  the  brain,  but  such  as  will  be  solid  and 
fruitful,  if  rightly  received  and  rooted  in  our  hearts.  For  the 
Lord  is  manifested  by  his  perfections  : perceiving  the  influence 
and  enjoying  the  benefits  of  which,  we  must  necessarily  be 
more  acutely  impressed  with  such  a knowledge,  than  if  we 
imagined  a Deity  of  whose  influence  we  had  no  perception. 
Whence  we  conclude  this  to  be  the  right  way,  and  the  best 
method  of  seeking  God ; not  with  presumptuous  curiosity  to 
attempt  an  examinafidh  of  his  essence,  which  is  rather  to  be 
adored  than  too  curiously  investigated ; but  to  contemplate 
him  in  his  works,  in  which  he  approaches  and  familiarizes, 
and,  in  some  measure,  communicates  himself  to  us.  To  this 
the  Apostle  referred,  when  he  said,  that  he  is  not  to  be  sought 
far  off,  since,  by  his  attribute  of  omnipresence,  he  dwells  in 
every  one  of  us.  (1)  Therefore  David,  having  before  confessed 
his  greatness  ineffable,  after  he  descends  to  the  mention  of  his 
works,  adds,  that  he  will  declare  this  greatness.”  (m)  Where- 
fore it  becomes  us  also  to  apply  ourselves  to  such  an  investiga- 
tion of  God,  as  may  fill  our  understanding  with  admiration, 
and  powerfully  interest  our  feelings.  And,  as  Augustine  some- 
where teaches,  being  incapable  of  comprehending  him,  and 
fainting,  as  it  were,  under  his  immensity,  we  must  take  a view 
of  his  works,  that  we  may  be  refreshed  with  his  goodness,  {n) 

X.  Now,  such  a knowledge  ought  not  only  to  excite  us  to 
the  worship  of  God,  but  likewise  to  awaken  and  arouse  us  to 
the  hope  of  a future  life.  For  when  we  consider,  that  the 
specimens  given  by  the  Lord,  both  of  his  clemency  and  of  his 
severity,  are  only  begun,  and  not  completed,  we  certainly 
should  esteem  these  as  preludes  to  greater  things,  of  Avhich 
the  manifestation  and  full  exhibition  are  deferred  to  another  life. 
When  we  see  that  pious  men  are  loaded  with  afflictions  by  the 
impious,  harassed  with  injuries,  oppressed  with  calumnies,  and 
vexed  with  contumelious  and  opprobrious  treatment ; that  the 
wicked,  on  the  contrary,  flourish,  prosper,  obtain  ease  and 
dignity,  and  all  with  impunity,  — we  should  immediately  con- 

0)  Acts  xvii.  27.  (m)  Psalm  cxlv.  6. 


VOL.  I. 


9 


in)  Aug.  in  Psal.  cxiiv. 


66  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  i 

elude,  that  there  is  another  life,  to  which  is  reserved  the  ven- 
geance due  to  iniquity,  and  the  reward  of  righteousness. 
Moreover,  when  we^ observe  the  faithful  frequently  chastised 
by  the  Lord’s  rod,  we  may  conclude,  with  great  certainty,  that 
the  impious  shall  not  always  escape  his  vengeance.  For  that 
is  a wise  observation  of  Augustine  — “If  open  punishment  were 
now  inflicted  for  every  sin,  it  would  be  supposed  that  nothing 
would  be  reserved  till  the  last  judgment.  Again,  if  God  now 
did  not  openly  punish  any  sin,  it  would  be  presumed  that  there 
was  no  divine  providence.”  (o)  It  must  therefore  be  confessed, 
that  in  each  cf  the  works  of  God,  but  more  especially  in  the 
whole  considered  together,  there  is  a bright  exhibition  of  the 
divine  perfections ; by  which  the  whole  human  race  is  invited 
and  allured  to  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  thence  to  true  and 
complete  felicity.  But,  though  those  perfections  are  most 
luminously  portrayed  around  us,  we  only  discover  their  prin- 
cipal tendency,  their  use,  and  the  end  of  our  contemplation  of 
them,  when  we  descend  into  our  own  selves,  and  consider  by 
what  means  God  displays  in  us  his  life,  wisdom,  and  power, 
and  exercises  towards  us  his  righteousness,  goodness,  and 
mercy.  For,  though  David  justly  complains  that  unbelievers 
are  fools,  because  they  consider  not  the  profound  designs  of 
God  in  the  government  of  mankind,  (y?)  yet  there  is  much 
truth  in  what  he  says  in  another  place  — that  the  wonders  of 
Divine  Wisdom  in  this  respect  exceed  in  number  the  hairs  of 
our  head,  (g)  But  as  this  argument  must  be  treated  more  at 
large  in  due  course,  I at  present  omit  it. 

XI.  But,  notwithstanding  the  clear  representations  given  by 
God  in  the  mirror  of  his  Vv^orks,  both  of  himself  and  of  his 
everlasting  dominion,  such  is  our  stupidity,  that,  always  in- 
attentive to  these  obvious  testimonies,  we  derive  no  advantage 
from  them.  For,  with  regard  to  the  structure  and  very  beau- 
tiful organization  of  the  world,  how  few  of  us  are  there,  who. 
when  lifting  up  their  eyes  to  heaven,  or  looking  round  on  the 
various  regions  of  the  earth,  direct  their  minds  to  the  remem- 
brance of  the  Creator,  and  do  not  rather  content  themselves 
with  a view  of  his  works,  to  the  total  neglect  of  their  Author ! 
And  with  respect  to  those  things  that  daily  happen  out  of  the 
ordinary  course  of  nature,  is  it  not  the  general  opinion,  that 
men  are  rolled  and  whirled  about  by  the  blind  temerity  of  for- 
tune, rather  than  governed  by  the  providence  of  God  ? Or  if, 
by  the  guidance  and  direction  of  'these  things,  we  are  ever 
driven  (as  all  men  must  sometimes  be)  to  the  consideration  of 
a God,  yet,  when  we  have  rashly  conceived  an  idea  of  some 
deity,  we  soon  slide  into  our  own  carnal  dreams,  or  depraved 


(o)  De  Civit.  Dei.  lib.  1^  cap.  8. 


(p)  Psalm  xcii.  C.  (jj)  Psalm  xl.  12. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


67 


CHAP.  V.] 

inventions,  corrupting  by  our  vanity  the  purity  of  divine  truth. 
We  ditfer  from  one  another,  in  that  each  individual  imbibes 
some  peculiarity  of  error ; but  we  perfectly  agree  in  a univer- 
sal departure  from  the  one  true  God,  to  preposterous  trifles. 
This  disease  affects,  not  only  the  vulgar  and  ignorant,  but  the 
most  eminent,  and  those  who,  in  other  things,  discover  peculiar 
sagacity.  How  abundantly  have  all  the  philosophers,  in  this 
respect,  betrayed  their  stupidity  and  folly  ! For,  to  spare  others, 
chargeable  with  greater  absurdities,  Plato  himself,  the  most  re- 
ligious and  judicious  of  them  all,  loses  himself  in  his  round 
globe,  (r)  And  what  would  not  befall  others,  when  their  prin- 
cipal men,  whose  place  it  was  to  enlighten  the  rest,  stumble 
upon  such  gross  errors ! So  also,  while  the  government  of 
human  actions  proves  a providence  too  plainly  to  admit  of  a 
denial,  men  derive  no  more  advantage  from  it,  than  if  they  be- 
lieved all  things  to  be  agitated  forwards  and  backwards  by 
the  uncertain  caprice  of  fortune  ; so  great  is  our  propensity  to 
vanity  and  error  ! I speak  exclusively  of  the  excellent  of  man- 
kind, not  of  the  vulgar,  whose  madness  in  the  profanation  of 
divine  truth  has  known  no  bounds. 

XII.  Hence  that  immense  flood  of  errors,  which  has  deluged 
the  whole  world.  For  every  man’s  understanding  is  like  a 
labyrinth  to  him  ; so  that  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  the 
different  nations  were  drawn  aside  into  various  inventions,  and 
even  that  almost  every  individual  had  his  own  particular  deity. 
For,  amidst  the  union  of  temerity  and  wantonness  with  igno- 
rance and  darkness,  scarcely  a man  could  be  found  who  did 
not  frame  to  himself  some  idol  or  phantasm  instead  of  God. 
Indeed,  the  immense  multitude  of  gods  proceeding  from  the 
mind  of  man,  resembles  the  ebullition  of  waters  from  a vast 
and  ample  spring,  while  every  one,  with  an  extieme  licentious- 
ness of  error,  invents  one  thing  or  another  concerning  God 
himself.  It  is  not  necessary  here  to  compose  a catalogue  of 
the  superstitions  which  have  perplexed  the  world  ; for  it  would 
be  an  endless  task  ; and,  without  a word  more  being  said,  the 
horrible  blindness  of  the  human  mind  sufficiently  appears  from 
such  a multiplicity  of  corruptions.  I pass  over  the  rude  and 
unlearned  vulgar.  But  among  the  philosophers,  (s)  who  at- 
tempted with  reason  and  learning  to  penetrate  heaven,  how 
shameful  is  the  diversity  ! In  proportion  to  the  vigour  of  his 
natural  genius,  and  the  polish  accpiired  by  art  and  science, 
each  of  them  seemed  to  give  the  more  specious  colouring  to  his 
own  opinion  ; but,  on  a close  inspection,  you  will  find  them 
all  fading  colours.  The  Stoics  said,  in  their  own  opinion  very 


(r)  Plot,  de  Philosoph.  placitis,  lib.  1.  Plato  in  Timteo.  Cic  lib.  1,  de  Natur. 
Deor.  (s)  Lactajit.  Institut.  div. 


68  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  i 

shrewdly,  that  from  all  the  parts  of  nature  may  be  collected 
various  names  of  God,  but  yet  that  the  one  God  is  not  therefore 
divided  ;(^)  as  if  we  were  not  already  too  much  inclined  to 
vanity,  without  being  further  and  more  violently  seduced  into 
error,  by  the  notion  of  such  a various  abundance  of  gods. 
The  mystical  theology  of  the  Egyptians  also  shows  that  they 
all  sedulously  endeavoured  to  preserve  the  appearance  of  reason 
ill  the  midst  of  their  folly,  (v)  And  any  thing  apparently 
probable  might  at  first  sight,  perhaps,  deceive  the  simple  and 
incautious  ; but  there  never  was  any  human  invention  by 
which  religion  was  not  basely  corrupted.  And  this  confused 
diversity  imboldened  the  Epicureans,  and  other  gross  despisers 
of  piety,  to  reject  all  idea  of  God.  For,  seeing  the  wisest  of 
men  contending  with  each  other  for  contrary  opinions,  they 
hesitated  not,  from  their  dissensions,  and  from  the  frivolous 
and  absurd  doctrines  maintained  by  the  ditferent  parties,  to 
infer,  that  it  was  vain  and  foolish  for  men  to  torment  them- 
selves with  investigations  concerning  God,  who  does  not  exist. 
And  this  they  thought  they  might  do  with  impunity,  supposing 
that  a compendious  denial  of  any  God  at  all  would  be  better 
than  feigning  uncertain  gods,  and  thereby  occasioning  endless 
controversies.  They  reason  very  ignorantly,  or  rather  en- 
deavour to  conceal  their  own  impiety  behind  the  ignorance 
of  men,  which  not  at  all  justifies  any  encroachment  on  God. 
But  from  the  general  confession,  that  there  is  no  subject  pro- 
ductive of  so  many  dissensions  among  the  learned  as  well  as 
the  unlearned,  it  is  inferred,  that  the  minds  of  men,  ivhich  err 
so  much  in  investigations  concerning  God,  are  extremely  blind 
and  stupid  in  celestial  mysteries.  Others  commend  the  an- 
swer of  Simonides,  (w)  who,  being  asked  by  Hiero  the  Tyrant 
what  God  was,  requested  a day  to  consider  it.  When  the 
tyrant,  the  next  day,  repeated  the  inquiry,  he  begged  to  be 
allowed  two  days  longer;  and,  having  often  doubled  the 
number  of  days,  at  length  answered,  The  longer  I consider 
the  subject,  the  more  obscure  it  appears  to  me.”  He  prudently 
suspended  his  opinion  on  a subject  so  obscure  to  him  ; yet  this 
shows  that  men,  who  are  taught  only  by  nature,  have  no  cer- 
tain, sound,  or  distinct  knowledge,  but  are  confined  to  con- 
fused principles ; so  that  they  worship  an  unknown  God. 

XIII.  Now,  it  must  also  be  maintained,  that  whoever  adul- 
terates the  pure  religion,  (which  must  necessarily  be  the  case 
of  all  who  are  influenced  by  their  own  imagination,)  he  is 
guilty  of  a departure  from  the  one  God.  They  will  profess, 
indeed,  a different  intention  ; but  what  they  intend,  or  what 

(t)  Seneca,  lib.  4,  de  benef.,  &c. 

(v)  Plutarch,  lib.  1,  de  Isid.  & Osirid,  Cic.  lib.  1,  de  Nat.  Deor. 

(?c)  Cic.  lib.  de  Nat.  Deor. 


CHAP.  V.J 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


69 


they  persuade  themselves,  is  of  little  importance  ; since  the 
Holy  Spirit  pronounces  all  to  be  apostates,  who,  in  the  dark- 
ness of  their  minds,  substitute  demons  in  the  place  of  God. 
For  this  reason  Paul  declares  the  Ephesians  to  have  been 
“ without  God  ” (x)  — till  they  had  learned  from  the  gospel 
the  worsliip  of  the  true  God.  Nor  should  this  be  restricted  to 
one  nation  only,  since,  in  another  place,  he  asserts  of  men  in 
general,  that  they  became  vain  in  their  imaginations,”  (y) 
after  the  majesty  of  the  Creator  had  been  discovered  to  them 
in  the  structure  of  the  world.  And  therefore  the  Scripture, 
to  make  room  for  the  only  true  God,  condemns,  as  false  and 
lying,  whatever  was  formerly  worshipped  as  divine  among  the 
Gentiles,  (z)  and  leaves  no  Deity  but  in  Mount  Sion,  where 
flourished  the  peculiar  knowledge  of  God.  Indeed,  among 
the  Gentiles,  the  Samaritans,  in  the  days  of  Christ,  seemed  to 
approach  very  nearly  to  true  piety  ; yet  we  hear,  from  the 
mouth  of  Christ,  that  they  worshipped  they  knew  not 
what  ; ” (a)  whence  it  follows,  that  they  were  under  a vain 
and  erroneous  delusion.  In  fine,  though  they  were  not  all  the 
subjects  of  gross  vices,  or  open  idolaters,  there  was  no  pure 
and  approved  religion,  their  notions  being  founded  only  in 
common  sense.  For,  though  there  were  a few  uninfected  with 
the  madness  of  the  vulgar,  this  assertion  of  Paul  remains  un- 
shaken, that  none  of  the  princes  of  this  world  knew  the  wis- 
dom of  God.”  (b)  But  if  the  most  exalted  have  been  involved 
in  the  darkness  of  error,  what  must  be  said  of  the  dregs  of  the 
people ! Wherefore  it  is  not  surprising  if  the  Holy  Spirit  re- 
ject, as  spurious,  every  form  of  worship  which  is  of  human  con- 
trivance ; because,  in  the  mysteries  of  heaven,  an  opinion  ac- 
quired by  human  means,  though  it  may  not  always  produce 
an  immense  mass  of  errors,  yet  always  produces  some.  And 
though  no  worse  consequence  follow,  it  is  no  trivial  fault  to 
worship,  at  an  uncertainty,  an  unknown  god  ; of  which,  how- 
ever, Christ  pronounces  all  to  be  guilty  who  have  not  been 
taught  by  the  law  what  god  they  ought  to  worship.  And 
indeed  the  best  legislators  have  proceeded  no  further  than  to 
declare  religion  to  be  founded  upon  common  consent.  And 
even  Socrates,  in  Xenophon,  (c)  praises  the  answer  of  Apollo, 
which  directed  that  every  man  should  worship  the  gods  ac- 
cording to  the  rites  of  his  country,  and  the  custom  of  his  own 
city.  But  whence  had  mortals  this  right  of  determining,  by 
their  own  authority,  what  far  exceeds  all  the  world  ? or  who 
could  so  acquiesce  in  the  decrees  of  the  rulers  or  the  ordinances 
of  the  people,  as  without  hesitation  to  receive  a god  delivered 

(x)  Ephes.  ii.  12.  (y)  Rom.  i.  21.  (z)  Hab.  ii.  18,  20. 

(a)  John  iv.  22.  (b)  1 Cor.  ii.  8. 

(c)  Xenoph.  de  Diet,  et  Fact.  Socrat.  lib.  1.  Cic.  de  Legib.  lib.  2. 


70 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  1 

to  him  by  the  authority  of  man  ? Every  man  will  rather 
abide  by  his  own  judgment,  than  be  subject  to  the  will  of 
another.  Since,  then,  the  following  of  the  custom  of  a city, 
or  the  consent  of  antiquity,  in  divine  worship,  is  too  weak  and 
frail  a bond  of  piety,  it  remains  for  God  himself  to  give  a rev- 
elation concerning  himself  from  heaven. 

XIV.  Vain,  therefore,  is  the  light  afforded  us  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  world  to  illustrate  the  glory  of  its  Author ; 
which,  though  its  rays  be  diffused  all  around  us,  is  insufficient 
to  conduct  us  into  the  right  way.  Some  sparks,  indeed,  are 
kindled,  but  smothered  before  they  have  emitted  any  great 
degree  of  light.  Wherefore  the  Apostle,  in  the  place  before 
cited,  says,  By  faith  we  understand  that  the  worlds  were 
framed  by  the  word  of  God ; ” (c^)  thus  intimating,  that  the 
invisible  Deity  was  represented  by  such  visible  objects,  yet 
that  we  have  no  eyes  to  discern  him,  unless  they  be  illuminated 
through  faith  by  an  internal  revelation  of  God.  Nor  does 
Paul,  where  he  observes,  that  ‘‘that  which  may  be  known  of 
God  is  manifest”  (e)  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  design  such 
a manifestation  as  human  sagacity  may  comprehend ; but 
rather  shows,  that  its  utmost  extent  is  to  render  men  inexcusa- 
ble. The  same  writer  also,  though  in  one  place  (/)  he  denies 
that  God  is  to  be  traced  far  off,  seeing  he  dwells  within 
us,  yet  teaches,  in  another  place,  {g)  the  consequences  of  such 
a proximity.  God,  says  he,  “ in  times  past  suffered  all  nations 
to  walk  in  their  own  ways.  Nevertheless  he  left  not  himself 
without  witness,  in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  us  rain  from 
heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with  food  and 
gladness.”  (A)  Though  the  Lord,  then,  is  not  destitute  of  a 
testimony  concerning  himself,  while  with  various  and  most 
abundant  benignity  he  sweetly  allures  mankind  to  a knowledge 
of  him,  yet  they  persist  in  following  their  own  ways,  their 
pernicious  and  fatal  errors. 

XV.  But  whatever  deficiency  of  natural  ability  prevents  us 
from  attaining  the  pure  and  clear  knowledge  of  God,  yet,  since 
that  deficiency  arises  from  our  own  fault,  we  are  left  without 
any  excuse.  Nor  indeed  can  we  set  up  any  pretence  of  ig- 
norance, that  will  prevent  our  own  consciences  from  perpetually 
accusing  us  of  indolence  and  ingratitude.  Truly  it  would  be  a 
defence  worthy  to  be  admitted,  if  a man  should  plead  that  he 
w^anted  ears  to  hear  the  truth,  for  the  publication  of  which 
even  the  mute  creatures  are  supplied  with  most  melodious 
voices ; if  he  should  allege  that  his  eyes  are  not  capable  of 
seeing  what  is  demonstrated  by  the  creatures  without  the  help 

(d)  Heb.  xi.  3.  (e)  Rom.  i.  10.  (/)  Rom.  i.  20. 

{(t)  Acts  xvii.  27.  (Ji)  Acts  xiv.  16,  17. 


CHAiP.  VI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  71 

of  the  eyes;  if  he  should  plead  mental  imbecility,  while  all 
the  irrational  creatures  instruct  us.  Wherefore  we  are  justly 
excluded  from  all  excuse  for  our  uncertain  and  extravagant 
deviations,  since  all  things  conspire  to  show  us  the  right  way. 
But,  however  men  are  chargeable  with  sinfully  corrupting  the 
seeds  of  divine  knowledge,  which,  by  the  wonderful  operation 
of  nature,  are  sown  in  their  hearts,  so  that  they  produce  no 
good  and  fair  crop,  yet  it  is  beyond  a doubt,  that  the  simple 
testimony  magnificently  borne  by  the  creatures  to  the  glory  of 
God,  is  very  insufficient  for  our  instruction.  For  as  soon  as  a 
survey  of  the  world  has  just  shown  us  a deity,  neglecting  the 
true  God,  we  set  up  in  his  stead  the  dreams  and  phantasms  of 
our  own  brains  ; and  confer  on  them  the  praise  of  righteous- 
ness, wisdom,  goodness,  and  power,  due  to  him.  We  either 
obscure  his  daily  acts,  or  pervert  them  by  an  erroneous  esti- 
mate ; thereby  depriving  the  acts  themselves  of  their  glory,  and 
their  Author  of  his  deserved  praise. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  GUIDANCE  AND  TEACHING  OF  THE  SCRIPTURE  NECESSARY  TO 
LEAD  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD  THE  CREATOR. 

Though  the  light  which  presents  itself  to  all  eyes,  both  in 
heaven  and  in  earth,  is  more  than  sufficient  to  deprive  the  in- 
gratitude of  men  of  every  excuse,  since  God,  in  order  to  involve 
all  mankind  in  the  same  guilt,  sets  before  them  all,  without 
exception,  an  exhibition  of  his  majesty,  delineated  in  the 
creatures,  — yet  we  need  another  and  better  assistance,  properly 
to  direct  us  to  the  Creator  of  the  world.  Therefore  he  hath 
not  unnecessarily  added  the  light  of  his  word,  to  make  himself 
known  unto  salvation,  and  hath  honoured  with  this  privilege 
those  whom  he  intended  to  unite  in  a more  close  and  familiar 
connection  with  himself.  For,  seeing  the  minds  of  all  men  to 
be  agitated  with  unstable  dispositions,  when  he  had  chosen 
the  Jews  as  his  peculiar  flock,  he  enclosed  them  as  in  a fold, 
that  they  might  not  wander  after  the  vanities  of  other  nations. 
And  it  is  not  without  cause  that  he  preserves  us  in  the  pure 
knowledge  of  himself  by  the  same  means  ; for,  otherwise,  they 
who  seem  comparatively  to  stand  firm,  would  soon  fall.  For, 
as  persons  who  are  old,  or  whose  eyes  are  by  any  means  be- 
come dim,  if  you  show  them  the  most  beautiful  book,  though 
they  perceive  something  written,  but  can  scarcely  read  two 


72  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

words  together,  yet,  by  the  assistance  of  spectacles,  will  be- 
gin to  read  distinctly,  — so  the  Scripture,  collecting  in  our 
minds  the  otherwise  confused  notions  of  Deity,  dispels  the 
darkness,  and  gives  us  a clear  view  of  the  true  God.  This, 
then,  is  a singular  favour,  that,  in  the  instruction  of  the  Church, 
God  not  only  uses  mute  teachers,  but  even  opens  his  own  sa- 
cred mouth  ; not  only  proclaims  that  some  god  ought  to  be 
worshipped,  but  at  the  same  time  pronounces  himself  to  be  the 
Being  to  whom  this  worship  is  due  ; and  not  only  teaches  the 
elect  to  raise  their  view  to  a Deity,  but  also  exhibits  himself 
as  the  object  of  their  contemplation.  This  method  he  hath 
observed  toward  his  Church  from  the  beginning  ; beside  those 
common  lessons  of  instruction,  to  afford  them  also  his  word  ; 
which  furnishes  a more  correct  and  certain  criterion  to  dis- 
tinguish him  from  all  fictitious  deities.  And  it  was  undoubt- 
edly by  this  assistance  that  Adam,  Noah,  Abraham,  and  the 
rest  of  the  patriarchs,  attained  to  that  familiar  knowledge  which 
distinguished  them  from  unbelievers.  I speak  not  yet  of  the 
peculiar  doctrine  of  faith  which  illuminated  them  into  the  hope 
of  eternal  life.  For,  to  pass  from  death  to  life,  they  must  have 
known  God,  not  only  as  the  Creator,  but  also  as  the  Redeemer  ; 
as  they  certainly  obtained  both  from  his  word.  For  that 
species  of  knowledge,  which  related  to  him  as  the  Creator  and 
Governor  of  the  world,  in  order,  preceded  the  other.  To  this 
was  afterwards  added  the  other  internal  knowledge,  which 
alone  vivifies  dead  souls,  and  apprehends  God,  not  only  as  the 
Creator  of  the  world,  and  as  the  sole  Author  and  Arbiter  of  all 
events,  but  also  as  the  Redeemer  in  the  person  of  the  Mediator. 
But,  being  not  yet  come  to  the  fall  of  man  and  the  corruption 
of  nature,  I also  forbear  to  treat  of  the  remedy.  Let  the  reader 
remember,  therefore,  that  I am  not  yet  treating  of  that  covenant 
by  which  God  adopted  the  children  of  Abraham,  and  of  that 
point  of  doctrine  by  which  believers  have  always  been  par- 
ticularly separated  from  the  profane  nations,  since  that  is 
founded  on  Christ ; but  am  only  showing  how  we  ought  to 
learn  from  the  Scripture,  that  God,  who  created  the  world, 
may  be  certainly  distinguished  from  the  whole  multitude  of 
fictitious  deities.  The  series  of  subjects  will,  in  due  time,  lead 
us  to  redemption.  But,  though  we  shall  adduce  many  testi- 
monies from  the  New  Testament,  and  some  also  from  the  Law 
and  the  Prophets,  in  which  Christ  is  expressly  mentioned,  yet 
they  will  all  tend  to  prove,  that  the  Scripture  discovers  God  to 
us  as  the  Creator  of  the  world,  and  declares  what  sentiments  we 
should  form  of  him,  that  we  may  not  be  seeking  after  a deity 
in  a labyrinth  of  uncertainty. 

II.  But,  whether  God  revealed  himself  to  the  patriarchs  by 
oracles  and  visions,  or  suggested,  by  means  of  the  ministry  of 


CHAP.  VI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  73 

men,  what  should  be  handed  down  by  tradition  to  their  pos- 
terity, it  is  beyond  a doubt  that  their  minds  were  impressed 
with  a firm  assurance  of  the  doctrine,  so  that  they  were  per- 
suaded and  convinced  that  the  information  they  had  received 
came  from  God.  For  God  always  secured  to  his  word  an  un- 
doubted credit,  superior  to  all  human  opinion.  At  length,  that 
the  truth  might  remain  in  the  world  in  a continual  course  of 
instruction  to  all  ages,  he  determined  that  the  same  oracles 
Avhich  he  had  deposited  with  the  patriarchs  should  be  commit- 
ted to  public  records.  With  this  design  the  Law  was  promul- 
gated, to  which  the  Prophets  were  afterwards  annexed,  as  its 
interpreters.  — For,  though  the  uses  of  the  law  were  many,  as 
will  be  better  seen  in  the  proper  place  ; and  particularly  the 
intention  of  Moses,  and  of  ail  the  prophets,  was  to  teach  the 
mode  of  reconciliation  between  God  and  man,  (whence  also 
Paul  calls  Christ  “the  end  of  the  law,”)  (^)  — yet  I repeat 
again,  that,  beside  the  peculiar  doctrine  of  faith  and  repentance, 
which  proposes  Christ  as  the  Mediator,  the  Scripture  distin- 
guishes the  only  tru^^od  by  certain  characters  and  titles,  as 
the  Creator  and  Go^Rmor  of  the  world,  that  he  may  not  be 
confounded  with  the  multitude  of  false  gods.  Therefore, 
though  every  man  should  seriously  apply  himself  to  a consid- 
eration of  the  works  of  God,  being  placed  in  this  very  splendid 
theatre  to  be  a spectator  of  them,  yet  he  ought  principally  to 
attend  to  the  word,  that  he  may  attain  superior  advantages. 
And,  therefore,  it  is  not  surprising,  that  they  who  are  born  ill 
darkness  grow  more  and  more  hardened  in  their  stupidity; 
since  very  few  attend  to  the  word  of  God  with  teachable  dis- 
positions, to  restrain  themselves  within  the  limits  which  it 
prescribes,  but  rather  exult  in  their  own  vanity.  This,  then, 
must  be  considered  as  a fixed  principle,  that,  in  order  to  enjoy 
the  light  of  true  religion,  we  ought  to  begin  with  the  doctrine 
of  heaven  ; and  that  no  man  can  have  the  least  knowledge  of 
true  and  sound  doctrine,  without  having  been  a disciple  of  the 
Scripture.  Hence  originates  all  true  wisdom,  when  we  em- 
brace with  reverence  the  testimony  which  God  hath  been 
pleased  therein  to  deliver  concerning  himself.  For  obedience 
is  the  source,  not  only  of  an  absolutely  perfect  and  complete 
faith,  but  of  all  right  knowledge  of  God.  And  truly  in  this 
instance  God  hath,  in  his  providence,  particularly  consulted 
the  true  interests  of  mankind  in  all  ages. 

III.  For,  if  we  consider  the  mutability  of  the  human  mind,  — 
how  easy  its  lapse  into  forgetfulness  of  God  ; how  great  its  pro- 
pensity to  errors  of  every  kind ; how  violent  its  rage  for  the 
perpetual  fabrication  of  new  and  false  religions,  — it  will  be  easy 

(i)  Rom.  X.  4. 

VOL.  I.  10 


74  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

to  perceive  the  necessity  of  the  heavenly  doctrine  being  thus 
committed  to  writing,  that  it  might  not  be  lost  in  oblivion,  or 
evaporate  in  error,  or  be  corrupted  by  the  presumption  of  men. 
Since  it  is  evident,  therefore,  that  God,  foreseeing  the  in- 
efficacy  of  his  manifestation  of  himself  in  the  exquisite  struc- 
ture of  the  world,  hath  afforded  the  assistance  of  his  word  to 
all  those  to  whom  he  determined  to  make  his  instructions 
effectual,  — if  we  seriously  aspire  to  a sincere  contemplation  of 
God,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  pursue  this  right  way.  We  must 
come,  I say,  to  the  word,  which  contains  a just  and  lively  de- 
scription of  God  as  he  appears  in  his  works,  when  those  works 
are  estimated,  not  according  to  our  depraved  judgment,  but  by 
the  rule  of  eternal  truth.  If  we  deviate  from  it,  as  I have  just 
observed,  though  we  run  with  the  utmost  celerity,  yet,  being 
out  of  the  course,  we  shall  never  reach  the  goal.  For  it  must 
be  concluded,  that  the  light  of  the  Divine  countenance,  which 
even  the  Apostle  says  “no  man  can  approach  unto,”  ( 7)  is  like 
an  inexplicable  labyrinth  to  us,  unless  we  are  directed  by  the 
line  of  the  word ; so  that  it  were  bettoj^to  halt  in  this  way, 
than  to  run  with  the  greatest  rapidit}^Rit  of  it.  Therefore 
David,  inculcating  the  necessity  of  the  removal  of  superstitions 
out  of  the  world,  that  pure  religion  may  flourish,  frequently 
introduces  God  as  “ reigning  ; ” (^)  by  the  word  “ reigning,” 
intending,  not  the  power  which  he  possesses,  and  which  he 
exercises  in  the  universal  government  of  nature,  but  the  doc- 
trine in  which  he  asserts  his  legitimate  sovereignty  ; because 
errors  can  never  be  eradicated  from  the  human  heart,  till  the 
true  knowledge  of  God  is  implanted  in  it. 

IV.  Therefore  the  same  Psalmist,  having  said,  that  “ the 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  showeth 
his  handy-work ; day  unto  day  uttereth  speech,  and  night 
unto  night  showeth  knowledge,”  (1)  afterwards  proceeds  to  the 
mention  of  the  word  : “ The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  con- 
verting the  soul : the  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making 
wise  the  simple  : the  statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  rejoicing 
the  heart  : the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure,  enlightening 
the  eyes.”  For,  though  he  also  comprehends  other  uses  of  the 
law,  yet  he  suggests,  in  general,  that,  since  God’s  invitation  of 
all  nations  to  him  by  the  view  of  heaven  and  earth  is  ineffec- 
tual, this  is  the  peculiar  school  of  the  children  of  God.  The 
same  is  adverted  to  in  the  twenty-ninth  Psalm,  where  the 
Psalmist,  having  preached  the  terrors  of  the  Divine  voice 
which  ill  thunders,  in  winds,  in  showers,  in  whirlwinds,  and 
in  tempests,  shakes  the  earth,  makes  the  mountains  tremble, 
and  breaks  the  cedars,  adds,  at  length,  towards  the  close,  “ in 


(j)  1 Tim.  vi.  16. 


(k)  Fs.  xciii.  xcvi.,  (/)  Ps.  xix.  1,  &c. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


75 


CHAP.  VII.] 

his  temple  doth  every  one  speak  of  his  glory ; ” because  unbe- 
lievers are  deaf  to  all  the  voices  of  God,  which  resound  in  the 
air.  So,  in  another  Psalm,  after  describing  the  terrible  waves 
of  the  sea,  he  concludes  thus  : ‘‘  Thy  testimonies  are  very  sure  : 
holiness  becometh  thine  house,  O Lord,  for  ever.”  (m)  Hence 
also  proceeds  the  observation  of  Christ  to  the  Samaritan  wo- 
man, that  her  nation  and  all  others  worshipped  they  knew  not 
what ; and  that  the  Jews  were  the  only  worshippers  of  the 
true  God.  (71)  For,  since  the  human  mind  is  unable,  through 
its  imbecility,  to  attain  any  knowledge  of  God  without  the  as- 
sistance of  his  sacred  word,  all  mankind,  except  the  Jews,  as 
they  sought  God  without  the  word,  must  necessarily  have  been 
wandering  in  vanity  and  error. 


CHAPTER  YH. 

THE  TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SPIRIT  NECESSARY  TO  CONFIRM  THE  SCRIP- 
TURE, IN  ORDER  TO  THE  COMPLETE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  ITS  AU- 
THORITY. THE  SUSPENSION  OF  ITS  AUTHORITY  ON  THE  JUDG- 
MENT OF  THE  CHURCH,  AN  IMPIOUS  FICTION. 

Before  I proceed  any  further,  it  is  proper  to  introduce  some 
remarks  on  the  authority  of  the  Scripture,  not  only  to  prepare 
the  mind  to  regard  it  with  due  reverence,  but  also  to  remove 
every  doubt.  For,  Avhen  it  is  admitted  to  be  a declaration  of 
the  word  of  God,  no  man  can  be  so  deplorably  presumptuous, 
unless  he  be  also  destitute  of  common  sense  and  of  the  com- 
mon feelings  of  men,  as  to  dare  to  derogate  from  the  credit 
due  to  the  speaker.  But  since  we  are  not  favoured  with  daily 
oracles  from  heaven,  and  since  it  is  only  in  the  Scriptures  that 
the  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  preserve  his  truth  in  perpetual 
remembrance,  it  obtains  the  same  complete  credit  and  au- 
thority with  believers,  when  they  are  satisfied  of  its  divine 
origin,  as  if  they  heard  the  very  words  pronounced  by  God 
himself.  The  subject,  indeed,  merits  a diffuse  discussion,  and 
a most  accurate  examination.  But  the  reader  will  pardon  me, 
if  I attend  rather  to  what  the  design  of  this  work  admits,  than 
to  what  the  extensive  nature  of  the  present  subject  requires. 
But  there  has  very  generally  prevailed  a most  pernicious  error, 
that  the  Scriptures  have  only  so  much  weight  as  is  conceded 
to  them  by  the  suffrages  of  the  Church  ; as  though  the  eternal 

(n)  John  iv.  22. 


(m)  Ps.  xciii.  5. 


76  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

and  inviolable  truth  of  God  depended  on  the  arbitrary  will  of 
men.  For  thus,  with  great  contempt  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they 
inquire.  Who  can  assure  us  that  God  is  the  author  of  them  ? 
Who  can  with  certainty  affirm,  that  they  have  been  preserved 
safe  and  uncorrupted  to  the  present  age  ? Who  can  persuade 
us  that  this  book  ought  to  be  received  with  reverence,  and 
that  expunged  from  the  sacred  number,  unless  all  these  things 
were  regulated  by  the  decisions  of  the  Church  ? It  depends, 
therefore,  (say  they,)  on  the  determination  of  the  Church,  to 
decide  both  what  reverence  is  due  to  the  Scripture,  and  what 
books  are  to  be  comprised  in  its  canon.  Thus  sacrilegious 
men,  while  they  wish  to  introduce  an  unlimited  tyranny, 
under  the  name  of  the  Church,  are  totally  unconcerned  with 
what  absurdities  they  embarrass  themselves  and  others,  pro- 
vided they  can  extort  from  the  ignorant  this  one  admission, 
that  the  Church  can  do  every  thing.  But,  if  this  be  true, 
what  will  be  the  condition  of  those  wretched  consciences, 
which  are  seeking  a solid  assurance  of  eternal  life,  if  all  the 
promises  extant  concerning  it  rest  only  on  the  judgment  of 
men  ? Will  the  reception  of  such  an  answer  cause  their 
fluctuations  to  subside,  and  their  terrors  to  vanish  ? Again, 
how  will  the  impious  ridicule  our  faith,  and  all  men  call  it  in 
question,  if  it  be  understood  to  possess  only  a precarious  au- 
thority depending  on  the  favour  of  men  ! 

II.  But  such  cavillers  are  completely  refuted  even  by  one 
word  of  the  Apostle.  He  testifies  that  the  church  is  “ built 
upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets.”  (o)  If  the 
doctrine  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  be  the  foundation  of  the 
Church,  it  must  have  been  certain,  antecedently  to  the  exist- 
ence of  the  Church.  Nor  is  there  any  foundation  for  this 
cavil,  that  though  the  Church  derive  its  origin  from  the  Scrip- 
tures, yet  it  remains  doubtful  what  writings  are  to  be  ascribed 
to  the  prophets  and  apostles,  unless  it  be  determined  by  the 
Church.  For  if  the  Christian  Church  has  been  from  the  be- 
ginning founded  on  the  writings  of  the  prophets  and  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles,  wherever  that  doctrine  is  found,  the 
approbation  of  it  has  certainly  preceded  the  formation  of  the 
Church ; since  without  it  the  Church  itself  had  never  existed. 
It  is  a very  false  notion,  therefore,  that  the  power  of  judging 
of  the  Scripture  belongs  to  the  Church,  so  as  to  make  the  cer- 
tainty of  it  dependent  on  the  Church’s  will.  Wherefore,  when 
the  Church  receives  it,  and  seals  it  with  her  suffrage,  she  does 
not  authenticate  a thing  otherwise  dubious  or  controvertible ; 
but,  knowing  it  to  be  the  truth  of  her  God,  performs  a duty 
of  piety,  by  treating  it  with  immediate  veneration.  But,  with 
-egard  to  the  question.  How  shall  we  be  persuaded  of  its  divine 


(o)  Eph.  ii.  20. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


77 


CHAP.  VII*.] 

original,  unless  we  have  recourse  to  the  decree  of  the  Church  ? 
this  is  just  as  if  any  one  should  inquire,  How  shall  we  learn 
to  distinguish  light  from  darkness,  white  from  black,  sweet 
from  bitter  ? For  the  Scripture  exhibits  as  clear  evidence  of 
its  truth,  as  white  and  black  things  do  of  their  colour,  or  sweet 
and  bitter  things  of  their  taste. 

III.  I know,  indeed,  that  they  commonly  cite  the  opinion 
of  Augustine,  where  he  says,  that  he  would  not  believe  the 
Gospel  unless  he  were  influenced  by  the  authority  of  the 
Church.”  (/?)  But  how  falsely  and  unfairly  this  is  cited  in 
support  of  such  a notion,  it  is  easy  to  discover  from  the  con- 
text. He  was  in  that  contending  with  the  Manichees,  who 
wished  to  be  credited,  without  any  controversy,  when  they 
affirmed  the  truth  to  be  on  their  side,  but  never  proved  it. 
Now,  as  they  made  the  authority  of  the  Gospel  a pretext  in 
order  to  establish  the  credit  of  their  Manichseus,  he  inquires 
what  they  would  do  if  they  met  with  a man  who  did  not  be- 
lieve the  Gospel ; with  what  kind  of  persuasion  they  would 
convert  him  to  their  opinion.  He  afterwards  adds,  “ Indeed, 
I would  not  give  credit  to  the  Gospel,”  &c.,  intending,  that  he 
himself,  when  an  alien  from  the  faith,  could  not  be  prevailed 
on  to  embrace  the  Gospel  as  the  certain  truth  of  God,  till  he 
was  convinced  by  the  authority  of  the  Church.  And  is  it  sur- 
prising that  any  one,  yet  destitute  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
should  pay  a respect  to  men?  Augustine,  therefore,  does  not 
there  maintain  that  the  faith  of  the  pious  is  founded  (Ui  the 
authority  of  the  Church,  nor  does  he  mean  that  the  certainty 
of  the  Gospel  depends  on  it ; but  simply,  that  unbelievers 
would  have  no  assurance  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  that 
would  win  them  to  Christ,  unless  they  were  influenced  by  the 
consent  of  the  Church.  And  a little  before,  he  clearly  con- 
firms it  in  these  words  : “ When  I shall  have  commended  my 
own  creed,  and  derided  yours,  what  judgment,  think  you, 
ought  we  to  form,  what  conduct  ought  we  to  pursue,  but  to 
forsake  those  who  invite  us  to  acknowledge  things  that  are 
certain,  and  afterwards  command  us  to  believe  things  that  are 
uncertain  ; and  to  follow  those  who  invite  us  first  to  believe 
what  we  cannot  yet  clearly  see,  that,  being  strengthened  by 
faith,  we  may  acquire  an  understanding  of  what  we  believe  ; 
our  mind  being  now  internally  strengthened  and  illuminated, 
not  by  men,  but  by  God  himself?  ” These  are  the  express 
words  of  Augustine  ; whence  the  inference  is  obvious  to  every 
one,  that  this  holy  man  did  not  design  to  suspend  our  faith  in 
the  Scriptures  on  the  arbitrary  decision  of  the  Church,  but 
only  to  show  (what  we  all  confess  to  be  true)  that  they  who 


{p)  Contr.  Epist.  Fundam.  cap.  5. 


78  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  * [bOOK  I 

are  yet  imilluminated  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  are,  by  a reverence 
for  the  Church,  brought  to  such  a docility  as  to  submit  to  learn 
the  faith  of  Christ  from  the  Gospel  ; and  that  thus  the  au- 
thority of  the  Church  is  an  introduction  to  prepare  us  for  the 
faith  of  the  Gospel.  For  we  see  that  he  will  have  the  cer- 
tainty of  the  pious  to  rest  on  a very  different  foundation. 
Otherwise  I do  not  deny  his  frequently  urging  on  the  Man- 
ichees  the  universal  consent  of  the  Church,  with  a view  to 
prove  the  truth  of  the  Scripture,  which  they  rejected.  Whence 
his  rebuke  of  Faustus,  for  not  submitting  to  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel,  so  founded,  so  established,  so  gloriously  celebrated, 
and  delivered  through  certain  successions  from  the  apostolic 
age.”  But  he  nowhere  insinuates  that  the  authority  which 
we  attribute  to  the  Scripture  depends  on  the  definitions  or  de- 
crees of  men  : he  only  produces  the  universal  judgment  of  the 
Church,  which  was  very  useful  to  his  argument,  and  gave  him 
an  advantage  over  his  adversaries.  If  any  one  desire  a fuller 
proof  of  this,  let  him  read  his  treatise  Of  the  Advantage  of 
Believing  ; ” where  he  will  find,  that  he  recommends  no  other 
facility  of  believing,  than  such  as  may  afford  us  an  introduc- 
tion, and  be  a proper  beginning  of  inquiry,  as  he  expresses 
himself ; yet  that  we  should  not  be  satisfied  with  mere  opin- 
ion, but  rest  upon  certain  and  solid  truth. 

IV.  It  must  be  maintained,  as  I have  before  asserted,  that 
we  are  not  established  in  the  belief  of  the  doctrine  till  we  are 
indubitably  persuaded  that  God  is  its  Author.  The  principal 
proof,  therefore,  of  the  Scriptures  is  every  where  derived  from 
the  character  of  the  Divine  Speaker.  The  prophets  and  apos- 
tles boast  not  of  their  own  genius,  or  any  of  those  talents 
which  conciliate  the  faith  of  the  hearers  ; nor  do  they  insist 
on  arguments  from  reason  ; but  bring  forward  the  sacred  name 
of  God,  to  compel  the  submission  of  the  whole  world.  We 
must  now  see  how  it  appears,  not  from  probable  supposition, 
but  from  clear  demonstration,  that  this  use  of  the  divine  name 
is  neither  rash  nor  fallacious.  Now,  if  we  wish  to  consult  the 
true  interest  of  our  consciences ; that  they  may  not  be  unstable 
and  wavering,  the  subjects  of  perpetual  doubt ; that  they  may 
not  hesitate  at  the  smallest  scruples,  — this  persuasion  must  be 
sought  from  a higher  source  than  human  reasons,  or  judg- 
ments, or  conjectures — even  from  the  secret  testimony  of  the 
Spirit.  It  is  true  that,  if  we  were  inclined  to  argue  the  point, 
many  things  might  be  adduced  which  certainly  evince,  if  there 
be  any  God  in  heaven,  that  he  is  the  Author  of  the  Law,  and 
the  Prophecies,  and  the  Gospel.  Even  though  men  of  learn- 
ing and  deep  judgment  rise  up  in  opposition,  and  exert  and 
display  all  the  powers  of  their  minds  in  this  dispute,  yet,  un- 
less they  are  Avholly  lost  to  all  sense  of  shame,  this  confession 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


79 


CHAP.  VII.] 

will  be  extorted  from  them,  that  the  Scripture  exhibits  the 
plainest  evidences  that  it  is  God  who  speaks  in  it,  which 
manifests  its  doctrine  to  be  divine.  And  we  shall  soon  see, 
that  all  the  books  of  the  sacred  Scripture  very  far  excel  all 
other  writings.  If  we  read  it  with  pure  eyes  and  sound  minds, 
we  shall  immediately  perceive  the  majesty  of  God,  which  will 
subdue  our  audacious  contradictions,  and  compel  us  to  obey 
him.  Yet  it  is  acting  a preposterous  part,  to  endeavour  to 
produce  sound  faith  in  the  Scripture  by  disputations.  Though, 
indeed,  I am  far  from  excelling  in  peculiar  dexterity  or  elo- 
quence, yet,  if  I Avere  to  contend  with  the  most  subtle  de- 
spisers  of  God,  who  are  ambitious  to  display  their  wit  and 
their  skill  in  Aveakening  the  authority  of  Scripture,  I trust 
I should  be  able,  without  difficulty,  to  silence  their  obstreper- 
ous clamour.  And,  if  it  Avere  of  any  use  to  attempt  a refutation 
of  their  cavils,  I Avould  easily  demolish  the  boasts  Avhich  they 
mutter  in  secret  corners.  But  though  any  one  vindicates  the 
sacred  Avord  of  God  from  the  aspersions  of  men,  yet  this  Avill 
not  fix  in  their  hearts  that  assurance  Avhich  is  essential  to  true 
piety.  Religion  appearing,  to  profane  men,  to  consist  Avholly 
in  opinion,  in  order  that  they  may  not  believe  any  thing  on 
foolish  or  slight  grounds,  they  wish  and  expect  it  to  be  proved 
by  rational  arguments,  that  Moses  and  the  prophets  spake  by 
divine  inspiration.  But  I reply,  that  the  testimony  of  the 
Spirit  is  superior  to  all  reason.  For,  as  God  alone  is  a suf- 
ficient Avitness  of  himself  in  his  OAvn  AVord,  so  also  the  Avord 
Avill  never  gain  credit  in  the  hearts  of  men,  till  it  be  confirmed 
by  the  internal  testimony  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  necessary,  there- 
fore, that  the  same  Spirit,  who  spake  by  the  mouths  of  the 
prophets,  should  penetrate  into  our  hearts,  to  convince  us  that 
they  faithfully  delivered  the  oracles  which  were  divinely  in- 
trusted to  them.  And  this  connection  is  very  suitably  ex- 
pressed in  these  Avords  : My  Spirit  that  is  upon  thee,  and 
my  word  which  I have  put  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart  out 
of  thy  mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed,  nor  out  of  the 
mouth  of  thy  seed’s  seed,  for  ever.”  (y)  Some  good  men  are 
troubled  that  they  are  not  ahvays  prepared  with  clear  proof  to 
oppose  the  impious,  Avhen  they  murmur  Avith  impunity  against 
the  divine  Avord ; as  though  the  Spirit  Avere  not  therefore 
denominated  a “ seal,”  and  ‘‘an  earnest,”  for  the  confirmation 
of  the  faith  of  the  pious  ; because,  till  he  illuminate  their 
minds,  they  are  perpetually  fluctuating  amidst  a multitude 
of  doubts. 

V.  Let  it  be  considered,  then,  as  an  undeniable  truth,  that 
they  Avho  have  been  inwardly  taught  by  the  Spirit,  feel  an 


(q)  Isaiah  lix.  21. 


80 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


Tbook  I. 


entire  acquiescence  in  the  Scripture,  and  that  it  is  self-authen- 
ticated, carrying  with  it  its  own  evidence,  and  ought  not  to  be 
made  the  subject  of  demonstration  and  arguments  from  reason  ; 
but  it  obtains  the  credit  which  it  deserves  with  us  by  the  tes- 
timony of  the  Spirit.  For  though  it  conciliate  our  reverence 
by  its  internal  majesty,  it  never  seriously  affects  us  till  it  is 
confirmed  by  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts.  Therefore,  being  il- 
luminated by  him,  we  now  believe  the  divine  original  of  the 
Scripture,  not  from  our  own  judgment  or  that  of  others,  but 
we  esteem  the  certainty,  that  we  have  received  it  from  God's 
own  mouth  by  the  ministry  of  men,  to  be  superior  to  that  of 
any  human  judgment,  and  equal  to  that  of  an  intuitive  percep- 
tion of  God  himself  in  it.  We  seek  not  arguments  or  proba- 
bilities to  support  our  judgment,  but  submit  our  judgments  and 
understandings  as  to  a thing  concerning  which  it  is  impossible 
for  us  to  judge  ; and  that  not  like  some  persons,  who  are  in 
the  habit  of  hastily  embracing  what  they  do  not  understand, 
which  displeases  them  as  soon  as  they  examine  it,  but  because 
we  feel  the  firmest  conviction  that  we  hold  an  invincible  truth  ; 
nor  like  those  unhappy  men  who  surrender  their  minds  cap- 
tives to  superstitions,  but  because  we  perceive  in  it  the  un- 
doubted energies  of  the  Divine  power,  by  which  we  are  at- 
tracted and  inflamed  to  an  understanding  and  voluntary 
obedience,  but  with  a vigour  and  efficacy  superior  to  the 
power  of  any  human  will  or  knowledge.  With  the  greatest 
justice,  therefore,  God  exclaims  by  Isaiah,  (r)  that  the  prophets 
and  all  the  people  were  his  witnesses  ; because,  being  taught 
by  prophecies,  they  were  certain  that  God  had  spoken  without 
the  least  fallacy  or  ambiguity.  It  is  such  a persuasion,  there- 
fore, as  requires  no  reasons  ; such  a knowledge  as  is  supported 
by  the  highest  reason,  in  which,  indeed,  the  mind  rests  with 
greater  security  and  constancy  than  in  any  reasons  ; it  is, 
finally,  such  a sentiment  as  cannot  be  produced  but  by  a 
revelation  from  heaven.  I speak  of  nothing  but  what  every 
believer  experiences  in  his  heart,  except  that  my  language 
falls  far  short  of  a just  explication  of  the  subject.  I pass  over 
many  things  at  present,  because  this  subject  will  present  itself 
for  discussion  again  in  another  place.  Only  let  it  be  known 
here,  that  that  alone  is  true  faith  which  the  Spirit  of  God  seals 
in  our  hearts.  And  with  this  one  reason  every  reader  of 
modesty  and  docility  will  be  satisfied : Isaiah  predicts  that 
all  the  children  ” of  the  renovated  Church  “ shall  be  taught 
of  God.”  (s)  Herein  God  deigns  to  confer  a singular  privilege 
on  his  elect,  whom  he  distinguishes  from  the  rest  of  mankind, 
For  what  is  the  beginning  of  true  learning  but  a prompt  alac- 


(r)  Isaiali  xliii.  10. 


(5)  Isaiah  liv.  13. 


CHAP.  VIII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


81 


rity  to  hear  the  voice  of  God  ? By  the  mouth  of  Moses  he 
demands  our  attention  in  these  terms : “ Say  not  in  thine 
heart,  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ? or,  Who  shall  descend 
into  the  deep  ? The  word  is  even  in  thy  mouth.”  {t)  If  God 
hath  determined  that  this  treasury  of  wisdom  shall  be  reserved 
for  his  children,  it  is  neither  surprising  nor  absurd,  that  we  see 
so  much  ignorance  and  stupidity  among  the  vulgar  herd  of 
mankind.  By  this  appellation  I designate  even  those  of  the 
greatest  talents  and  highest  rank,  till  they  are  incorporated 
into  the  Church.  Moreover,  Isaiah,  observing  that  the  pro- 
phetical doctrine  would  be  incredible,  not  only  to  aliens,  but 
also  to  the  Jews,  who  wished  to  be  esteemed  members  of  the 
family,  adds,  at  the  same  time,  the  reason — Because  the  arm  of 
the  Lord  will  not  be  revealed  to  all.  {v)  Whenever,  therefore, 
we  are  disturbed  at  the  paucity  of  believers,  let  us,  on  the  other 
hand,  remember  that  none,  but  those  to  whom  it  was  given, 
have  any  apprehension  of  the  mysteries  of  God. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 


RATIONAL  PROOFS  TO  ESTABLISH  THE  BELIEF  OF  THE  SCRIPTURE. 

Without  this  certainty,  better  and  stronger  than  any  human 
judgment,  in  vain  will  the  authority  of  the  Scripture  be  either 
defended  by  arguments,  or  established  by  the  consent  of  the 
Church,  or  confirmed  by  any  other  supports  ; since,  unless  the 
foundation  be  laid,  it  remains  in  perpetual  suspense.  Whilst, 
on  the  contrary,  when,  regarding  it  in  a different  point  of  view 
from  common  things,  we  have  once  religiously  received  it  in  a 
manner  worthy  of  its  excellence,  we  shall  then  derive  great 
assistance  from  things  which  before  were  not  sufficient  to  es- 
tablish the  certainty  of  it  in  our  minds.  For  it  is  admirable 
to  observe  how  much  it  conduces  to  our  confirmation,  atten- 
tively to  study  the  order  and  disposition  of  the  Divine  Wisdom 
dispensed  in  it,  the  heavenly  nature  of  its  doctrine,  which  never 
savours  of  any  thing  terrestrial,  the  beautiful  agreement  of  all 
the  parts  with  each  other,  and  other  similar  characters  adapted 
to  conciliate  respect  to  any  writings.  But  our  hearts  are  more 
strongly  confirmed,  when  we  reflect  that  we  are  constrained  to 
admire  it  more  by  the  dignity  of  the  subjects  than  by  the 
beauties  of  the  language.  For  even  this  did  not  happen  with- 
out the  particular  providence  of  God,  that  the  sublime  mys- 


VOL.  I. 


{t)  Deut.  XXX.  Rom.  x. 

I.  11 


(c)  Isaiah  liii.  1. 


82  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

teries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  should  be  communicated,  for 
the  most  part,  in  a humble  and  contemptible  style  ; lest,  if  they 
had  been  illustrated  with  more  of  the  splendour  of  eloquence, 
the  impious  might  cavil  that  their  triumph  is  only  the  triumph 
of  eloquence.  Now,  since  that  uncultivated  and  almost  rude 
simplicity  procures  itself  more  reverence  than  all  the  graces 
of  rhetoric,  what  opinion  can  we  form,  but  that  the  force  of 
truth  in  the  sacred  Scripture  is  too  powerful  to  need  the  as- 
sistance of  verbal  art  ? Justly,  therefore,  does  the  apostle 
argue  that  the  faith  of  the  Corinthians  was  founded,  not  in 
the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God,”  because  his 
preaching  among  them  was,  not  with  enticing  words  of 
man’s  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power.”  (^)  For  the  truth  is  vindicated  from  every  doubt, 
when,  unassisted  by  foreign  aid,  it  is  sufficient  for  its  own 
support.  But  that  this  is  the  peculiar  property  of  the  Scripture, 
appears  from  the  insufficiency  of  any  human  compositions, 
however  artificially  polished,  to  make  an  equal  impression  on 
our  minds.  Read  Demosthenes  or  Cicero  ; read  Plato,  Aris- 
totle, or  any  others  of  that  class  ; I grant  that  you  will  be  at- 
tracted, delighted,  moved,  and  enraptured  by  them  in  a sur- 
prising manner  ; but  if,  after  reading  them,  you  turn  to  the 
perusal  of  the  sacred  volume,  whether  you  are  willing  or  un- 
willing, it  will  affect  you  so  powerfully,  it  will  so  penetrate 
your  heart,  and  impress  itself  so  strongly  on  your  mind,  that, 
compared  with  its  energetic  influence,  the  beauties  of  rhetori- 
cians and  philosophers  will  almost  entirely  disappear  ; so  that 
it  is  easy  to  perceive  something  divine  in  the  sacred  Scriptures, 
which  far  surpasses  the  highest  attainments  and  ornaments  of 
human  industry. 

II.  I grant,  indeed,  that  the  diction  of  some  of  the  prophets 
is  neat  and  elegant,  and  even  splendid  ; so  that  they  are  not 
inferior  in  eloquence  to  the  heathen  writers.  And  by  such 
examples  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  been  pleased  to  show,  that  he 
was  not  deficient  in  eloquence,  though  elsewhere  he  hath  used 
a rude  and  homely  style.  But  whether  we  read  David,  Isaiah, 
and  others  that  resemble  them,  who  have  a sweet  and  pleasant 
flow  of  words,  or  Amos  the  herdsman,  Jeremiah,  and  Zecha- 
riah,  whose  rougher  language  savours  of  rusticity,  — that  majesty 
of  the  Spirit,  which  I have  mentioned,  is  every  where  con- 
spicuous. I am  not  ignorant  that  Satan  in  many  things  im- 
itates God,  in  order  that,  by  the  fallacious  resemblance,  he 
may  more  easily  insinuate  himself  into  the  minds  of  the  sim- 
ple ; and  has  therefore  craftily  disseminated,  in  unpolished  and 
even  barbarous  language,  the  most  impious  errors,  by  which 


(x)  1 Cor.  ii.  4. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


83 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

multitudes  have  been  miserably  deceived,  and  has  often  used 
obsolete  forms  of  speech  as  a mask  to  conceal  his  impostures. 
But  the  vanity  and  fraud  of  such  affectation  are  visible  to  all 
men  of  moderate  understanding.  With  respect  to  the  sacred 
Scripture,  though  presumptuous  men  try  to  cavil  at  various 
passages,  yet  it  is  evidently  replete  with  sentences  which  are 
beyond  the  powers  of  human  conception.  Let  all  the  prophets 
be  examined ; not  one  will  be  found,  who  has  not  far  surpassed 
the  ability  of  men ; so  that  those  to  whom  their  doctrine  is 
insipid  must  be  accounted  utterly  destitute  of  all  true  taste. 

III.  This  argument  has  been  copiously  treated  by  other 
writers  ; wherefore  it  may  suffice  at  present  merely  to  hint  at 
a few  things  which  chiefly  relate  to  the  subject  in  a general 
view.  Beside  what  I have  already  treated  on,  the  antiquity 
of  the  Scripture  is  of  no  small  weight.  For,  notwithstanding 
the  fabulous  accounts  of  the  Greek  writers  concerning  the 
Egyptian  theology,  yet  there  remains  no  monument  of  any 
religion,  but  what  is  much  lower  than  the  age  of  Moses.  Nor 
does  Moses  invent  a new  deity  ; he  only  makes  a declaration 
of  what  the  Israelites  had,  through  a long  series  of  years,  re- 
ceived by  tradition  from  their  forefathers  concerning  the  eternal 
God.  For  what  does  he  aim  at,  but  to  recall  them  to  the 
covenant  made  with  Abraham  ? If  he  had  advanced  a thing 
till  then  unheard  of,  it  would  not  have  been  received  ; but 
their  liberation  from  the  servitude  in  which  they  were  detained 
must  have  been  a thing  well  known  to  them  all ; so  that  the 
mention  of  it  immediately  excited  universal  attention.  It  is 
probable  also  that  they  had  been  informed  of  the  number  of 
four  hundred  years.  Now,  we  must  consider,  if  Moses  (who 
himself  preceded  all  other  writers  by  such  a long  distance  of 
time)  derives  the  tradition  of  his  doctrine  from  ^so  remote  a 
beginning,  how  much  the  sacred  Scripture  exceeds  in  antiquity 
all  other  books. 

IV.  Unless  any  would  choose  to  credit  the  Egyptians,  who 
extend  their  antiquity  to  six  thousand  years  before  the  creation 
of  the  world.  But  since  their  garrulity  has  been  ridiculed 
even  by  all  the  profane  writers,  I need  not  trouble  myself 
with  refuting  it.  Josephus,  in  his  book  against  Appion,  cites 
from  the  most  ancient  writers  testimonies  worthy  of  being  re- 
membered ; whence  we  may  gather,  that  the  doctrine  contained 
in  the  law  has,  according  to  the  consent  of  all  nations,  been 
renowned  from  the  remotest  ages,  although  it  was  neither  read 
nor  truly  understood.  Now,  that  the  malicious  might  have  no 
room  for  suspicion,  nor  even  the  wicked  any  pretence  for 
cavilling,  God  hath  provided  the  most  excellent  remedies  for 
both  these  dangers.  When  jMoses  relates  what  Jacob  had, 
almost  three  hundred  years  before,  by  the  spirit  of  inspiration 


84  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

pronounced  concerning  his  posterity,  how  does  he  disgrace  his 
own  tribe  ! He  even  brands  it,  in  the  person  of  Levi,  with 
perpetual  infamy.  ‘‘Simeon,”  says  he,  “and  Levi,  instru- 
ments of  cruelty  are  in  their  habitations.  O my  soul,  come 
not  thou  into  their  secret : unto  their  assembly,  mine  honour, 
be  not  thou  united.”  (y)  He  certainly  might  have  been  silent 
on  that  disgraceful  circumstance,  not  only  to  spare  his  father, 
but  also  to  avoid  aspersing  himself,  as  well  as  all  his  family, 
with  part  of  the  same  ignominy.  How  can  any  suspicion  be 
entertained  of  him,  who,  voluntarily  publishing,  from  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  the  first  of  the  family  from 
which  he  was  descended  was  guilty  of  detestable  conduct, 
neither  consults  his  own  personal  honours,  nor  refuses  to  incur 
the  resentment  of  his  relations,  to  whom  this  must  undoubtedly 
have  given  offence  ? When  he  mentions  also  the  impious 
murmurings  of  Aaron,  his  brother,  and  Miriam,  his  sister,  (z) 
shall  we  say  that  he  spake  according  to  the  dictates  of  the 
flesh,  or  obeyed  the  command  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  Besides, 
as  he  enjoyed  the  supreme  authority,  why  did  he  not  leave  to 
his  own  sons,  at  least,  the  office  of  the  high-priesthood,  but 
place  them  in  the  lowest  station  ? I only  hint  at  a few  things 
out  of  many.  But  in  the  law  itself  many  arguments  will 
every  where  occur,  which  challenge  a full  belief,  that,  without 
controversy,  the  legation  of  Moses  was  truly  divine. 

V.  Moreover,  the  miracles  which  he  relates,  and  which  are 
so  numerous  and  remarkable,  are  so  many  confirmations  of  the 
law  which  he  delivered,  and  of  the  doctrine  which  he  pub- 
lished. For  that  he  was  carried  up  into  the  mountain  in  a 
cloud  ; that  he  continued  there  forty  days,  deprived  of  all  hu 
man  intercourse ; that,  in  the  act  of  proclaiming  the  law,  his 
face  shone  as  with  the  rays  of  the  sun  ; that  lightnings  flashed 
all  around ; that  thunders  and  various  noises  were  heard 
through  the  whole  atmosphere  ; that  a trumpet  sounded,  but 
a trumpet  not  blown  by  human  breath ; that  the  entrance  of 
the  tabernacle  was  concealed  from  the  view  of  the  people  by 
an  intervening  cloud ; that  his  authority  was  so  miraculously 
vindicated  by  the  horrible  destruction  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and 
Abiram,  and  all  their  impious  faction  ; that  a rock  smitten 
with  a rod  immediately  emitted  a river ; that  manna  rained 
from  heaven  at  his  request ; (a)  — are  not  all  these  so  many  tes- 
timonies from  heaven  of  his  being  a true  prophet  ? If  any  one 
object  that  I assume,  as  granted,  things  which  are  the  subjects 
of  controversy,  this  cavil  is  easily  answered.  For,  as  Moses 
published  all  these  things  in  an  assembly  of  the  people,  what 
room  was  there  for  fiction  among  those  who  had  been  eye- 

(?/)  Gen.  xlix.  5.  (2)  Num.  xii.  1. 

(a)  Exod.  xxiv.  18;  xxxiv.  29;  xix.  16;  xl.34.  Num.  xvi.  24,  &c.;  xx.  ll;xi.  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


85 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

witnesses  of  the  events  ? Is  it  probable  that  he  would  make 
his  appearance  in  public,  and,  accusing  the  people  of  infidelity, 
contumacy,  ingratitude,  and  other  crimes,  boast  that  his  doc- 
trine had  been  confirmed  in  their  sight  by  miracles  which  they 
had  never  seen  ? 

VI.  For  this  also  is  worthy  of  being  remarked,  that  all  his 
accounts  of  miracles  are  connected  with  such  unpleasant  cir- 
cumstances, as  were  calculated  to  stimulate  all  the  people,  if 
there  had  been  but  the  smallest  occasion,  to  a public  and  pos- 
itive contradiction  ; whence  it  appears,  that  they  were  induced 
to  coincide  with  him  only  by  the  ample  conviction  of  their 
own  experience.  But  since  the  matter  was  too  evident  for 
profane  writers  to  take  the  liberty  of  denying  the  performance 
of  miracles  by  Moses,  the  father  of*  lies  has  suggested  the 
calumny  of  ascribing  them  to  magical  arts.  But  by  what 
kind  of  conjecture  can  they  pretend  to  charge  him  with  having 
been  a magician,  who  had  so  great  an  abhorrence  of  that  su- 
perstition, as  to  command,  that  he  who  merely  consulted 
magicians  and  soothsayers  should  be  stoned?  (6)  Certainly 
no  impostor  practises  such  juggling  tricks,  who  does  not  make 
it  his  study,  for  the  sake  of  acquiring  fame,  to  astonish  the 
minds  of  the  vulgar.  But  what  is  the  practice  of  Moses  ? 
Openly  avowing  that  himself  and  his  brother  Aaron  are  noth- 
ing, (c)  but  that  they  only  execute  the  commands  of  God,  he 
sufficiently  clears  his  character  from  every  unfavourable  as- 
persion. Now,  if  the  events  themselves  be  considered,  what 
incantation  could  cause  manna  to  rain  daily  from  heaven  suf- 
ficient to  support  the  people,  and,  if  any  one  laid  up  more 
than  the  proper  quantity,  cause  it  to  putrefy,  as  a punishment 
from  God  for  his  unbelief?  Add  also  the  many  serious  ex- 
aminations which  God  permitted  his  servant  to  undergo,  so 
that  the  clamour  of  the  wicked  can  now  be  of  no  avail.  For 
as  often  as  this  holy  servant  of  God  was  in  danger  of  being 
destroyed,  at  one  time  by  proud  and  petulant  insurrections  of 
all  the  people,  at  another  by  the  secret  conspiracies  of  a few, 
— how  was  it  possible  for  him  to  elude  their  inveterate  rage  by 
any  arts  of  deception  ? And  the  event  evidently  proves,  that 
by  these  circumstances  his  doctrine  was  confirmed  to  all  suc- 
ceeding ages. 

VII.  Moreover,  who  can  deny  that  his  assigning,  in  the 
person  of  the  patriarch  Jacob,  the  supreme  power  to  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  proceeded  from  a spirit  of  prophecy,  {d)  especially 
if  we  consider  the  eventual  accomplishment  of  this  prediction  ? 
Suppose  Moses  to  have  been  the  first  author  of  it ; yet  after 
he  committed  it  to  writing,  there  elapsed  four  hundred  years 


(b)  Lev.  XX.  6. 


(c)  Exod.  xvi.  7. 


{d)  Gen.  xlix.  10. 


86 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book 


111  which  we  have  no  mention  of  the  sceptre  in  the  tribe  of 
Judah.  After  the  inauguration  of  Saul,  the  regal  powei 
seemed  to  he  fixed  in  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  When  Samuel 
anointed  David,  what  reason  appeared  for  transferring  it  : 
Who  would  have  expected  a king  to  arise  out  of  the  plebeian 
family  of  a herdsman  ? And  of  seven  brothers,  who  would 
have  conjectured  that  such  an  honour  was  destined  for  the 
youngest  ? And  by  what  means  did  he  attain  a hope  of  the 
kingdom?  Who  can  assert  that  this  unction  was  directed  by 
human  art,  or  industry,  or  prudence,  and  was  not  rather  a 
completion  of  the  prediction  of  heaven  ? And  in  like  manner 
do  not  his  predictions,  although  obscure,  concerning  the  ad- 
mission of  the  Gentiles  into  the  covenant  of  God,  which  were 
accomplished  almost  two  thousand  years  after,  clearly  prove 
him  to  have  spoken  under  a divine  inspiration  ? I omit  other 
predictions,  which  so  strongly  savour  of  a divine  inspiration, 
that  all  who  have  the  use  of  their  reason  must  perceive  that  it 
is  God  who  speaks.  In  short,  one  song  of  his  is  a clear  mirror 
in  which  God  evidently  appears,  (e) 

VIII.  But  in  the  other  prophets  this  is  yet  far  more  con- 
spicuous. I shall  only  select  a few  examples  ; for  to  collect 
all  would  be  too  laborious.  When,  in  the  time  of  Isaiah,  the 
kingdom  of  Judah  was  in  peace,  and  even  when  they  thought 
themselves  safe  in  the  alliance  of  the  Chaldeans,  Isaiah  pub- 
licly spake  of  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  the  banishment 
of  the  people.  (/)  Now,  even  if  to  predict  long  before  things 
which  then  seemed  false,  but  have  since  appeared  to  be  true, 
were  not  a sufficiently  clear  proof  of  a divine  inspiration,  to 
whom  but  God  shall  we  ascribe  the  prophecies  which  he  ut- 
tered concerning  their  deliverance  ? He  mentions  the  name 
of  Cyrus,  by  whom  the  Chaldeans  were  to  be  subdued,  and 
the  people  restored  to  liberty,  [g)  More  than  a century 
elapsed  after  this  prophecy  before  the  birth  of  Cyrus  ; for 
he  was  not  born  till  about  the  hundredth  year  after  the  proph- 
et’s death.  No  man  could  then  divine,  that  there  would  be 
one  Cyrus,  who  would  engage  in  a war  with  the  Babylonians, 
who  would  subjugate  such  a powerful  monarchy,  and  release 
the  people  of  Israel  from  exile.  Does  not  this  bare  narration, 
without  any  ornaments  of  diction,  plainly  demonstrate  that 
Isaiah  delivered  the  undoubted  oracles  of  God,  and  not  the 
conjectures  of  men  ? Again,  when  Jeremiah,  just  before  the 
people  were  carried  away,  limited  the  duration  of  their  cap- 
tivity to  seventy  years,  and  predicted  their  liberation  and 
return,  must  not  his  tongue  have  been  under  the  direction  of 
the  Spirit  of  God?  (h)  What  impudence  must  it  be  to  deny 


(c)  Deut.  xxxii. 

(/)  Isaiah  xxxix.  6. 


(ff)  Isaiah  xlv.  1. 

(/i)  Jer.  XXV.  11,  12. 


CHAP.  VIII. j CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  87 

that  the  authority  of  the  prophets  has  been  confirmed  by  such 
proofs,  or  that  what  they  themselves  assert,  in  order  to  vin- 
dicate the  credit  due  to  their  declarations,  has  been  actually 
fulfilled!  “Behold,  the  former  things  are  come  to  pass,  and 
new  things  do  I declare  : before  they  spring  forth,  I tell  you 
of  them.”  {i)  I shall  not  speak  of  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel,  who, 
living  in  distant  countries,  but  prophesying  at  the  same  time, 
so  exactly  accord  in  their  declarations,  as  though  they  had 
mutually  dictated  the  words  to  each  other.  What  shall  we 
say  of  Daniel  ? Has  not  he  prophesied  of  the  events  of  nearly 
six  hundred  years  in  such  a connected  series,  as  if  he  were 
composing  a history  of  transactions  already  past  and  universally 
known  ? If  pious  men  properly  consider  these  things,  they 
will  be  sufficiently  prepared  to  curb  the  petulance  of  the 
wicked  ; for  the  demonstration  is  too  clear  to  be  liable  to  any 
'cavils. 

IX.  I know  what  is  objected  by  some  clamorous  men,  who 
would  ostentatiously  display  the  force  of  their  understanding  in 
opposing  divine  truth.  For  they  inquire.  Who  has  assured  us 
that  Moses  and  the  prophets  actually  wrote  those  books  which 
bear  their  names  ? They  even  dare  to  question  whether  such  a 
man  as  Moses  ever  existed.  But  if  any  man  should  call  in 
question  the  existence  of  Plato,  or  Aristotle,  or  Cicero,  who 
would  deny  that  such  madness  ought  to  receive  corporal  pun- 
ishment ? The  law  of  Moses  has  been  wonderfully  preserved, 
rather  by  the  providence  of  heaven  than  by  the  endeavours  of 
men.  And  though,  through  the  negligence  of  the  priests,  it  lay 
for  a short  time  concealed,  since  it  was  found  by  the  pious  king 
Josiah,  it  has  continued  in  the  hands  of  men  through  every 
succeeding  age.  {k)  Nor,  indeed,  did  Josiah  produce  it  as  a 
thing  unknown  or  new,  but  as  what  had  always  been  public, 
and  the  memory  of  which  was  then  famous.  The  protograph 
had  been  appointed  to  be  kept  in  the  temple,  and  a transcript  of 
it  to  be  deposited  in  the  royal  archives ; (/)  only  the  priests  had 
discontinued  their  ancient  custom  of  publishing  the  law,  and 
the  people  themselves  had  neglected  their  wonted  reading  of  it : 
yet  there  scarcely  passed  an  age  in  which  its  sanction  was  not 
confirmed  and  renewed.  Were  they,  who  had  the  writings  of 
David,  ignorant  of  Moses?  But,  to  speak  of  all  at  once,  it  is 
certain,  that  their  writings  descended  to  posterity  only  from 
hand  to  hand,  (so  to  speak,)  through  a long  series  of  years  trans- 
mitted from  the  fathers,  who  partly  had  heard  them  speak,  and 
partly  learned  from  others  who  heard  them,  while  it  was  fresh 
in  their  memory,  that  they  had  thus  spoken. 

X.  With  regard  to  what  they  object  from  the  history  of  the 

(i)  Isaiah  xlii.  9.  {k)  2 Kings  xxii.  8.  (1)  Deut.  xvii.  18, 


88  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

Maccabees,  to  diminish  the  credit  of  the  Scripture,  nothing 
could  be  conceived  more  adapted  to  establish  it.  But  first  let  us 
divest  it  of  their  artificial  colouring,  and  then  retort  upon  them 
the  weapon  which  they  direct  against  us.  When  Antiochus, 
say  they,  commanded  all  the  books  to  be  burned,  whence  pro- 
ceeded the  copies  which  we  now  have  ? I,  on  the  contrary, 
inquire,  where  they  could  so  speedily  be  fabricated.  For 
it  is  evident,  that,  as  soon  as  the  persecution  subsided, 
they  immediately  appeared,  and  v/ere,  without  controversy, 
acknowledged  as  the  same  by  all  pious  men ; who,  having 
been  educated  in  their  doctrine,  had  been  familiarly  ac- 
quainted with  them.  Nay,  even  when  all  the  impious,  as 
if  by  a general  conspiracy,  so  wantonly  insulted  the  Jews, 
no  man  ever  dared  to  charge  them  with  forging  their  books. 
F or,  whatever  be  their  opinion  of  the  Jewish  religion,  yet  they 
confess  that  Moses  was  the  author  of  it.  What,  then,  do 
these  clamorous  objectors,  but  betray  their  own  consummate 
impudence,  when  they  slander,  as  supposititious,  books  whose 
sacred  antiquity  is  confirmed  by  the  consent  of  all  histories? 
But,  to  waste  no  more  useless  labour  in  refuting  such  stale  cal- 
umnies, let  us  rather  consider  how  carefully  the  Lord  preserved 
his  own  word,  when,  beyond  all  hope,  he  rescued  it  from  the 
fury  of  the  most  cruel  of  tyrants,  as  from  a devouring  fire  ; — 
that  he  endued  the  pious  priests  and  others  with  so  much  con- 
stancy, that  they  hesitated  not  to  redeem  this  treasure,  if  ne- 
cessary, with  their  lives,  to  transmit  it  to  posterity ; and  that  he 
frustrated  the  most  diligent  inquisition  of  so  many  governors 
and  soldiers.  Who  is  there  but  must  acknowledge  it  to  have 
been  an  eminent  and  wonderffil  work  of  God,  that  those  sacred 
monuments,  which  the  impious  had  flattered  themselves  were 
utterly  destroyed,  were  soon  public  again,  as  it  were,  fully  re- 
stored to  mankind,  and,  indeed,  with  far  greater  honour  ? For 
soon  after  followed  the  Greek  Translation,  which  published 
them  throughout  the  world.  Nor  was  God’s  preserving  the 
tables  of  his  covenant  from  the  sanguinary  edicts  of  Antiochus, 
the  only  instance  of  his  wonderful  operation,  but  that,  amidst 
such  various  miseries,  with  which  the  Jewish  nation  was  dh 
minished  and  laid  waste,  and  at  last  nearly  exterminated,  these 
records  still  remained  entire.  The  Hebrew  language  lay  not 
only  despised,  but  almost  unknown ; and  surely,  had  not  God 
consulted  the  interest  of  religion,  it  had  been  totally  lost.  For 
how  much  the  Jews,  after  their  return  from  captivity,  departed 
from  the  genuine  use  of  their  native  language,  appears  from  the 
prophets  of  that  age  ; which  it  is  therefore  useful  to  observe, 
because  this  comparison  more  clearly  evinces  the  antiquity  of 
the  law  and  the  prophets.  And  by  whom  hath  God  preserved 
lo  us  the  doctrine  of  salvation  contained  in  the  law  and  the 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  89 

prophets,  that  Christ  might  be  manifested  in  due  time  ? By  his 
most  inveterate  enemies,  the  Jews ; whom  Augustine  therefore 
justly  denominates  the  librarians  of  the  Christian  Church,  be- 
cause they  have  furnished  us  with  a book  of  which  themselves 
make  no  use. 

XL  If  we  proceed  to  the  New  Testament,  by  what  solid 
foundations  is  its  truth  supported  ? Three  Evangelists  recite 
their  history  in  a low  and  mean  style.  Many  proud  men  are 
disgusted  with  that  simplicity,  because  they  attend  not  to  the 
principal  points  of  doctrine  ; whence  it  were  easy  to  infer,  that 
they  treat  of  heavenly  mysteries  which  are  above  human  ca- 
pacity. They  who  have  a spark  of  ingenuous  modesty  will 
certainly  be  ashamed,  if  they  peruse  the  first  chapter  of  Luke. 
Now,  the  discourses  of  Christ,  a concise  summary  of  which  is 
comprised  in  these  three  Evangelists,  easily  exempt  their  wri- 
tings from  contempt.  But  John,  thundering  from  his  sublimity, 
more  powerfully  than  any  thunderbolt,  levels  to  the  dust  the 
obstinacy  of  those  whom  he  does  not  compel  to  the  obedience 
of  faith.  Let  all  those  censorious  critics  whose  supreme  plea- 
sure consists  in  banishing  all  reverence  for  the  Scripture  out 
of  their  own  hearts  and  the  hearts  of  others,  come  forth  to  pub- 
lic view.  Let  them  read  the  Gospel  of  John : whether  they 
wish  it  or  not,  they  will  there  find  numerous  passages,  which, 
at  least,  arouse  their  indolence  ; and  which  will  even  imprint 
a horrible  brand  on  their  consciences  to  restrain  their  ridicule. 
Similar  is  the  method  of  Paul  and  of  Peter,  in  whose  writings, 
though  the  greater  part  be  blind,  yet  their  heavenly  majesty 
attracts  universal  attention.  But  this  one  circumstance  raises 
their  doctrine  sufficiently  above  the  world,  that  Matthew,  who 
had  before  been  confined  to  the  profit  of  his  table,  and  Peter 
and  John,  who  had  been  employed  in  fishing-boats,  — all  plain, 
unlettered  men,  — had  learned  nothing  in  any  human  school 
which  they  could  communicate  to  others.  And  Paul,  from  not 
only  a professed,  but  a cruel  and  sanguinary  enemy,  being 
converted  to  a new  man,  proves,  by  his  sudden  and  unhoped  for 
change,  that  he  was  constrained,  by  a command  from  heaven, 
to  vindicate  that  doctrine  which  he  had  before  opposed.  Let 
these  men  deny  that  the  Holy  Spirit  descended  on  the  Apos- 
tles ; or,  at  least,  let  them  dispute  the  credibility  of  the  history ; 
yet  the  fact  itself  loudly  proclaims,  that  they  were  taught  by 
the  Spirit,  who,  though  before  despised  as  some  of  the  meanest 
of  the  people,  suddenly  began  to  discourse  in  such  a magnifi- 
cent manner  oh  the  mysteries  of  heaven. 

XII.  Besides,  there  are  also  other  very  substantial  reasons 
why  the  consent  of  the  Church  should  have  its  weight.  For 
it  is  not  an  unimportant  consideration,  that,  since  the  publication 
of  the  Scripture,  so  many  generations  of  men  should  have 
VOL.  I.  12 


90  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

agreed  in  voluntarily  obeying  it;  and  that  however  Satan,  to- 
gether with  the  whole  world,  has  endeavoured  by  strange 
methods  to  suppress  or  destroy  it,  or  utterly  to  erase  and  oblit- 
erate it  from  the  memory  of  man,  yet  it  has  always,  like  a palm- 
tree,  risen  superior  to  all  opposition,  and  remained  invincible. 
Indeed,  there  has  scarcely  ever  been  a sophist  or  orator  of  more 
than  common  abilities,  who  has  not  tried  his  strength  in  opposing 
it ; yet  they  have  all  availed  nothing.  All  the  powers  of  the 
earth  have  armed  themselves  for  its  destruction ; but  their  at- 
tempts have  all  evaporated  into  smoke.  How  could  it  have  so 
firmly  resisted  attacks  on  every  quarter,  if  it  had  been  supported 
only  by  human  power  ? Indeed,  an  additional  proof  of  its  Di- 
vine origin  arises  from  this  very  circumstance,  that,  notwith- 
standing all  the  strenuous  resistance  of  men,  it  has,  by  its  own 
power,  risen  superior  to  every  danger.  Moreover,  not  one  city, 
or  one  nation,  only,  has  conspired  to  receive  and  embrace  it ; 
but,  as  far  as  the  world  extends,  it  has  obtained  its  authority 
by  the  holy  consent  of  various  nations,  who  agreed  in  nothing 
besides.  And  as  such  an  agreement  of  minds,  so  widely  dis- 
tant in  place,  and  so  completely  dissimilar  in  manners  and 
opinions,  ought  to  have  great  influence  with  us,  since  it  is  plain 
that  it  was  effected  only  by  the  power  of  heaven,  so  it  acquires 
no  small  weight  from  a consideration  of  the  piety  of  those 
who  unite  in  this  agreement ; not  indeed  of  all,  but  of  those, 
who,  it  hath  pleased  the  Lord,  should  shine  as  luminaries  in 
his  Church. 

XIII.  Now,  with  what  unlimited  confidence  should  we  sub- 
mit to  that  doctrine,  which  we  see  confirmed  and  witnessed  by 
the  blood  of  so  many  saints ! Having  once  received  it,  they 
hesitated  not,  with  intrepid  boldness,  and  even  with  great 
alacrity,  to  die  in  its  defence  : transmitted  to  us  with  such  a 
pledge,  how  should  we  not  receive  it  with  a firm  and  unshaken 
conviction  ? Is  it  therefore  no  small  confirmation  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, that  it  has  been  sealed  with  the  blood  of  so  many  martyrs  ? 
especially  when  we  consider  that  they  died  to  bear  testimony  to 
their  faith,  not  through  intemperate  fanaticism,  as  is  sometimes 
the  case  with  men  of  erroneous  minds,  but  through  a firm  and 
constant,  yet  sober  zeal  for  God.  There  are  other  reasons,  and 
those  neither  few  nor  weak,  by  which  the  native  dignity  and 
authority  of  the  Scripture  are  not  only  maintained  in  the  minds 
of  the  pious,  but  also  completely  vindicated  against  the  subtleties 
of  calumniators  ; but  such  as  alone  are  not  sufficient  to  produce 
firm  faith  in  it,  till  the  heavenly  Father,  discovering  his  own 
power  therein,  places  its  authority  beyond  all  controversy. 
Wherefore  the  Scripture  will  then  only  be  effectual  to  produce 
the  saving  knowledge  of  God,  when  the  certainty  of  it  sliall  be 
founded  on  the  internal  persuasion  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Tlius 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


91 


CHAP.  IX.] 

I 

those  human  testimonies,  which  contribute  to  its  confirmation, 
will  not  be  useless,  if  they  follow  that  first  and  principal  proof, 
as  secondary  aids  to  our  imbecility.  But  those  persons  betray 
great  folly,  who  wish  it  to  be  demonstrated  to  infidels  that  the 
Scriptm’e  is  the  word  of  God,  which  cannot  be  known  without 
faith.  Augustine  therefore  justly  observes,  (m)  that  piety  and 
peace  of  mind  ought  to  precede,  in  order  that  a man  may  un- 
derstand somewhat  of  such  great  subjects. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  FANATICISM  WHICH  DISCARDS  THE  SCRIPTURE,  UNDER  THE 

PRETENCE  OF  RESORTING  TO  IMMEDIATE  REVELATIONS,  SUBVER- 
SIVE OF  EVERY  PRINCIPLE  OF  PIETY. 

Persons  who,  abandoning  the  Scripture,  imagine  to  them- 
selves some  other  way  of  approaching  to  God,  must  be  con- 
sidered as  not  so  much  misled  by  error  as  actuated  by  fren- 
zy. For  there  have  lately  arisen  some  unsteady  men,  who, 
haughtily  pretending  to  be  taught  by  the  Spirit,  reject  all 
reading  themselves,  and  deride  the  simplicity  of  those  who 
still  attend  to  (what  they  style)  the  dead  and  killing  letter. 
But  I would  ask  them,  what  spirit  that  is,  by  whose  inspiration 
they  are  elevated  to  such  a sublimity,  as  to  dare  to  despise  the 
doctrine  of  the  Scripture,  as  puerile  and  mean.  For,  if  they 
answer  that  it  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  how  ridiculous  is  such 
an  assurance  ! for  that  the  apostles  of  Christ,  and  other  be- 
lievers in  the  primitive  Church,  were  illuminated  by  no  other 
Spirit,  I think  they  will  concede.  But  not  one  of  them  learned, 
from  his  teaching,  to  contemn  the  Divine  word  ; they  were 
rather  filled  with  higher  reverence  for  it,  as  their  writings 
abundantly  testify.  This  had  been  predicted  by  the  mouth 
of  Isaiah.  For  where  he  says,  My  Spirit  that  is  upon  thee, 
and  my  words  which  I have  put  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  de- 
part out  of  thy  mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed,  for 
ever,”  {n)  he  does  not  confine  people  under  the  old  dispen- 
sation to  the  external  letter,  as  though  they  were  children 
learning  to  read,  but  declares,  that  it  will  be  the  true  and 
complete  felicity  of  the  new  Church,  under  the  reign  of  Christ, 
to  be  governed  by  the  word  of  God,  as  well  as  by  his  Spirit. 


(m)  Lib.  de  Util.  Credend. 


(n)  Isaiah  lix.  21. 


92 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 


Whence  we  infer,  that  these  persons  are  guilty  of  detestable 
sacrilege,  in  disjoining  these  two  things,  which  the  prophet 
nas  connected  in  an  inviolable  union.  Again  ; Paul,  after  he 
had.  been  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,  did  not  cease  to 
study  the  doctrine  of  the  law  and  the  prophets ; as  he  also 
exhorted  Timothy,  a teacher  of  more  than  common  excellence, 
to  “give  attendance  to  reading.”  (o)  And  worthy  of  remem- 
brance is  his  eulogium  on  the  Scripture,  that  it  “is  profitable 
for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in  right- 
eousness; that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect.”  ( jt?)  How 
diabolical,  then,  is  that  madness  which  pretends  that  the  use 
of  the  Scripture  is  only  transient  and  temporary,  which  guides 
the  sons  of  God  to  the  highest  point  of  perfection ! I would 
also  ask  them  another  question  — whether  they  have  imbibed 
a different  spirit  from  that  which  the  Lord  promised  to  his 
disciples  ? Great  as  their  infatuation  is,  I do  not  think  them 
fanatical  enough  to  hazard  such  an  avowal.  But  what  kind 
of  Spirit  did  he  promise  ? One,  truly,  who  should  “ not 
speak  of  himself,”  {q)  but  suggest  and  instil  into  their  minds 
those  things  which  he  had  orally  delivered.  The  office  of 
the  Spirit,  then,  which  is  promised  to  us,  is  not  to  feign  new 
and  unheard  of  revelations,  or  to  coin  a new  system  of  doctrine, 
which  would  seduce  us  from  the  received  doctrine  of  the  Gos- 
pel, but  to  seal  to  our  minds  the  same  doctrine  which  the 
Gospel  delivers. 

II.  Hence  we  readily  understand  that  it  is  incumbent  on  us 
diligently  to  read  and  attend  to  the  Scripture,  if  we  would  re- 
ceive any  advantage  or  satisfaction  from  the  Spirit  of  God ; 
(thus  also  Peter  (r)  commends  those  who  studiously  attended 
to  the  doctrine  of  the  prophets,  which  yet  might  be  supposed 
to  have  retired  after  the  light  of  the  Gospel  was  risen  ;)  but, 
on  the  contrary,  that  if  any  spirit,  neglecting  the  wisdom  of 
the  word  of  God,  obtrude  on  us  another  doctrine,  he  ought 
justly  to  be  suspected  of  vanity  and  falsehood.  For,  as  Satan 
transforms  himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  what  authority  will 
the  Spirit  have  with  us,  unless  we  can  distinguish  him  by  the 
most  certain  criterion  ? We  find  him  clearly  designated,  in- 
deed, in  the  word  of  the  Lord ; but  these  unhappy  men  are 
fondly  bent  on  delusion,  even  to  their  own  destruction,  seeking 
a spirit  rather  from  themselves  than  from  him.  But  they 
plead,  that  it  is  unworthy  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  whom  all 
things  ought  to  be  subject,  to  be  made  subject  to  the  Scripture  ; 
as  though  it  were  ignominious  to  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  every 
where  equal  and  uniform,  in  all  things  invariably  consistent 
with  himself.  If  he  were  to  be  conformed  to  the  rules  of 


ip)  1 Tim.  iv.  13. 

(/>)  2 Tim.  iii.  IG,  17. 


{q)  John  xvi.  13. 
(/•)  2 Pet.  i.  19. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


93 


CHAP.  IX.] 

men,  or  of  angels,  or  of  any  other  beings,  I grant  he  might 
then  be  considered  as  degraded,  or  even  reduced  to  a state  of 
servitude  ; but  while  he  is  compared  with  himself,  and  con- 
sidered in  himself,  who  will  assert  that  he  is  thereby  injured  ? 
This  is  bringing  him  to  the  test  of  examination.  I confess  it 
is.  But  it  is  the  way  which  he  has  chosen  for  the  confirma- 
tion of  his  majesty  among  us.  We  ought  to  be  satisfied,  as 
soon  as  he  communicates  himself  to  us.  But,  lest  the  spirit  of 
Satan  should  insinuate  himself  under  his  name,  he  chooses  to 
be  recognized  by  us  from  his  image,  which  he  hath  impressed 
in  the  Scriptures.  He  is  the  author  of  the  Scriptures : he 
cannot  be  mutable  and  inconsistent  with  himself.  He  must 
therefore  perpetually  remain  such  as  he  has  there  discovered 
himself  to  be.  This  is  not  disgraceful  to  him ; unless  we 
esteem  it  honourable  for  him  to  alter  and  degenerate  from 
himself. 

HI.  But  their  cavilling  objection,  that  we  depend  on  “ the 
letter  that  killeth,”  shows,  that  they  have  not  escaped  the  pun- 
ishment due  to  the  despisers  of  the  Scripture.  For  it  is  suf- 
ficiently evident,  that  Paul  is  there  contending  against  the 
false  apostles,  (s)  who,  recommending  the  law  to  the  exclusion 
of  Christ,  were  seducing  the  people  from  the  blessings  of  the 
New  Covenant,  in  which  the  Lord  engages  to  engrave  his  law 
in  the  minds  of  believers,  and  to  inscribe  it  on  their  hearts. 
The  letter  therefore  is  dead,  and  the  law  of  the  Lord  slays  the 
readers  of  it,  where  it  is  separated  from  the  grace  of  Christ, 
and  only  sounds  in  the  ears,  without  affecting  the  heart.  But 
if  it  be  efficaciously  impressed  on  our  hearts  by  the  Spirit,  — if 
it  exhibit  Christ,  — it  is  the  word  of  life,  “ converting  the  soul, 
making  wise  the  simple,”  &c.  (t)  But  in  the  same  place  the 
Apostle  also  calls  his  preaching  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit ; ” (v)  doubtless  intending,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  so  ad- 
heres to  his  own  truth,  which  he  hath  expressed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, that  he  only  displays  and  exerts  his  power  where  the 
word  is  received  with  due  reverence  and  honour.  Nor  is  this 
repugnant  to  what  I before  asserted,  that  the  word  itself  has 
not  much  certainty  with  us,  unless  when  confirmed  by  the 
testimony  of  the  Spirit.  For  the  Lord  hath  established  a kind 
of  mutual  connection  between  the  certainty  of  his  word  and 
of  his  Spirit ; so  that  our  minds  are  filled  with  a solid  rever- 
ence for  the  word,  when  by  the  light  of  the  Spirit  we  are 
enabled  therein  to  behold  the  Divine  countenance  ; and,  on 
the  other  hand,  without  the  least  fear  of  mistake,  we  gladly 
receive  the  Spirit,  when  we  recognize  him  in  his  image,  that 
is,  in  the  word.  This  is  the  true  state  of  the  case.  God  did 


(s)  2 Cor.  iii.  6. 


(t)  Psalm  xix.  7. 


(v)  2 Cor.  iii.  8. 


94  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  L 

not  publish  his  word  to  mankind  for  the  sake  of  momentary 
ostentation,  with  a design  to  destroy  or  annul  it  immediately 
on  the  advent  of  the  Spirit ; but  he  afterwards  sent  the  same 
Spirit,  by  whose  agency  he  had  dispensed  his  word,  to  com- 
plete his  work  by  an  efficacious  confirmation  of  that  word. 
In  this  manner  Christ  opened  the  understanding  of  his  two 
disciples ; {w)  not  that,  rejecting  the  Scriptures,  they  might  be 
wise  enough  of  themselves,  but  that  they  might  understand 
the  Scriptures.  So  when  Paul  exhorts  the  Thessalonians  to 
quench  not  the  Spirit,”  {x)  he  does  not  lead  them  to  empty 
speculations  independent  of  the  word  ; for  he  immediately 
adds,  ‘‘despise  not  prophesyings ; ” clearly  intimating,  that  the 
light  of  the  Spirit  is  extinguished  when  prophecies  fall  into 
contempt.  What  answer  can  be  given  to  these  things,  by 
those  proud  fanatics,  who  think  themselves  possessed  of  the 
only  valuable  illumination,  when,  securely  neglecting  and  for- 
saking the  Divine  word,  they,  with  equal  confidence  and 
temerity,  greedily  embrace  every  reverie  which  their  distem- 
pered imaginations  may  have  conceived?  A very  different 
sobriety  becomes  the  children  of  God ; who,  while  they  are 
sensible  that,  exclusively  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  utterly 
destitute  of  the  light  of  truth,  yet  are  not  ignorant  that  the 
word  is  the  instrument,  by  which  the  Lord  dispenses  to  be- 
lievers the  illumination  of  his  Spirit.  For  they  know  no  other 
Spirit  than  that  who  dwelt  in  and  spake  by  the  apostles  ; by 
whose  oracles  they  are  continually  called  to  the  hearing  of 
the  word. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ALL  IDOLATROUS  WORSHIP  DISCOUNTENANCED  IN  THE  SCRIPTURE, 
BY  ITS  EXCLUSIVE  OPPOSITION  OF  THE  TRUE  GOD  TO  ALL  THE 
FICTITIOUS  DEITIES  OF  THE  HEATHEN. 

But,  since  we  have  shown  that  the  knowledge  of  God,  which 
is  otherwise  exhibited  without  obscurity  in  the  structure  of  the 
world,  and  in  all  the  creatures,  is  yet  more  familiarly  and 
clearly  unfolded  in  the  word,  it^  will  be  useful  to  examine, 
whether  the  representation,  which  the  Lord  gives  us  of  him- 
self in  the  Scripture,  agrees  with  the  portraiture  which  he  had 
before  been  pleased  to  delineate  in  his  Avorks.  This  is  indeed 
an  extensive  subject,  if  Ave  intended  to  dAvell  on  a particular 


(w)  Luke  xxiv.  27,  &c. 


(x)  1 Thess.  V.  19. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


95 


CHAP.  X.] 


discussion  of  it.  But  I shall  content  myself  with  suggesting 
some  hints,  by  which  the  minds  of  the  pious  may  learn  what 
ought  to  be  their  principal  objects  of  investigation  in  Scripture 
concerning  God,  and  may  be  directed  to  a certain  end  in  that 
inquiry.  I do  not  yet  allude  to  the  peculiar  covenant  which 
distinguished  the  descendants  of  Abraham  from  the  rest  of  the 
nations.  For  in  receiving,  by  gratuitous  adoption,  those  who 
were  his  enemies  into  the  number  of  his  children,  God  even 
then  manifested  himself  as  a Redeemer  ; but  we  are  still  treat- 
ing of  that  knowledge  which  relates  to  the  creation  of  the 
world,  without  ascending  to  Christ  the  Mediator.  But  though 
it  will  be  useful  soon  to  cite  some  passages  from  the  New 
Testament,  (since  that  also  demonstrates  the  power  of  God  in 
the  creation,  and  his  providence  in  the  conservation  of  the 
world,)  yet  I wish  the  reader  to  be  apprized  of  the  point  now 
intended  to  be  discussed,  that  he  may  not  pass  the  limits  which 
the  subject  prescribes.  At  present,  then,  let  it  suffice  to  under- 
stand how  God,  the  former  of  heaven  and  earth,  governs  the 
world  which  he  hath  made.  Both  his  paternal  goodness,  and 
the  beneficent  inclinations  of  his  will,  are  every  Avhere  cel- 
ebrated ; and  examples  are  given  of  his  severity,  which  dis- 
cover him  to  be  the  righteous  punisher  of  iniquities,  especially 
where  his  forbearance  produces  no  salutary  effects  upon  the 
obstinate. 

11.  In  some  places,  indeed,  we  are  favoured  with  more  ex- 
plicit descriptions,  which  exhibit  to  our  view  an  exact  repre- 
sentation of  his  genuine  countenance.  For  Moses,  in  the 
description  which  he  gives  of  it,  certainly  appears  to  have  in- 
tended a brief  comprehension  of  all  that  it  was  possible  for 
men  to  know  concerning  him  — ‘‘The  Lord,  the  Lord  God, 
merciful  and  gracious,  long  suffering,  and  abundant  in  good- 
ness and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity, 
and  transgression,  and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear 
the  guilty  ; visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  chil- 
dren, and  upon  the  children’s  children.”  {y)  Where  we  may 
observe,  first,  the  assertion  of  his  eternity  and  self-existence, 
in  that  magnificent  name,  which  is  twice  repeated ; and  sec- 
ondly, the  celebration  of  his  attributes,  giving  us  a description, 
not  of  what  he  is  in  himself,  but  of  what  he  is  to  us,  that  our 
knowledge  of  him  may  consist  rather  in  a lively  perception, 
than  in  vain  and  airy  speculation.  Here  we  find  an  enumera- 
tion of  the  same  perfections  which,  as  we  have  remarked,  are 
illustriously  displayed  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth  — clemency, 
goodness,  mercy,  justice,  judgment,  and  truth.  For  power  is 
comprised  in  the  word  Elohim,  God.  The  prophets  distin- 


(y)  Exod.  xxxiv.  6. 


96  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1. 

guish  him  by  the  same  epithets,  when  they  intend  a complete 
exhibition  of  his  holy  name.  But,  to  avoid  the  necessity  of 
quoting  many  passages,  let  us  content  ourselves  at  present 
with  referring  to  one  Psalm ; (2;)  which  contains  such  an  ac- 
curate summary  of  all  his  perfections,  that  nothing  seems  to 
be  omitted.  And  yet  it  contains  nothing  but  what  may  be 
known  from  a contemplation  of  the  creatures.  Thus,  by  the 
teaching  of  experience,  we  perceive  God  to  be  just  what  he 
declares  himself  in  his  word.  In  Jeremiah,  where  he  an- 
nounces in  what  characters  he  will  be  known  by  us,  he  gives 
a description,  not  so  full,  but  to  the  same  effect  — “ Let  him 
that  glorieth  glory  in  this,  that  he  understandeth  and  knoweth 
me,  that  I am  the  Lord,  which  exercise  loving-kindness,  judg- 
ment, and  righteousness  in  the  earth.”  (a)  These  three  things 
it  is  certainly  of  the  highest  importance  for  us  to  know  — 
mercy,  in  which  alone  consists  all  our  salvation ; judgment, 
which  is  executed  on  the  wicked  every  day,  and  awaits  them 
in  a still  heavier  degree  to  eternal  destruction  ; righteousness, 
by  which  the  faithful  are  preserved,  and  most  graciously  sup- 
ported. When  you  understand  these  things,  the  prophecy  de- 
clares that  you  have  abundant  reason  for  glorying  in  God. 
Nor  is  this  representation  chargeable  with  an  omission  of  his 
truth,  or  his  power,  or  his  holiness,  or  his  goodness.  For  how 
could  we  have  that  knowledge,  which  is  here  required,  of  his 
righteousness,  mercy,  and  judgment,  unless  it  were  supported 
by  his  inflexible  veracity?  And  how  could  we  believe  that 
he  governed  the  world  in  judgment  and  justice,  if  we  were 
ignorant  of  his  power  ? And  whence  proceeds  his  mercy,  but 
from  his  goodness  ? If  all  his  ways,  then,  are  mercy,  judgment, 
and  righteousness,  holiness  also  must  be  conspicuously  dis- 
played in  them.  Moreover,  the  knowledge  of  God,  which  is 
afforded  us  in  the  Scriptures,  is  designed  for  the  same  end  as 
that  which  we  derive  from  the  creatures  : it  invites  us  first  to 
the  fear  of  God,  and  then  to  confidence  in  him ; that  we  may 
learn  to  honour  him  with  perfect  innocence  of  life,  and  sincere 
obedience  to  his  will,  and  to  place  all  our  dependence  on  his 
goodness. 

III.  But  here  I intend  to  comprise  a summary  of  the  gen- 
eral doctrine.  And,  first,  let  the  reader  observe,  that  the 
Scripture,  in  order  to  direct  us  to  the  true  God,  expressly  ex- 
cludes and  rejects  all  the  gods  of  the  heathen ; because,  in 
almost  all  ages,  religion  has  been  generally  corrupted.  It  is 
true,  indeed,  that  the  name  of  one  supreme  God  has  been 
universally  known  and  celebrated.  For  those  who  used  to 
worship  a multitude  of  deities,  whenever  they  spake  according 


(2)  Psalm  cxlv. 


(a)  Jer.  ix.  24. 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  97 

to  the  genuine  sense  of  nature,  used  simply  the  name  of  God, 
in  the  singular  number,  as  though  they  were  contented  with 
one  God.  And  this  was  wisely  remarked  by  Justin  Martyr, 
who  for  this  purpose  wrote  a book  On  the  Moiiarchy  of  God^ 
in  which  he  demonstrates,  from  numerous  testimonies,  that 
the  unity  of  God  was  a principle  universally  impressed  on  the 
hearts  of  men.  Tertullian  also  proves  the  same  point  from 
the  common  phraseology.  (6)  But  since  all  men,  without  ex- 
ception, have  by  their  own  vanity  been  drawn  into  erroneous 
notions,  and  so  their  understandings  have  become  vain,  all 
their  natural  perception  of  the  Divine  unity  has  only  served 
to  render  them  inexcusable.  For  even  the  wisest  of  them 
evidently  betray  the  vagrant  uncertainty  of  their  minds,  when 
they  wish  for  some  god  to  assist  them,  and  in  their  vows  call 
upon  unknown  and  fabulous  deities.  Besides,  in  imagining 
the  existence  of  many  natures  in  God,  though  they  did  not 
entertain  such  absurd  notions  as  the  ignorant  vulgar  concern- 
ing Jupiter,  Mercury,  Venus,  Minerva,  and  the  rest,  they  were 
themselves  by  no  means  exempt  from  the  delusions  of  Satan ; 
and,  as  we  have  already  remarked,  whatever  subterfuges  their 
ingenuity  has  invented,  none  of  the  philosophers  can  exculpate 
themselves  from  the  crime  of  revolting  from  God  by  the  cor- 
ruption of  his  truth.  For  this  reason  Habakkuk,  after  con- 
demning all  idols,  bids  us  to  seek  the  Lord  in  his  holy  tem- 
ple,” (c)  that  the  faithful  might  acknowledge  no  other  God 
than  Jehovah,  who  had  revealed  himself  in  his  word. 


CHAPTER  XL 

UNLAWFULNESS  OF  ASCRIBING  TO  GOD  A VISIBLE  FORM.  ALL 
IDOLATRY  A DEFECTION  FROM  THE  TRUE  GOD. 

Now,  as  the  Scripture,  in  consideration  of  the  ignorance  and 
dulness  of  the  human  understanding,  generally  speaks  in  the 
plainest  manner,  — where  it  intends  to  discriminate  between 
the  true  God  and  all  false  gods,  it  principally  contrasts  him 
with  idols ; not  that  it  may  sanction  the  more  ingenious  and 
plausible  systems  of  the  philosophers,  but  that  it  may  better 
detect  the  folly  and  even  madness  of  the  world  in  researches 
concerning  God,  as  long  as  every  one  adheres  to  his  own 
speculations.  That  exclusive  definition,  therefore,  which 

(h)  Lib.  de  Idolol.  Vid.  Aug.  Epist.  43  et  44.  (c)  Hab.  ii.  20. 

VOL.  I.  13 


98 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  . 

every  where  occurs,  reduces  to  nothing  whatever  notions  of 
the  Deity  men  may  form  in  their  own  imaginations  ; since 
God  alone  is  a sufficient  witness  concerning  himself.  In 
the  mean  time,  since  the  whole  world  has  been  seized  with 
such  brutal  stupidity,  as  to  be  desirous  of  visible  representa- 
tions of  the  Deity,  and  thus  to  fabricate  gods  of  wood,  stone, 
gold,  silver,  and  other  inanimate  and  corruptible  materials,  Ave 
ought  to  hold  this  as  a certain  principle,  that,  whenever  any 
image  is  made  as  a representation  of  God,  the  Divine  glory 
is  corrupted  by  an  impious  falsehood.  Therefore  God,  in  the 
law,  after  having  asserted  the  glory  of  Deity  to  belong  ex- 
clusively to  himself,  when  he  intends  to  show  what  worship 
he  approves  or  rejects,  immediately  adds,  ‘‘  Thou  shalt  not 
make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness.”  In  these 
words  he  forbids  us  to  attempt  a representation  of  him  in  any 
visible  figure ; and  briefly  enumerates  all  the  forms  by  which 
superstition  had  already  begun  to  change  his  truth  into  a lie. 
For  the  Persians,  we  know,  worshipped  the  sun ; and  the  fool- 
ish heathen  made  for  themselves  as  many  gods  as  they  saw 
stars  in  the  heavens.  There  was  scarcely  an  animal,  indeed, 
which  the  Egyptians  did  not  consider  as  an  image  of  God. 
The  Greeks  appeared  wiser  than  the  rest,  because  they  wor- 
shipped the  Deity  under  the  human  form,  {d)  But  God  com- 
pares not  idols  with  each  other,  as  though  one  were  better  or 
worse  than  another  ; but  rejects,  without  a single  exception, 
all  statues,  pictures,  and  other  figures,  in  which  idolaters 
imagined  that  he  would  be  near  them. 

II.  This  it  is  easy  to  infer  from  the  reasons  Avhich  he  an- 
nexes to  the  prohibition.  First,  in  the  Avritings  of  Moses : 

Take  ye  therefore  good  heed  unto  yourselves ; for  ye  saAV  no 
manner  of  similitude,  on  the  day  that  the  Lord  spake  unto  you 
in  Horeb,  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire : ye  heard  the  voice  of 
the  Avords,  but  saAV  no  similitude  ; lest  ye  corrupt  yourselves, 
and  make  you  a graven  image,  the  similitude  of  any  figure,” 
&c.  (e)  We  see  how  expressly  God  opposes  his  voice  ” to  eA^ery 
^‘manner  of  similitude,”  to  sIioav,  that  Avhoever  desires  visible 
representations  of  him,  is  guilty  of  departing  from  him.  It  Avill 
be  sufficient  to  refer  to  one  of  the  Prophets,  Isaiah,  (/)  Avho  in- 
sists more  than  all  the  others  on  this  argument,  that  the  DiAune 
Majesty  is  dishonoured  by  mean  and  absurd  fiction,  Avhen  he 
that  is  incorporeal  is  likened  to  a corporeal  form ; he  that  is 
invisible,  to  a visible  image ; he  that  is  a spirit,  to  inanima,te 
matter  ; and  he  that  fills  immensity,  to  a log  of  Avood,  a small 
stone,  or  a lump  of  gold.  Paul  also  reasons  in  the  same  man- 
ner : “ Forasmuch,  then,  as  Ave  are  the  olispring  of  God,  Ave 

{d)  Maximus  Tyrius,  Plat.  Serm.  38.  (c)  Deut.  iv.  15. 

(/)  Isaiah  xl.  18;  xli.  7,  29;  xlvi.  5,  &c. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


99 


CHAP.  XI.] 

ought  not  to  think  that  the  Godhead  is  like  unto  gold,  or  silver, 
or  stone,  graven  by  art  and  man’s  device.”  (^)  Whence  it  fol- 
lows, that  whatever  statues  are  erected,  or  images  painted,  to 
represent  God,  they  are  only  displeasing  to  him,  as  being  so 
many  insults  to  the  Divine  Majesty.  And  why  should  we  won- 
der at  the  Holy  Spirit  thundering  forth  such  oracles  from  heav- 
en, since  he  compels  the  blind  and  wretched  idolaters  to  make 
a similar  confession  on  earth?  Well  known  is  the  complaint  of 
Seneca,  which  is  cited  by  Augustine:  They  dedicate  (says 
he)  the  vilest  and  meanest  materials  to  represent  the  sacred,  im- 
mortal, and  inviolable  gods ; and  give  them  some  a human 
form,  and  some  a brutal  one,  and  some  a double  sex,  and  dif- 
ferent bodies ; and  they  confer  the  name  of  gods  upon  images 
which,  if  animated,  would  be  accounted  monsters.”  Hence  it 
further  appears  that  the  pretence  set  up  by  the  advocates  for 
idols,  that  they  were  forbidden  to  the  Jews  because  they  were 
prone  to  superstition,  is  only  a frivolous  cavil,  to  evade  the 
force  of  the  argument.  As  if  truly  that  were  peculiarly  applica- 
ble to  one  nation,  which  God  deduces  from  his  eternal  existence, 
and  the  invariable  order  of  nature  ! Besides,  Paul  was  not  ad- 
dressing the  Jews,  but  the  Athenians,  when  he  refuted  the 
error  of  making  any  similitude  of  God. 

HI.  Sometimes  indeed  God  hath  discovered  his  presence  by 
certain  signs,  so  that  he  was  said  to  be  seen  face  to  face  ; ” (A) 
but  all  the  signs  which  he  ever  adopted,  were  well  calcula- 
ted for  the  instruction  of  men,  and  afforded  clear  intimations  of 
his  incomprehensible  essence.  For  the  cloud,  and  the  smoke, 
and  the  flame,”  (i)  though  they  Avere  symbols  of  celestial  glory, 
nevertheless  operated  as  a restraint  on  the  minds  of  all,  to  pre- 
vent their  attempting  to  penetrate  any  further.  Wherefore  even 
Moses  (to  whom  he  manifested  himself  more  familiarly  than  to 
any  other)  obtained  not  by  his  prayers  a sight  of  the  face  of  God, 
but  received  this  ansAver  : Thou  canst  not  see  my  face  ; for 
there  shall  no  man  see  my  face  and  live.”  (k)  The  Holy  Spirit 
once  appeared  in  the  form  of  a dove  ; (/)  but,  as  he  presently  dis- 
appeared again,  Avho  does  not  perceive  that  by  this  momentary 
symbol  the  faithful  are  taught  that  they  should  believe  the  Spirit 
to  be  invisible  ? that,  being  content  Avith  his  poAver  and  grace, 
they  might  make  no  external  representation  of  him.  The  appear- 
ances of  God  in  the  human  form  Avere  preludes  to  his  future 
manifestation  in  Christ.  Therefore  the  JeAVs  Avere  not  per- 
mitted to  make  this  a pretext  for  erecting  a symbol  of  Deity  in 
the  figure  of  a man.  The  mercy  seat  ” (m)  also,  from  Avhich, 
under  the  laAV,  God  displayed  the  presence  of  his  povver,  Avas 
so  constructed,  as  to  suggest  that  the  best  contemplation  of  the 

(g)  Acts  xvii.  29.  (^)  Deut.  iv.  11.  (/)  Matt.  iii.  16. 

(/t)  Exod.  xxxiii.  11.  (k)  Exod.  xxxiii.  20.  (w)  Exod.  xxv.  17,  18,  &c 


100  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

Divine  Being  is  when  the  mind  is  transported  beyond  itself 
with  admiration.  For  the  cherubim  ” covered  it  with  their 
extended  wings ; the  veil  was  spread  before  it ; and  the  place 
itself  was  sulRciently  concealed  by  its  secluded  situation.  It 
is  manifestly  unreasonable  therefore  to  endeavour  to  defend  im- 
ages of  God  and  of  the  saints,  by  the  example  of  those  cher- 
ubim. For,  pray,  what  was  signified  by  those  little  images  but 
that  images  are  not  calculated  to  represent  the  Divine  mysteries  ? 
since  they  were  formed  in  such  a manner  as,  by  veiling  the  mer- 
cy seat  with  their  wings,  to  prevent  not  only  the  eyes,  hut  all 
the  human  senses,  from  prying  into  God,  and  so  to  restrain  all 
temerity.  Moreover,  the  Prophet  describes  the  seraphim  whom 
he  saw  in  a vision,  as  having  ^Gheir  faces  covered  (n)  to 
signify,  that  the  splendour  of  the  Divine  glory  is  so  great,  that 
even  the  angels  themselves  cannot  steadfastly  behold  it  ; and 
the  faint  sparks  of  it,  which  shine  in  the  angels,  are  concealed 
from  our  view.  The  cherubim,  however,  of  which  we  are  now 
speaking,  are  acknowledged  by  all  persons  of  sound  judgment 
to  have  been  peculiar  to  the  old  state  of  tutelage  under  the  le- 
gal dispensation.  To  adduce  them,  therefore,  as  examples  for 
the  imitation  of  the  present  age,  is  quite  absurd.  For  that  pu- 
erile period,  as  I may  call  it,  for  which  such  rudiments  were  ap- 
pointed, is  now  past.  And,  indeed,  it  is  a shameful  considera- 
tion, that  heathen  writers  are  more  expert  interpreters  of  the 
Divine  law  than  the  papists.  Juvenal  reproaches  and  ridicules 
the  Jews  for  worshipping  the  white  clouds  and  Deity  of  heaven. 
This  language,  indeed,  is  perverse  and  impious  ; but  in  denying 
that  there  was  any  image  of  God  among  them,  he  speaks  with 
more  truth  than  the  papists,  who  idly  pretend  that  there  was 
some  visible  figure  of  him.  But  as  that  nation  frequently  broke 
out  into  idolatry,  with  great  and  sudden  impetuosity,  resembling 
the  violent  ebullition  of  water  from  a large  spring,  hence  let  us 
learn  the  strong  propensity  of  the  human  mind  to  idolatry,  lest, 
imputing  to  the  Jews  a crime  common  to  all,  we  should  be  fas- 
cinated by  the  allurements  of  sin,  and  sleep  the  sleep  of  death. 

IV.  To  the  same  purpose  is  that  passage,  The  idols  of  the 
heathen  are  silver  and  gold,  the  work  of  men’s  hands;  ” (o)  for 
the  Prophet  concludes,  from  the  very  materials,  that  they  are 
no  gods,  whose  images  are  made  of  gold  or  of  silver  ; and 
takes  it  for  granted,  that  every  conception  we  form  of  the  Deity, 
merely  from  our  own  understandings,  is  a foolish  imagination. 
He  mentions  gold  and  silver  rather  than  clay  or  stone,  that  the 
splendour  or  the  value  of  the  materials  may  procure  no  rever- 
ence for  the  idols.  But  he  concludes  in  general,  that  nothing 
is  more  improbable,  than  that  gods  should  be  manufactured 


(n)  Isaiah  vi.  2. 


(o)  Psalm  cxxxv.  15. 


CHAP.  XI.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


101 


from  any  inanimate  matter.  At  the  same  time  he  insists 
equally  on  another  point  — that  it  is  presumption  and  madness 
in  mortal  men,  who  are  every  moment  in  danger  of  losing  the 
fleeting  breath  which  they  draw,  to  dare  to  confer  upon  idols 
the  honour  due  to  God.  Man  is  constrained  to  confess  that 
he  is  a creature  of  a day,  and  yet  he  will  have  a piece  of  metal 
to  be  worshipped  as  a god,  of  the  deity  of  which  he  is  the  au- 
thor ; for  whence  did  idols  originate,  but  in  the  will  of  men  ? 
There  is  much  propriety  in  that  sarcasm  of  a heathen  poet, 
who  represents  one  of  their  idols  as  saying,  Formerly,  I was 
the  trunk  of  a wild  fig-tree,  a useless  log  ; when  the  artificer, 
after  hesitating  whether  he  would  make  me  a stool  or  a deity, 
at  length  determined  that  I should  be  a god.”  {p) 

A poor  mortal,  forsooth,  who  is,  as  it  were,  expiring  almost 
every  moment,  will,  by  his  workmanship,  transfer  to  a dead 
stock  the  name  and  honour  of  God.  But  as  that  Epicurean,  in 
his  satirical  effusions,  has  paid  no  respect  to  any  religion,  — leav- 
ing this  sarcasm,  and  others  of  the  same  kind,  we  should  be 
stung  and  penetrated  by  the  rebuke  which  the  Prophet  (^)  has 
given  to  the  extreme  stupidity  of  those,  who,  with  the  same 
wood,  make  a fire  to  warm  themselves,  heat  an  oven  for  baking 
bread,  roast  or  boil  their  meat,  and  fabricate  a god,  before  which 
they  prostrate  themselves,  to  address  their  humble  supplications. 
In  another  place,  therefore,  he  not  only  pronounces  them  trans- 
gressors of  the  law,  but  reproaches  them  for  not  having  learned 
from  the  foundations  of  the  earth ; (r)  since,  in  reality,  there  is 
nothing  more  unreasonable  than  the  thought  of  contracting  the 
infinite  and  incomprehensible  God  within  the  compass  of  five 
-eet.  And  yet  this  monstrous  abomination,  which  is  manifestly 
repugnant  to  the  order  of  nature,  experience  demonstrates  to  be 
natural  to  man.  It  must  be  further  observed,  that  idols  are  fre- 
quently stigmatized  as  being  the  works  of  men’s  hands,  unsanc- 
tioned by  Divine  authority ; in  order  to  establish  this  principle, 
that  all  modes  of  worship  which  are  merely  of  human  invention, 
are  detestable.  The  Psalmist  aggravates  this  madness,  foras- 
much as  men  implore  the  aid  of  dead  and  insensible  things,  who 
are  imbued  with  understanding  to  know  that  all  things  are 
directed  solely  by  the  power  of  God.  But  since  the  corrup- 
tion of  nature  carries  all  nations  in  general,  and  each  individual 
in  particular,  to  such  an  excess  of  frenzy,  the  Spirit  at  length 
thunders  out  this  direful  imprecation : Let  those  that  make 
them  be  like  unto  them  and  every  one  that  trusteth  in  them.”  (s) 
Let  it  be  observed,  that  all  similitudes  are  equally  as  much  for- 
bidden as  graven  images  ; which  refutes  the  foolish  subterfuge 
of  the  Greeks ; for  they  think  themselves  quite  safe,  if  they 


(p)  Hor.  Sat.  lib.  1,  8. 

(q)  Isaiah  xliv.  9 — 20. 


(r)  Isaiah  xl.  21. 

(s)  Psalm  cxv.  8. 


102 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  i, 

make  no  sculpture  of  Deity,  while  in  pictures  they  indulge 
greater  liberty  than  any  other  nations.  But  the  Lord  prohibits 
every  representation  of  him,  whether  made  by  the  statuary,  or 
by  any  other  artificer,  because  all  similitudes  are  criminal  and 
insulting  to  the  Divine  Majesty. 

V.  I know  that  it  is  a very  common  observation,  that  images 
are  the  books  of  the  illiterate.  Gregory  said  so  ; but  very  dif- 
ferent is  the  decision  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  whose  school 
had  Gregory  been  taught,  he  would  never  have  made  such  an 
assertion.  For,  since  Jeremiah  pronounces  that  the  stock  is 
a doctrine  of  vanities,”  {t)  since  Habakkuk  represents  ‘^a  mol- 
ten image  ” as  “a  teacher  of  lies,”  (v)  — certainly  the  general 
doctrine  to  be  gathered  from  these  passages  is,  that  whatever 
men  learn  respecting  God  from  images  is  equally  frivolous  and 
false.  If  any  one  object,  that  the  Prophets  only  reprehended 
those  who  abuse  images  to  the  impious  purposes  of  super- 
stition, — that  indeed  I grant ; but  affirm  also,  what  is  evident 
to  every  one,  that  they  utterly  condemn  what  is  assumed  by 
the  papists  as  an  indubitable  axiom,  that  images  are  substitutes 
for  books.  For  they  contrast  images  with  the  true  God,  as 
contraries,  which  can  never  agree.  This  comparison,  I say,  is 
laid  down  in  those  passages  which  I have  just  cited ; that,  since 
there  is  only  one  true  God,  whom  the  Jews  worshipped,  there 
can  be  no  visible  figures  made,  to  serve  as  representations  of 
the  Divine  Being,  without  falsehood  and  criminality ; and  all 
who  seek  the  knowledge  of  God  from  such  figures  are  under  a 
miserable  delusion.  Were  it  not  true,  that  all  knowledge  of 
God,  sought  from  images,  is  corrupt  and  fallacious,  it  would  not 
be  so  uniformly  condemned  by  the  Prophets.  This  at  least 
must  be  granted  to  us,  that,  when  we  maintain  the  vanity  and 
fallaciousness  of  the  attempts  of  men  to  make  visible  represen- 
tations of  God,  we  do  no  other  than  recite  the  express  declara- 
tions of  the  Prophets. 

VI.  Read  likewise  what  has  been  written  on  this  subject 
by  Lactantius  and  Eusebius,  who  hesitate  not  to  assume  as  a 
certainty,  that  all  those  whose  images  are  to  be  seen,  were 
mortal  men.  Augustine  also  confidently  asserts  the'  unlawful- 
ness, not  only  of  worshipping  images,  but  even  of  erecting 
any  with  reference  to  God.  Nor  does  he  advance  any  thing 
different  from  what  had,  many  years  before,  been  decreed  by 
the  Elibertine  council,  the  thirty-sixth  chapter  of  which  is  as 
follows : -Mt  hath  been  decreed,  that  no  pictures  be  had  in 
the  churches,  and  that  what  is  worshipped  or  adored  be  not 
painted  on  the  walls.”  But  most  remarkable  is  what  Augus- 
tine elsewhere  cites  from  Varro,  and  to  the  truth  of  which  he 


(t)  Jer.  X.  8. 


(^?)  Hab.  ii.  18. 


CHAP.  XI. J CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  103 

subscribes — “ That  they  who  first  introduced  images  of  the 
gods,  removed  fear  and  added  error.”  If  this  had  been  a 
mere  assertion  of  Varro  alone,  it  might  have  perhaps  but  little 
authority;  yet  it  should  justly  fill  us  with  shame,  that  a 
heathen,  groping  as  it  were  in  the  dark,  attained  so  much 
light  as  to  perceive  that  corporeal  representations  were  un- 
worthy of  the  Divine  Majesty,  being  calculated  to  diminish 
the  fear  of  God,  and  to  increase  error  among  mankind.  The 
fact  itself  demonstrates  this  to  have  been  spoken  with  equal 
truth  and  wisdom ; but  Augustine,  having  borrowed  it  from 
Varro,  advances  it  as  his  own  opinion.  And  first  he  observes 
that  the  most  ancient  errors  concerning  God,  in  which  men 
were  involved,  did  not  originate  from  images,  but  were  in- 
creased by  them,  as  by  the  superaddition  of  new  materials. 
He  next  explains  that  the  fear  of  God  is  thereby  diminished, 
and  even  destroyed  ; since  the  foolish,  ridiculous,  and  absurd 
fabrication  of  idols  would  easily  bring  his  Divinity  into  con- 
tempt. Of  the  truth  of  this  second  remark,  I sincerely  wish 
that  we  had  not  such  proofs  in  our  own  experience.  Who- 
ever, therefore,  desires  to  be  rightly  instructed,  he  must  learn 
from  some  other  quarter  than  from  images,  what  is  to  be  known 
concerning  God. 

VII.  If  the  papists  have  any  shame,  let  them  no  longer  use 
this  subterfuge,  that  images  are  the  books  of  the  illiterate  ; 
which  is  so  clearly  refuted  by  numerous  testimonies  from 
Scripture.  Yet,  though  I should. concede  this  point  to  them, 
it  would  avail  them  but  little  in  defence  of  their  idols.  What 
monsters  they  obtrude  in  the  place  of  Deity  is  well  known. 
But  w'hat  they  call  the  pictures  or  statues  of  their  saints  — 
what  are  they  but  examples  of  the  most  abandoned  luxury 
and  obscenity  ? which  if  any  one  were  desirous  of  imitating, 
he  would  deserve  corporal  punishment.  Even  prostitutes  in 
brothels  are  to  be  seen  in  more  chaste  and  modest  attire,  than 
those  images  in  their  temples,  which  they  wish  to  be  account- 
ed images  of  virgins.  Nor  do  they  clothe  the  martyrs  in 
habits  at  all  more  becoming.  Let  them  adorn  their  idols,  then, 
with  some  small  degree  of  modesty,  that  the  pretence  of  their 
being  books  of  some  holiness,  if  not  less  false,  may  be  less 
impudent.  But  even  then,  we  will  reply,  that  this  is  not  the 
method  to  be  adopted  in  sacred  places  for  the  instruction 
of  the  faithful,  whom  God  will  have  taught  a very  different 
doctrine  from  any  that  can  be  learned  from  such  insignificant 
trifles.  He  hath  commanded  one  common  doctrine  to  be  there 
proposed  to  all,  in  the  preaching  of  his  word,  and  m his  sacred 
mysteries ; to  which  they  betray  great  inattention  of  mind, 
who  are  carried  about  by  their  eyes  to  the  contemplation  of 
idols.  Whom,  then,  do  the  papists  call  illiterate,'  whose  ig- 


104 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  1 

norance  will  suffer  them  to  be  taught  only  by  images? 
Those,  truly,  whom  the  Lord  acknowledges  as  his  disciples ; 
whom  he  honours  with  the  revelation  of  his  heavenly  philoso- 
phy ,*  whom  he  will  have  instructed  in  the  healthful  mysteries 
of  his  kingdom.  I confess,  indeed,  as  things  are  now  cir- 
cumstanced, that  there  are  at  present  not  a few  who  cannot 
bear  to  be  deprived  of  such  books.  But  whence  arises  this 
stupidity,  but  from  being  defrauded  of  that  teaching  which 
alone  is  adapted  to  their  instruction  ? In  fact,  those  who  pre- 
sided over  the  churches,  resigned  to  idols  the  office  of  teach- 
ing, for  no  other  reason  but  because  they  were  themselves 
dumb.  Paul  testifies,  that  in  the  true  preaching  of  this  gospel, 
Christ  is  “ evidently  set  forth,”  and,  as  it  were,  crucified 
before  our  eyes.”  {w)  To  what  purpose,  then,  was  the  erec- 
tion of  so  many  crosses  of  wood  and  stone,  silver  and  gold, 
every  where  in  the  temples,  if  it  had  been  fully  and  faithfully 
inculcated,  that  Christ  died  that  he  might  bear  our  curse  on 
the  cross,  expiate  our  sins  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  body,  cleanse 
us  by  his  blood,  and,  in  a word,  reconcile  us  to  God  the 
Father  ? From  this  simple  declaration  they  might  learn  more 
than  from  a thousand  crosses  of  wood  or  stone  ; for  perhaps 
the  avaricious  fix  their  minds  and  their  eyes  more  tenaciously 
on  the  gold  and  silver  crosses,  than  on  any  part  of  the  Divine 
word. 

VIII.  Respecting  the  origin  of  idols,  the  generally  received 
opinion  agrees  with  what  is  asserted  in  the  book  of  Wis- 
dom ; (a;)  namely,  that  the  first  authors  of  them  were  persons 
who  paid  this  honour  to  the  dead,  from  a superstitious  reverence 
for  their  memory.  I grant  that  this  perverse  custom  was  very 
ancient,  and  deny  not  that  it  greatly  contributed  to  increase 
the  rage  of  mankind  after  idolatry  ; nevertheless,  I cannot  con- 
cede that  it  was  the  first  cause  of  that  evil.  For  it  appears  from 
Moses,  that  idols  were  in  use  long  before  the  introduction  of  that 
ostentatious  consecration  of  the  images  of  the  dead,  Avhich  is 
frequently  mentioned  by  profane  writers.  When  he  relates  that 
Rachel  stole  her  father’s  idols,  (y)  he  speaks  as  of  a common 
corruption.  Whence  we  may  infer,  that  the  mind  of  man  is, 
if  I may  be  allowed  the  expression,  a perpetual  manufactory 
of  idols.  After  the  deluge,  there  was,  as  it  were,  a regenera- 
tion of  the  world ; but  not  many  years  elapsed  before  men 
fabricated  gods  according  to  their  own  fancy.  And  it  is  prob- 
able, that  while  the  holy  patriarch  was  yet  alive,  his  posterity 
were  addicted  to  idolatry,  so  that,  with  the  bitterest  grief,  he 
might,  with  his  own  eyes,  behold  the  earth  which  God  had 
lately  purged  from  its  corruptions  by  such  a dreadful  judgment, 


(/o)  Gal.  iii.  1. 


(x)  Wisdom  xiv.  15. 


{y)  Gen.  xxxi.  19. 


CHAP.  XI.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


106 


again  polluted  with  idols.  For  Terah  and  Nachor,  before  the 
birth  of  Abraham,  were  worshippers  of  false  gods,  as  is  asserted 
by  Joshua  (z)  Since  the  posterity  of  Shem  so  speedily  de- 
generated, what  opinion  must  we  entertain  of  the  descendants 
of  Ham,  who  had  already  been  cursed  in  their  father  ? The 
true  state  of  the  case  is,  that  the  mind  of  man,  being  full  of 
pride  and  temerity,  dares  to  conceive  of  God  according  to  its 
own  standard  ; and,  being  sunk  in  stupidity,  and  immersed  in 
profound  ignorance,  imagines  a vain  and  ridiculous  phantom 
instead  of  God.  These  evils  are  followed  by  another ; men 
attempt  to  express  in  the  work  of  their  hands  such  a deity  as 
they  have  imagined  in  their  minds.  The  mind  then  begets 
the  idol,  and  the  hand  brings  it  forth.  The  example  of  the 
Israelites  proves  this  to  have  been  the  origin  of  idolatry, 
namely,  that  men  believe  not  God  to  be  among  them,  unless 
he  exhibit  some  external  signs  of  his  presence.  “ As  for  this 
Moses,”  they  said,  we  wot  not  what  is  become  of  him ; make 
us  gods  which  shall  go  before  us.”  (a)  They  knew,  indeed, 
that  there  was  a God,  whose  power  they  had  experienced  in 
so  many  miracles  ; but  they  had  no  confidence  in  his  being 
present  with  them,  unless  they  could  see  some  corporeal  sym- 
bol of  his  countenance,  as  a testimony  of  their  Divine  Guide. 
They  wished,  therefore,  to  understand,  from  the  image  going 
before  them,  that  God  was  the  leader  of  their  march.  Daily 
experience  teaches,  that  the  flesh  is  never  satisfied,  till  it  has 
obtained  some  image,  resembling  itself,  in  which  it  may  be 
foolishly  gratified,  as  an  image  of  God.  In  almost  all  ages, 
from  the  creation  of  the  world,  in  obedience  to  this  stupid 
propensity,  men  have  erected  visible  representations,  in  which 
they  believed  God  to  be  presented  to  their  carnal  eyes. 

IX.  Such  an  invention  is  immediately  attended  with  adora- 
tion ; for  when  men  supposed  that  they  saw  God  in  images, 
they  also  worshipped  him  in  them.  At  length,  both  their  eyes 
and  their  minds  being  wholly  confined  to  them,  they  began 
to  grow  more  stupid,  and  to  admire  them,  as  though  they  pos- 
sessed some  inherent  divinity.  Now,  it  is  plain  that  men  did 
not  rush  into  the  worship  of  images,  till  they  had  imbibed 
some  very  gross  opinion  respecting  them  ; not,  indeed,  that  they 
believed  them  to  be  gods,  but  they  imagined  that  something 
of  Divinity  resided  in  them.  When  you  prostrate  yourself, 
therefore,  in  adoration  of  an  image,  whether  you  suppose  it  to 
represent  God  or  a creature,  you  are  already  fascinated  with 
superstition.  For  this  reason  the  Lord  hath  prohibited,  not 
only  the  erection  of  statues  made  as  representations  of  him, 
but  also  the  consecration  of  any  inscriptions  or  monuments  to 


VOL.  I. 


(z)  Joshua  xxiv.  2. 

14 


(a)  Exod.  xxxii.  1. 


106  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

Stand  as  objects  of  worship.  For  the  same  reason,  also,  another 
point  is  annexed  to  the  precept  in  the  law  concerning  adora- 
tion. For  as  soon  as  men  have  made  a visible  figure  of  God, 
they  attach  Divine  power  to  it.  Such  is  the  stupidity  of 
men,  that  they  confine  God  to  any  image  which  they  make 
to  represent  him,  and  therefore  cannot  but  worship  it.  Nor  is 
it  of  any  importance,  whether  they  worship  simply  the  idol,  or 
God  in  the  idol ; it  is  always  idolatry,  when  Divine  honours 
are  paid  to  an  idol,  under  any  pretence  whatsoever.  And  as 
God  will  not  be  worshipped  in  a superstitious  or  idolatrous 
manner,  whatever  is  conferred  on  idols  is  taken  from  him. 
Let  this  be  considered  by  those  who  seek  such  miserable  pre- 
texts for  the  defence  of  that  execrable  idolatry,  with  which, 
for  many  ages,  true  religion  has  been  overwhelmed  and  sub- 
verted. The  images,  they  say,  are  not  considered  as  gods. 
Neither  were  the  Jews  so  thoughtless  as  not  to  remember,  that 
it  was  God  by  whose  hand  they  had  been  conducted  out  of 
Egypt,  before  they  made  the  calf.  But  when  Aaron  said  that 
those  were  the  gods  by  whom  they  had  been  liberated  from 
Egypt,  they  boldly  assented  ;(^)  signifying,  doubtless,  that 
they  would  keep  in  remembrance,  that  God  himself  was  their 
deliverer,  while  they  could  see  him  going  before  them  in  the 
calf.  Nor  can  we  believe  the  heathen  to  have  been  so  stupid, 
as  to  conceive  that  God  was  no  other  than  wood  and  stone. 
For  they  changed  the  images  at  pleasure,  but  always  retained 
in  their  minds  the  same  gods  ; and  there  were  many  images 
for  one  god ; nor  did  they  imagine  to  themselves  gods  in  pro- 
portion to  the  multitude  of  images : besides,  they  daily  con- 
secrated new  images,  but  without  supposing  that  they  made 
new  gods.  Read  the  excuses,  which,  Augustine  says,  (c) 
were  alleged  by  the  idolaters  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived. 
When  they  were  charged  with  idolatry,  the  vulgar  replied, 
that  they  worshipped,  not  the  visible  figure,  but  the  Divinity 
that  invisibly  dwelt  in  it.  But  they,  whose  religion  was,  as 
he  expresses  himself,  more  refined,  said,  that  they  worshipped 
neither  the  image,  nor  the  spirit  represented  by  it ; but  that 
in  the  corporeal  figure  they  beheld  a sign  of  that  which  they 
ought  to  worship.  What  is  to  be  inferred  from  this,  but  that 
all  idolaters,  whether  Jewish  or  Gentile,  have  been  guided  by 
the  notion  which  I have  mentioned?  Not  content  with  a 
spiritual  knowledge  of  God,  they  thought  that  they  should 
receive  more  clear  and  familiar  impressions  of  him  by  means 
of  images.  After  they  had  once  pleased  themselves  witli  such 
a preposterous  representation  of  God,  they  ceased  not  from 
being  deluded  with  new  fallacies,  till  they  imagined  that  God 


(h)  Exod.  xxxii.  4 — 6. 


(c)  In  Psalm  cxiii. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


107 


CHAP.  XI.] 

displayed  his  power  in  images.  Nevertheless,  the  Jews  were 
persuaded  that,  under  such  images,  they  worshipped  the 
eternal  God,  the  one  true  Dord  of  heaven  and  earth ; and  the 
heathen,  that  they  worshipped  their  false  gods,  whom  they 
pretended  to  be  inhabitants  of  heaven. 

X.  Those  who  deny  that  this  has  been  done  in  time  past, 
and  even  within  our  own  remembrance,  assert  an  impudent 
falsehood.  For  why  do  they  prostrate  themselves  before  images^? 
And  when  about  to  pray,  why  do  they  turn  themselves  to- 
wards them,  as  towards  the  ears  of  God  ? For  it  is  true,  as  Au- 
gustine says,  {d)  That  no  man  prays  or  worships  thus,  look- 
ing on  an  image,  who  is  not  impressed  with  an  opinion  that 
he  shall  be  heard  by  it,  and  a hope  that  it  will  do  for  him  as 
he  desires.”  Why  is  there  so  great  a difference  between  im- 
ages of  the  same  god,  that  one  is  passed  by  with  little  or  no 
respect,  and  another  is  honoured  in  the  most  solemn  manner  ? 
Why  do  they  fatigue  themselves  with  votive  pilgrimages,  in 
going  to  see  images  resembling  those  which  they  have  at  home  ? 
Why  do  they  at  this  day  fight,  even  to  slaughter  and  destruction, 
in  defence  of  them,  as  of  their  country  and  religion,  so  that  they 
could  part  with  the  only  true  God  more  easily  than  with  their 
idols  ? Yet  I am  not  here  enumerating  the  gross  errors  of  the 
vulgar,  which  are  almost  infinite,  and  occupy  nearly  the  hearts 
of  all ; I only  relate  what  they  themselves  allege,  when  they 
are  most  anxious  to  exculpate  themselves  from  idolatry.  We 
never,”  say  they,  ‘^call  them  our  gods.”  Nor  did  the  Jews  or 
heathen  in  ancient  times  call  them  their  gods ; and  yet  the 
Prophets,  in  all  their  writings,  were  constantly  accusing  them 
of  fornication  with  wood  and  stone,  only  on  account  of  such 
things  as  are  daily  practised  by  those  who  wish  to  be  thought 
Christians  ; that  is,  for  worshipping  God,  by  corporeal  adoration 
before  figures  of  wood  or  stone. 

XL  I am  neither  ignorant,  nor  desirous  of  concealing,  that 
they  evade  the  charge  by  a more  subtle  distinction,  which  will 
soon  be  noticed  more  at  large.  They  pretend  that  the  rever- 
ence which  they  pay  to  images  is  sj5wXo($ouXs;a,  (service  of  im- 
ages,) but  deny  that  it  is  siSuXoXarpsia  (worship  of  images.) 
For  in  this  manner  they  express  themselves,  when  they  main- 
tain, that  the  reverence  which  they  call  dulia,  may  be  given 
to  statues  or  pictures,  without  injury  to  God.  They  consider 
themseives,  therefore,  liable  to  no  blame,  while  they  are  only 
the  servants  of  their  idols,  and  not  worshippers  of  them ; as 
though  worship  were  not  rather  inferior  to  service.  And  yet, 
while  they  seek  to  shelter  themselves  under  a Greek  term, 
they  contradict  themselves  in  the  most  childish  manner.  For 


(<Z)  In  Psalm  cxiii. 


108  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I 

since  the  Greek  word  Xarpsusiv  signifies  nothing  else  but  to  wor- 
ship, what  they  say  is  equivalent  to  a confession  that  they 
adore  their  images,  but  without  adoration.  Nor  can  they 
justly  object,  that  I am  trying  to  insnare  them  with  words : 
they  betray  their  own  ignorance  in  their  endeavours  to  raise  a 
mist  before  the  eyes  of  the  simple.  But,  however  eloquent 
they  may  be,  they  will  never  be  able,  by  their  rhetoric,  to 
prove  one  and  the  same  thing  to  be  two  different  things.  Let 
them  point  out,  I say,  a difference  in  fact,  that  they  may  be  ac- 
counted different  from  ancient  idolaters.  For  as  an  adulterer, 
or  homicide,  will  not  escape  the  imputation  of  guilt,  by  giving 
his  crime  a new  and  arbitrary  name,  so  it  is  absurd  that  these 
persons  should  be  exculpated  by  the  subtle  invention  of  a name, 
if  they  really  differ  in  no  respect  from  those  idolaters  whom 
they  themselves  are  constrained  to  condemn.  But  their  case 
is  so  far  from  being  different  from  that  of  former  idolaters,  that 
the  source  of  all  the  evil  is  a preposterous  emulation,  with 
which  they  have  rivalled  them  by  exercising  their  minds  in 
contriving,  and  their  hands  in  forming,  visible  symbols  of  the 
Deity. 

XII.  Nevertheless,  I am  not  so  scrupulous  as  to  think  that 
no  images  ought  ever  to  be  permitted.  But  since  sculpture  and 
painting  are  gifts  of  God,  I wish  for  a pure  and  legitimate  use 
of  both ; lest  those  things,  which  the  Lord  hath  conferred  on 
us  for  his  glory  and  our  benefit,  be  not  only  corrupted  by  pre- 
posterous abuse,  but  even  perverted  to  our  ruin.  We  think  it 
unlawful  to  make  any  visible  figure  as  a representation  of  God, 
because  he  hath  himself  forbidden  it,  and  it  cannot  be  done 
without  detracting,  in  some  measure,  from  his  glory.  Let  it 
not  be  supposed  that  we  are  singular  in  this  opinion  ; for  that 
all  sound  writers  have  uniformly  reprobated  the  practice,  must 
be  evident  to  persons  conversant  with  their  works.  If,  then,  it 
be  not  lawful  to  make  any  corporeal  representation  of  God, 
much  less  will  it  be  lawful  to  worship  it  for  God,  or  to  worship 
God  in  it.  We  conclude,  therefore,  that  nothing  should  be 
painted  and  engraved  but  objects  visible  to  our  eyes : the  Di- 
vine Majesty,  which  is  far  above  the  reach  of  human  sight, 
ought  not  to  be  corrupted  by  unseemly  figures.  The  subjects 
of  those  arts  consist  partly  of  histories  and  transactions,  partly 
of  images  and  corporeal  forms,  without  reference  to  any  transac- 
tions. The  former  are  of  some  use  in  information  or  recollec- 
tion ; the  latter,  as  far  as  I see,  can  furnish  nothing  but  amuse- 
ment. And  yet  it  is  evident,  that  almost  all  the  images,  which 
have  hitherto  been  set  up  in  the  churches,  have  been  of  this 
latter  description.  Hence  it  may  be  seen,  that  they  were  placed 
there,  not  with  judgment  and  discrimination,  but  from  a foolish 
and  inconsiderate  passion  for  them.  I say  nothing  here  of  the 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


109 


CHAP.  XI.] 

impropriety  and  indecency  conspicuous  in  most  of  them,  and 
the  wanton  licentiousness  displayed  in  them  by  the  painters 
and  statuaries,  at  which  I have  before  hinted : I only  assert, 
that  even  if  they  were  intrinsically  faultless,  still  they  would 
be  altogether  unavailing  for  the  purposes  of  instruction. 

XIII.  But,  passing  over  that  difference  also,  let  us  consider, 
as  we  proceed,  whether  it  be  expedient  to  have  any  images  at 
all  in  Christian  temples,  either  descriptive  of  historical  events, 
or  representative  of  human  forms.  In  the  first  place,  if  the 
authority  of  the  ancient  Church  have  any  influence  with  us, 
let  us  remember,  that  for  about  five  hundred  years,  while  re- 
ligion continued  in  a more  prosperous  state,  and  purer  doctrine 
prevailed,  the  Christian  churches  were  generally  without 
images.  They  were  then  first  introduced,  therefore,  to  orna- 
ment the  churches,  when  the  purity  of  the  ministry  had  begun 
to  degenerate.  I will  not  dispute  what  was  the  reason  which 
influenced  the  first  authors  of  them ; but  if  you  compare  one 
age  with  another,  you  will  see  that  they  were  much  declined 
from  the  integrity  of  those  who  had  no  images.  Who  can 
suppose,  that  those  holy  fathers  would  have  permitted  the 
Church  to  remain  so  long  destitute  of  what  they  judged  use- 
ful and  salutary  for  it  ? The  fact  was,  that,  instead  of  omitting 
them  through  ignorance  or  negligence,  they  perceived  them 
to  be  of  little  or  no  use,  but,  on  the  contrary,  pregnant  with 
much  danger ; and,  therefore,  intentionally  and  wisely  re- 
jected them.  This  is  asserted  in  express  terms  by  Augustine  : 
“ When  they  are  fixed,”  says  he,  in  those  places  in  an  hon- 
ourable elevation,  to  attract  the  attention  of  those  who  are 
praying  and  sacrificing,  though  they  are  destitute  of  sense 
and  life,  yet,  by  the  very  similitude  of  living  members  and 
senses,  they  affect  weak  minds,  so  that  they  appear  to  them 
to  live  and  breathe,”  &c.  (e)  And  in  another  place  : For 
that  representation  of  members  leads,  and,  as  it  were,  con- 
strains, the  mind,  which  animates  a body,  to  suppose  that 
body  to  be  endued  with  perception,  which  it  sees  to  be  very 
similar  to  its  own,”  &c.  And  a little  after  : “ Idols  have  more 
influence  to  bow  down  an  unhappy  soul,  because  they  have  a 
mouth,  eyes,  ears,  and  feet,  than  to  correct  it,  because  they 
neither  speak,  nor  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk.”  This  indeed 
appears  to  be  the  reason  of  John’s  exhortation  to  keep  our- 
selves,” not  only  from  the  worship  of  idols,  but  from  idols  ” 
themselves.  And  we  have  found  it  too  true,  that,  through 
the  horrible  frenzy,  which,  almost  to.  the  total  destruction  of 
piety,  hath  heretofore  possessed  the  world,  as  soon  as  images 
are  set  up  in  churches,  there  is,  as  it  were,  a standard  of  idol- 


(e)  Epist.  49.  De  Civ.  Dei.  lib.  iv.  cap.  31. 


110  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  i 

atry  erected ; for  the  folly  of  mankind  cannot  refrain  from 
immediately  falling  into  idolatrous  worship.  But,  even  if  the 
danger  were  less,  yet,  when  I consider  the  use  for  which  tem- 
ples were  designed,  it  appears  to  me  extremely  unworthy  of 
their  sanctity,  to  receive  any  other  images,  than  those  natural 
and  expressive  ones,  which  the  Lord  hath  consecrated  in  his 
word ; I mean  Baptism,  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
other  ceremonies,  with  which  our  eyes  ought  to  be  more  at- 
tentively engaged,  and  more  sensibly  affected,  than  to  require 
any  others  formed  by  human  ingenuity.  Behold  the  incom- 
parable advantages  of  images  ! the  loss  of  which,  if  you  believe 
the  papists,  nothing  can  compensate. 

XIV.  The  remarks  already  made  on  this  subject,  I think, 
would  be  sufficient,  if  it  were  not  necessary  to  take  some 
notice  of  the  Council  of  Nice  ; not  that  very  celebrated  one, 
which  was  convened  by  Constantine  the  Great,  but  that  which 
was  held  about  eight  hundred  years  ago,  by  the  command, 
and  under  the  auspices,  of  the  Empress  Irene.  For  that 
Council  decreed,  not  only  that  images  should  be  had  in 
churches,  but  also  that  they  should  be  worshipped.  And, 
notwithstanding  what  I have  advanced,  the  authority  of  the 
Council  would  raise  a strong  prejudice  on  the  contrary  side. 
Though,  to  confess  the  truth,  I am  not  much  concerned  at 
this,  as  I am  to  show  the  reader  their  extreme  madness,  whose 
fondness  for  images  exceeded  any  thing  that  was  becoming 
in  Christians.  But  let  us  despatch  this  point  first : the  present 
advocates  for  the  use  of  images,  allege  the  authority  of  that 
Nicene  Council  in  their  defence.  There  is  a book  extant, 
written  in  refutation  of  this  practice,  under  the  name  of  Char- 
lemagne ; which,  from  the  diction,  we  may  conclude  was  com- 
posed at  the  same  time.  In  this  work  are  recited  the  opinions 
of  the  bishops  who  attended  the  Council,  and  the  arguments 
they  used  in  the  controversy.  John,  the  delegate  of  the 
Eastern  churches,  said,  God  created  man  in  his  own  image  ; ” 
and  hence  he  inferred  that  we  ought  to  have  images.  The 
same  prelate  thought  that  images  were  recommended  to  us  by 
this  sentence  : ‘‘  Show  me  thy  face,  for  it  is  glorious.”  An- 
other, to  prove  that  they  ought  to  be  placed  on  the  altars, 
cited  this  testimony  : No  man  lighteth  a candle,  and  putteth 
it  under  a bushel.”  Another,  to  show  the  contemplation  of 
these  to  be  useful  to  us,  adduced  a verse  from  a Psalm  : '‘The 
light  of  thy  countenance,  O Lord,  is  sealed  upon  us.”  Another 
pressed  this  comparison  into  his  service:  “ iVs  the  patriarchs 
used  the  sacrifices  of  the  heathen,  so  Christians  ought  to  have 
the  images  of  saints,  instead  of  the  idols  of  the  heathen.” 
In  the  same  manner  they  tortured  that  expression,  “ Lord,  I 
have  loved  the  beauty  of  thy  house.”  But  the  most  ingenious 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  Ill 

of  all  was  their  interpretation  of  this  passage  : ‘‘As  we  have 
heard,  so  have  we  seen  ; ” that  therefore  God  is  known,  not 
only  by  the  hearing  of  his  word,  but  by  the  contemplation  of 
images.  Similar  is  the  subtlety  of  Bishop  Theodore : “ God 
is  glorious  in  his  saints.”  And  in  another  place  it  is  said,  “ In 
the  saints  that  are  in  the  earth : ” therefore  this  ought  to  be 
referred  to  images.  But  their  impertinencies  and  absurdities 
are  so  disgusting,  that  I am  quite  ashamed  to  repeat  them. 

XV.  When  they  dispute  concerning  adoration,  they  bring 
forward  Jacob’s  worshipping  of  Pharaoh,  and  of  the  staff  of 
Joseph,  and  of  the  inscription  erected  by  himself;  although, 
in  this  last  instance,  they  not  only  corrupt  the  sense  of  the 
Scripture,  but  allege  what  is  nowhere  to  be  found.  These 
passages  also,  “ Worship  his  footstool ; ” “ Worship  in  his  holy 
hill  ; ” and,  “ All  the  rich  of  the  people  shall  supplicate  thy 
face ; ” they  consider  as  apposite  and  conclusive  proofs.  If 
any  one  wished  to  represent  the  advocates  for  images  in  a 
ridiculous  point  of  view,  could  he  possibly  ascribe  to  them 
greater  and  grosser  instances  of  folly  ? But,  that  no  doubt 
of  this  might  remain,  Theodosius,  bishop  of  Mira,  defends  the 
propriety  of  worshipping  images  from  the  dreams  of  his  arch- 
deacon, as  seriously  as  if  he  had  an  immediate  revelation  from 
heaven.  Now,  let  the  advocates  of  images  go  and  urge  upon 
us  the  decree  of  that  Council  ; as  though  those  venerable  fa- 
thers had  not  entirely  destroyed  all  their  credit  by  such  puerile 
treatment  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  or  such  impious  and  shame- 
ful mutilation  of  them. 

XVI.  I come  now  to  those  prodigies  of  impiety,  which  it  is 
wonderful  that  they  ever  ventured  to  broach ; and  more  won- 
derful still,  that  they  have  not  been  opposed  with  universal 
detestation.  It  is  right  to  expose  this  flagitious  madness,  that 
the  worship  of  images  may  at  least  be  deprived  of  the  pretence 
of  antiquity,  which  the  papists  falsely  urge  in  its  favour. 
Theodosius,  bishop  of  Amorum,  denounces  an  anathema 
against  all  who  are  averse  to  the  worship  of  images.  Another 
imputes  all  the  calamities  of  Greece  and  the  East  to  the  crime 
of  not  having  worshipped  them.  What  punishments,  then, 
did  the  Prophets,  Apostles,  and  Martyrs  deserve,  in  whose 
time  images  were  unknown?  They  add  further.  If  the  image 
of  the  emperor  be  met  by  processions  with  perfumes  and  in- 
cense, much  more  is  this  honour  due  to  the  images  of  the  saints. 
Constantins,  bishop  of  Constance,  in  Cyprus,  professes  his  rev- 
erence for  images,  and  avows  that  he  will  pay  them  the  same 
worship  and  honour  as  is  due  to  the  Trinity,  the  source  of  all 
life  ; and  whoever  refuses  to  do  the  same,  he  anathematizes 
and  dismisses  with  the  Manichees  and  Marcionites.  And, 
lest  you  should  suppose  this  to  be  the  private  opinion  of  an 


112 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 


individual,  they  all  declare  their  assent  to  it.  John,  the  dele- 
gate of  the  Eastern  churches,  carried  by  the  fervour  of  his 
zeal  to  still  greater  lengths,  asserts  it  to  be  better  to  admit  all 
the  brothels  of  the  world  into  one  city,  than  to  reject  the 
worship  of  images.  At  length  it  was  unanimously  decreed, 
that  the  Samaritans  were  worse  than  all  heretics,  and  that  the 
adversaries  of  images  were  worse  than  the  Samaritans.  But, 
that  the  farce  might  not  want  its  usual  plaudit,  they  add  this 
clause : “ Let  them  rejoice  and  exult,  who  have  the  image  of 
Christ,  and  offer  sacrifice  to  it.”  Where  is  now  the  distinction 
of  latria  and  dulia^  with  which  they  attempt  to  deceive  both 
God  and  men  ? For  the  Council  gives  the  same  honour,  with- 
out any  exception,  to  images  and  to  the  living  God. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

GOD  CONTRADISTINGUISHED  FROM  IDOLS,  THAT  HE  MAY  BE  SOLELY 
AND  SUPREMELY  WORSHIPPED. 

W E said,  at  the  beginning,  that  the  knowledge  of  God  consists 
not  in  frigid  speculation,  but  is  accompanied  by  the  worship  of 
him.  We  also  cursorily  touched  on  the  right  method  of  wor- 
shipping him,  which  will  be  more  fully  explained  in  other 
places.  I now  only  repeat,  in  few  words,  that  whenever  the 
Scripture  asserts  that  there  is  but  one  God,  it  contends  not  for 
the  bare  name,  but  also  teaches,  that  whatever  belongs  to  the 
Deity,  should  not  be  transferred  to  another.  This  shows  how 
pure  religion  differs  from  idolatry.  The  Greek  word  suo'sbsja 
certainly  signifies  right  worship,  since  even  blind  mortals,  gro- 
ping in  the  dark,  have  always  perceived  the  necessity  of  some 
certain  rule,  that  the  worship  of  God  may  not  be  involved 
ill  disorder  and  confusion.  Although  Cicero  ingeniously  and 
correctly  derives  the  word  religion  from  a verb  signifying 
‘‘to  read  over  again,”  or  “to  gather  again;”  yet  the  rea- 
son he  assigns  for  it,  that  good  worshippers  often  recollect, 
and  diligently  reconsider  what  is  true,  is  forced  and  far-fetched. 
I rather  think  the  word  is  opposed  to  a liberty  of  wandering 
without  restraint ; because  the  greater  part  of  the  world  rashly 
embrace  whatever  they  meet  with,  and  also  ramble  from  one 
thing  to  another ; but  piety,  in  order  to  walk  with  a steady 
step,  collects  itself  within  its  proper  limits.  The  word  super- 
stition also  appears  to  me  to  import  a discontent  with  the 
method  and  order  prescribed,  and  an  accumulation  of  a super- 


CHAP.  XII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  113 

fluous  mass  of  vain  things.  But  to  leave  the  consideration  of 
words,  it  has  been  generally  admitted,  in  all  ages,  that  religion 
is  corrupted  and  perverted  by  errors  and  falsehoods ; whence 
we  infer,  that  when  we  allow  ourselves  any  thing  from  incon- 
siderate zeal,  the  pretext  alleged  by  the  superstitious  is  alto- 
gether frivolous.  Although  this  confession  is  in  the  mouths 
of  all,  they  betray,  at  the  same  time,  a shameful  ignorance, 
neither  adhering  to  the  one  true  God,  nor  observing  any  dis- 
crimination in  his  worship,  as  we  have  before  shown.  But 
God,  to  assert  his  own  right,  proclaims  that  he  is  ‘‘  jealous,’’ 
and  will  be  a severe  avenger,  if  men  confound  him  with  any 
fictitious  deity ; and  then,  to  retain  mankind  in  obedience,  he 
defines  his  legitimate  worship.  He  comprises  both  in  his  law, 
where  he  first  binds  the  faithful  to  himself,  as  their  sole  legis- 
lator ; and  then  prescribes  a rule  for  the  right  worship  of  him 
according  to  his  will.  Now,  of  the  law,  since  the  uses  and 
ends  of  it  are  various,  I shall  treat  in  its  proper  place  : at 
present,  I only  remark,  that  it  sets  up  a barrier  to  prevent  men 
turning  aside  to  corrupt  modes  of  worship.  Let  us  remember, 
what  I have  already  stated,  that,  unless  every  thing  belonging 
to  Divinity  remain  in  God  alone,  he  is  spoiled  of  his  honour, 
and  his  worship  is  violated.  And  here  it  is  necessary  to  ani- 
madvert more  particularly  on'  the  subtle  fallacies  of  supersti- 
tion. For  it  revolts  not  to  strange  gods,  in  such  a manner  as 
to  appear  to  desert  the  supreme  God,  or  to  degrade  him  to  a 
level  with  others ; but,  allowing  him  the  highest  place,  it  sur- 
rounds him  with  a multitude  of  inferior  deities,  among  whom 
it  distributes  his  honours ; and  thus,  in  a cunning  and  hypocrit- 
ical manner,  the  glory  of  Divinity  is  divided  among  many,  in- 
stead of  remaining  wholly  in  one.  Thus  the  ancient  idolaters, 
Jews  as  well  as  Gentiles,  imagined  one  God,  the  Father  and 
Governor  of  all,  and  subordinate  to  him  a vast  multitude  of 
other  deities ; to  whom,  in  common  with  the  supreme  God, 
they  attributed  the  government  of  heaven  and  earth.  Thus 
the  saints,  who  departed  out  of  this  life  some  ages  ago,  are 
exalted  to  the  society  of  God,  to  be  worshipped,  and  invoked, 
and  celebrated  like  him.  We  suppose,  indeed,  the  glory  of 
God  not  to  be  sullied  with  this  abomination  ,*  whereas  it  is,  in 
a great  measure,  suppressed  and  extinguished,  except  that  we 
retain  some  faint  notion  of  his  supreme  power ; but,  at  the 
same  time,  deceived  with  such  impostures,  we  are  seduced  to 
the  worship  of  various  deities. 

II.  On  this  account  was  invented  the  distinction  of  latria 
and  dulia^  as  they  express  themselves,  by  which  they  con- 
ceived they  might  safely  ascribe  divine  honours  to  angels  and 
deceased  men.  For  it  is  evident,  that  the  worship  which  pa- 
pists pay  to  the  saints,  differs  not  in  reality  from  the  worship 
VOL.  I.  15 


114 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

of  God ; for  they  adore  God  and  them  promiscuously ; but 
when  they  are  accused  of  it,  they  evade  the  charge  with  this 
subterfuge,  that  they  preserve  inviolate  to  God  what  belongs 
to  him,  because  they  leave  him  Xarpsia.  But  since  the  ques- 
tion relates  to  a thing,  not  to  a word,  who  can  bear  their  care- 
less trifling  on  the  most  important  of  all  subjects  ? But,  to  pass 
this  also,  they  will  gain  nothing  at  last  by  their  distinction, 
but  that  they  render  worship  to  God  alone,  and  service  to  the 
saints.  For  Xarpsia,  in  Greek,  signifies  the  same  as  cultus  in 
Latin,  [and  worship  in  English ;]  but  ^ouXsja  properly  signifies 
servitusj  [service ;]  and  yet,  in  the  Scriptures,  this  distinction  is 
sometimes  disregarded.  But,  suppose  it  to  be  a constant  dis- 
tinction, it  remains  to  be  inquired,  what  is  the  meaning  of 
each  term.  Aarpsia  is  worship  ; (JouXsja  is  service.  Now,  no 
one  doubts,  that  to  serve  is  more  than  to  worship  or  honour. 
For  it  would  be  irksome  to  serve  many  persons,  whom  you 
would  not  refuse  to  honour.  So  unjust  is  the  distribution,  to 
assign  the  greater  to  the  saints,  and  leave  to  God  that  which  is 
less.  But  many  of  the  ancients,  it  is  urged,  have  used  this 
distinction.  What  is  that  to  the  purpose,  if  every  one  per- 
ceives it  to  be  not  only  improper,  but  altogether  frivolous  ? 

III.  Leaving  these  subtleties,  let  us  consider  the  subject 
itself.  Paul,  when  he  reminds  the  Galatians  what  they  had 
been  before  they  were  illuminated  in  the  knowledge  of  God, 
says,  that  they  “ did  service  to  them  which  by  nature  were  no 
gods.”(/)  Though  he  mentions  not  Xarpsja,  (worship,)  is 
their  idolatry  therefore  excusable  ? He  certainly  condemns  that 
perverse  superstition,  which  he  denominates  ^ouXsja,  (service,) 
equally  as  much  as  if  he  had  used  the  word  Xarpsia,  (worship.) 
And  when  Christ  repels  the  assault  of  Satan  with  this  shield, 
‘‘It  is  written.  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,”  (§') 
the  word  Xarpsja  came  not  into  the  question ; for  Satan  required 
nothing  but  -rfpocrxuvTjfrij,  (prostration,  or  adoration.)  So,  when 
John  is  reprehended  by  an  angel,  for  having  fallen  on  his 
knees  before  him,  {h)  we  must  not  understand  that  John  was 
so  stupid  as  to  intend  to  transfer  to  an  angel  the  honour  due  ex- 
clusively to  God.  But  since  all  worship,  that  is  connected 
with  religion,  cannot  but  savour  of  Divine,  he  could  not 
(T-poCxuvstv)  prostrate  himself  before  the  angel,  without  de- 
tracting from  the  glory  of  God.  We  read,  indeed,  frequently, 
of  men  having  been  worshipped ; but  that  was  civil  honour, 
so  to  speak  ; religion  has  a diflerent  design  ; and  no  sooner  is 
religion  connected  with  worship,  or  homage,  than  it  produces 
a profanation  of  the  Divine  honour.  We  may  see  the  same 
in  Cornelius,  who  had  not  made  such  a small  progress  in 
piety,  as  not  to  ascribe  supreme  worship  to  God  alone.  When 

(/)  Gal.  iv.  8.  {g)  Matt.  iv.  10.  Qi)  Rev.  xix.  10  ; xxii.  8,  9. 


CHAP.  XTIT.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  115 

lie  fell  down  ” before  Peter,  therefore,  it  certainly  was  not 
with  an  intention  of  worshipping  him  instead  of  God : («)  yet 
Peter  positively  forbade  him  to  do  it.  And  why  was  this, 
but  because  men  never  so  particularly  distinguish  between  the 
worship  or  homage  of  God,  and  that  of  the  creatures,  as  to 
avoid  transferring  to  a creature  what  belongs  exclusively  to 
God  ? Wherefore,  if  we  desire  to  have  but  one  God,  let  us 
remember,  that  his  glory  ought  not,  in  the  least,  to  be  dimin- 
ished ; but  that  he  must  retain  all  that  belongs  to  him. 
Therefore  Zechariah,  when  speaking  of  the  restoration  of  the 
Church,  expressly  declares,  not  only  that  there  shall  be  one 
Lord,”  but  also  that  his  name  shall  be  one  ; ” {k)  signifying, 
without  doubt,  that  he  will  have  nothing  in  common  with 
idols.  Now,  what  kind  of  worship  God  requires,  will  be 
seen,  in  due  course,  in  another  place.  For  he  hath  been 
pleased,  in  his  law,  to  prescribe  to  mankind  what  is  lawful 
and  right  ; and  so  to  confine  them  to  a certain  rule,  that  every 
individual  might  not  take  the  liberty  of  inventing  a mode  of 
worship  according  to  his  own  fancy.  But,  since  it  is  not 
proper  to  burden  the  reader,  by  confounding  many  subjects 
together,  I shall  not  enter  on  that  point  yet ; let  it  suffice  to 
know,  that  no  religious  services  can  be  transferred  to  any 
other  than  God  alone,  without  committing  sacrilege.  At  first, 
indeed,  superstition  ascribed  Divine  honours  either  to  the  sun, 
or  to  the  other  stars,  or  to  idols.  Afterwards  followed  am- 
bition, which,  adorning  men  with  the  spoils  of  God,  dared  to 
profane  every  thing  that  was  sacred.  And  although  there  re- 
mained a persuasion,  that  they  ought  to  worship  a supreme 
God,  yet  it  became  customary  to  offer  sacrifices  promiscuously 
to  genii,  and  inferior  deities,  and  deceased  heroes.  So  steep 
is  the  descent  to  this  vice,  to  communicate  to  a vast  multitude 
that  which  God  particularly  challenges  to  himself  alone  ! 


chapter  xin. 

ONE  DIVINE  ESSENCE,  CONTAINING  THREE  PERSONS,  TAUGHT  IN 
THE  SCRIPTURES  FROM  THE  BEGINNING. 

What  is  taught  in  the  Scriptures  concerning  the  immensity 
and  spirituality  of  the  essence  of  God,  should  serve  not  only  to 
overthrow  the  foolish  notions  of  the  vulgar,  but  also  to  refute 
the  subtleties  of  profane  philosophy.  One  of  the  ancients,  (/) 

(i)  Acts  X.  25.  {k)  Zech.  xiv.  9.  (/)  Seneca,  Prffif,  lib.  1.  Quaest.  Nat. 


116 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

in  his  own  conception  very  shrewdly,  said,  that  whatever  we 
see,  and  whatever  we  do  not  see,  is  God.  But  he  imagined 
that  the  Deity  was  diffused  through  every  part  of  the  world. 
But,  although  God,  to  keep  us  within  the  bounds  of  sobriety, 
speaks  but  rarely  of  his  essence,  yet,  by  those  two  attributes, 
which  I have  mentioned,  he  supersedes  all  gross  imaginations, 

fand  represses  the  presumption  of  the  human  mind.  For,  sure- 
ly, his  immensity  ought  to  inspire  us  with  awe,  that  we  may  not 
attempt  to  measure  him  with  our  senses ; and  the  spirituality 
of  his  nature  prohibits  us  from  entertaining  any  earthly  or  car- 
nal speculations  concerning  him.  For  the  same  reason,  he  re- 
presents his  residence  to  be  in  heaven  ; ” for  though,  as  he  is 
incomprehensible,  he  fills  the  earth  also ; yet,  seeing  that  our 
minds,  from  their  dulness,  are  continually  dwelling  on  the  earth, 
in  order  to  shake  off  our  sloth  and  inactivity,  he  properly  raises 
us  above  the  world.  And  here  is  demolished  the  error  of  the 
Manichees,  who,  by  maintaining  the  existence  of  two  original 
principles,  made  the  devil,  as  it  were,  equal  to  God.  This  cer- 
tainly was  both  dividing  the  unity  of  God,  and  limiting  his  im- 
mensity. For  their  daring  to  abuse  certain  testimonies  of 
Scripture  betrayed  a shameful  ignorance  ; as  the  error  itself 
evidenced  an  execrable  madness.  The  Anthropomorphites  also, 
who  imagined  God  to  be  corporeal,  because  the  Scripture  fre- 
quently ascribes  to  him  a mouth,  ears,  eyes,  hands,  and  feet,  are 
easily  refuted.  For  who,  even  of  the  meanest  capacity,  under- 
stands not,  that  God  lisps,  as  it  were,  with  us,  just  as  nurses 
are  accustomed  to  speak  to  infants  ? Wherefore,  such  forms  of 
expression  do  not  clearly  explain  the  nature  of  God,  but  ac- 
commodate the  knowledge  of  him  to  our  narrow  capacity ; to 
accomplish  which,  the  Scripture  must  necessarily  descend  far 
below  the  height  of  his  majesty. 

II.  But  he  also  designates  himself  by  another  peculiar  charac- 
ter, by  which  he  may  be  yet  more  clearly  distinguished ; for, 
while  he  declares  himself  to  be  but  One,  he  proposes  himself  to 
be  distinctly  considered  in  Three  Persons,  without  apprehending 
which,  we  have  only  a bare  and  empty  name  of  God  floating  in 
our  brains,  without  any  idea  of  the  true  God.  Now,  that  no 
one  may  vainly  dream  of  three  gods,  or  suppose  that  the  simple 
essence  of  God  is  divided  among  the  three  Persons,  we  must 
seek  for  a short  and  easy  definition,  which  will  preserve  us 
from  all  error.  But  since  some  violently  object  to  the  word 
Person,  as  of  human  invention,  we  must  first  examine  the  rea- 
sonableness of  this  objection.  When  the  Apostle  denomiimtes 
the  Son  the  express  image  of  the  hypostasis  of  the  Father,  he 
undoubtedly  ascribes  to  the  Father  some  subsistence,  in  which 
he  differs  from  the  Son.  For  to  understand  this  word  as  sy- 
nonymous with  Essence,  (as  some  interpreters  have  done,  as 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  117 

though  Christ,  like  wax  impressed  with  a seal,  represented  in 
himself  the  substance  of  the  Father,)  were  not  only  harsh,  but 
also  absurd.  For  the  essence  of  God  being  simple  and  indivisi- 
ble, he  who  contains  all  in  himself,  not  in  part,  or  by  derivation, 
but  in  complete  perfection,  could  not,  without  impropriety, 
and  even  absurdity,  be  called  the  express  image  of  it.  But  since 
the  Father,  although  distinguished  by  his  own  peculiar  property, 
hath  expressed  himself  entirely  in  his  Son,  it  is  with  the  great- 
est reason  asserted  that  he  hath  made  his  hypostasis  conspic- 
uous in  him ; with  which  the  other  appellation,  given  him  in 
the  same  passage,  of  ^Ghe  brightness  of  his  glory,”  exactly 
corresponds.  From  the  words  of  the  Apostle,  we  certainly 
conclude,  that  there  is  in  the  Father  a proper  hypostasis,  which 
is  conspicuous  in  the  Son.  And  thence  also  we  easily  infer 
the  hypostasis  of  the  Son,  which  distinguishes  him  from  the 
Father.  The  same  reasoning  is  applicable  to  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
for  we  shall  soon  prove  him  also  to  be  God  ; and  yet  he  must, 
of  necessity,  be  considered  as  distinct  from  the  Father.  But 
this  is  not  a distinction  of  the  essence,  which  it  is  unlawful  to 
represent  as  any  other  than  simple  and  undivided.  It  follows, 
therefore,  if  the  testimony  of  the  Apostle  be  credited,  that  there 
are  in  God  three  hypostases.  And,  as  the  Latins  have  ex- 
pressed the  same  thing  by  the  word  person^  it  is  too  fastidious 
and  obstinate  to  contend  about  so  clear  a matter.  If  we  wish 
to  translate  word  for  word,  we  may  call  it  subsistence.  Many, 
in  the  same  sense,  have  called  it  substance.  Nor  has  the  word 
person  been  used  by  the  Latins  only ; but  the  Greeks  also,  for 
the  sake  of  testifying  their  consent  to  this  doctrine,  taught  the 
existence  of  three  ‘n'potfwTi'a  (persons)  in  God.  But  both  Greeks 
and  Latins,  notwithstanding  any  verbal  difference,  are  in  perfect 
harmony  respecting  the  doctrine  itself. 

III.  Now,  though  heretics  rail  at  the  word  person.^  or  some 
morose  and  obstinate  men  clamorously  refuse  to  admit  a name 
of  human  invention ; . since  they  cannot  make  us  assert  that 
there  are  three,  each  of  whom  is  entirely  God,  nor  yet  that 
there  are  more  gods  than  one,  how  very  unreasonable  is  it  to 
reprobate  words  which  express  nothing  but  what  is  testified  and 
recorded  in  the  Scriptures  ! It  were  better,  say  they,  to  restrain 
not  only  our  thoughts,  but  our  expressions  also,  within  the 
limits  of  the  Scripture,  than  to  introduce  exotic  words,  which 
may  generate  future  dissensions  and  disputes ; for  thus  we 
weary  ourselves  with  verbal  controversies ; thus  the  truth  is 
lost  in  altercation ; thus  charity  expires  in  odious  contention. 
If  they  call  every  word  exotic,  which  cannot  be  found  in  the 
Scriptures  in  so  many  syllables,  they  impose  on  us  a law  which 
is  very  unreasonable,  and  which  condemns  all  interpretation, 
but  what  is  composed  of  detached  texts  of  Scripture  connected 


118  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

together.  But  if  by  exotic  they  mean  that  which  is  curiously 
contrived,  and  superstitiously  defended,  which  tends  to  conten- 
tion more  than  to  edification,  the  use  of  which  is  either  unsea- 
sonable or  unprofitable,  which  otfends  pious  ears  with  its  harsh- 
ness, and  seduces  persons  from  the  simplicity  of  the  Divine 
Avord,  I most  cordially  embrace  their  modest  opinion.  For  I 
think  that  we  ought  to  speak  of  God  with  the  same  religious  cau- 
tion, which  should  govern  our  thoughts  of  him ; since  all  the 
thoughts  that  we  entertain  concerning  him  merely  from  our- 
selves, are  foolish,  and  all  our  expressions  absurd.  But  there 
is  a proper  medium  to  be  observed : we  should  seek  in  the 
Scriptures  a certain  rule,  both  for  thinking  and  for  speaking  ; 
by  which  Ave  may  regulate  all  the  thoughts  of  our  minds,  and 
all  the  words  of  our  mouths.  But  Avhat  forbids  our  expressing, 
in  plainer  words,  those  things  Avhich,  in  the  Scriptures,  are,  to 
our  understanding,  intricate  and  obscure,  provided  our  expres- 
sions religiously  and  faithfully  convey  the  true  sense  of  the 
Scripture,  and  are  used  with  modest  caution,  and  not  Avithout 
sufficient  occasion  ? Of  this,  examples  sufficiently  numerous 
are  not  Avanting.  But,  Avhen  it  shall  have  been  proved,  that 
the  Church  Avas  absolutely  necessitated  to  use  the  terms  Trinity 
and  Persons,  if  any  one  then  censures  the  novelty  of  the  Avords, 
may  he  not  be  justly  considered  as  offended  at  the  light  of  the 
truth  ? as  having  no  other  cause  of  censure,  but  that  the  truth 
is  explained  and  elucidated  ? 

IV.  But  such  verbal  novelty  (if  it  must  have  this  appella- 
tion) is  principally  used,  when  the  truth,  is  to  be  asserted  in 
opposition  to  malicious  cavillers,  Avho  elude  it  by  crafty  eva- 
sions ; of  Avhich  Ave  have  too  much  experience  in  the  present 
day,  who  find  great  difficulty  in  refuting  the  enemies  of  pure 
and  sound  doctrine  : possessed  of  serpentine  lubricity,  they 
escape  by  the  most  artful  expedients,  unless  they  are  vigor- 
ously pursued,  and  held  fast  when  once  caught.  Thus  the 
ancients,  pestered  with  various  controversies  against  erroneous 
dogmas,  Avere  constrained  to  express  their  sentiments  Avith  the 
utmost  perspicuity,  that  they  might  leave  no  subterfuges  to 
the  impious,  Avho  availed  themselves  of  obscure  expressions, 
for  the  concealment  of  their  errors.  Unable  to  resist  the  clear 
testimonies  of  the  Scriptures,  Ariiis  confessed  Christ  to  be 
God,  and  the  Son  of  God  ; and,  as  though  this  Avere  all  that 
Avas  necessary,  he  pretended  to  agree  Avith  the  Church  at  large. 
But,  at  the  same  time,  he  continued  to  maintain  that  Christ 
Avas  created,  and  had  a beginning  like  other  creatures.  To 
draAV  the  versatile  subtlety  of  this  man  from  its  concealment, 
the  ancient  Fathers  proceeded  further,  and  declared  Christ  to 
be  the  eternal  Son  of  the  Father,  and  consubstantial  A^^ith  the 
Father.  Here  impiety  openly  discovered  itself,  Avhen  the  Allans 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  119 

began  inveterately  to  hate  and  execrate  the  name  o[^oov(riog,  (con- 
substantial.)  ' But  if,  in  the  first  instance,  they  had  sincerely 
and  cordially  confessed  Christ  to  be  God,  they  would  not  have 
denied  him  to  be  consubstantial  with  the  Father.  Who  can 
dare  to  censure  those  good  men,  as  quarrelsome  and  conten- 
tious, for  having  kindled  such  a flame  of  controversy,  and  dis- 
turbed the  peace  of  the  Church  on  account  of  one  little  word  ? 
That  little  word  distinguished  Christians,  who  held  the  pure 
faith,  from  sacrilegious  Arians.  Afterwards  arose  Sabellius, 
who  considered  the  names  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit, 
as  little  more  than  empty  sounds  ; arguing,  that  they  were 
not  used  on  account  of  any  real  distinction,  but  were  different 
attributes  of  God,  whose  attributes  of  this  kind  are  numerous. 
If  the  point  came  to  be  controverted,  he  confessed,  that  he 
believed  the  Father  to  be  God,  the  Son  God,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  God  ; but  he  would  readily  evade  all  the  force  of  this 
confession,  by  adding,  that  he  had  said  no  other  than  if  he 
had  called  God  potent,  and  just,  and  wise.  And  thus  he  came 
to  another  conclusion,  that  the  Father  is  the  Son,  and  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  Father,  without  any  order  or  distinction. 
The  good  doctors  of  that  age,  who  had  the  interest  of  religion 
at  heart,  in  order  to  counteract  the  wickedness  of  this  man, 
maintained,  on  the  contrary,  that  they  ought  really  to  ac- 
knowledge three  peculiar  properties  in  one  God.  And,  to 
defend  themselves  against  his  intricate  subtleties,  by  the  plain 
and  simple  truth,  they  affirmed,  that  they  truly  subsisted  in 
the  one  God ; or,  what  is  the  same,  that  in  the  unity  of  God 
there  subsisted  a trinity  of  Persons. 

Y.  If,  then,  the  words  have  not  been  rashly  invented,  we 
should  beware  lest  we  be  convicted  of  fastidious  temerity  in 
rejecting  them.  I could  wish  them,  indeed,  to  be  buried  in 
oblivion,  provided  this  faith  were  universally  received,  that 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  are  the  one  God ; and  that 
nevertheless  the  Son  is  not  the  Father,  nor  the  Spirit  the  Son, 
but  that  they  are  distinguished  from  each  other  by  some  pe- 
culiar property.  I am  not  so  rigidly  precise  as  to  be  fond  of 
contending  for  mere  words.  For  I observe  that  the  ancients, 
who  otherwise  speak  on  these  subjects  with  great  piety,  are 
not  consistent  with  each  other,  nor,  in  all  cases,  with  themselves. 
For  what  forms  of  expression,  adopted  by  councils,  does 
Hilary  excuse  ! To  what  extremes  does  Augustine  some- 
times proceed ! How  different  are  the  Greeks  from  the 
Latins  ! But  of  this  variation,  let  one  example  suffice  ; when 
the  Latins  would  translate  the  word  o^ooudiog,  they  called  it 
consubstantial^  signifying  the  substance  of  the  Father  and  the 
Son  to  be  one,  and  thus  using  substance  for  essence.  Whence 
also  Jerome,  writing  to  Damasus,  pronounces  it  to  be  sacrilege 


120  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

to  say  that  there  are  three  substances  in  God.  Yet,  that  there 
are  three  suhstaiices  in  God,  you  will  find  asserted  in  Hilary 
more  than  a hundred  times.  But  how  perplexed  is  Jerome 
on  the  word  hypostasis  ! For  he  suspects  some  latent  poison 
in  the  assertion,  that  there  are  three  hypostases  in  God.  And 
if  any  one  uses  this  word  in  a pious  sense,  he  refrains  not  from 
calling  it  an  improper  expression  ; if,  indeed,  he  was  sincere 
in  this  declaration,  and  did  not  rather  knowingly  and  wilfully 
endeavour  to  asperse,  with  a groundless  calumny,  the  bishops 
of  the  East,  whom  he  hated.  He  certainly  discovers  not  much 
ingenuousness  in  affirming  that,  in  all  the  profane  schools, 
outf/a  (essence)  is  the  same  as  u-Trotfratfig,  (hypostasis,)  which  the 
trite  and  common  use  of  the  words  universally  contradicts. 
More  modesty  and  liberality  are  discovered  by  Augustine, 
who,  though  he  asserts  that  the  word  hypostasis^  in  this  sense, 
is  new  to  Latin  ears,  yet  leaves  the  Greeks  their  usual  phra- 
seology, and  even  peaceably  tolerates  the  Latins,  who  had  im- 
itated their  language ; and  the  account  of  Socrates,  in  the 
sixth  book  of  his  Tripartite  History,  seems  to  imply,  that  it  was 
by  ignorant  men  that  it  had  first  been  improperly  applied  to  this 
subject.  The  same  Hilary  accuses  the  heretics  of  a great 
crime,  in  constraining  him,  by  their  wickedness,  to  expose  to 
the  danger  of  human  language  those  things  which  ought  to 
be  Confined  within  the  religion  of  the  mind ; plainly  avowing 
that  this  is  to  do  things  unlawful,  to  express  things  inexpressible, 
to  assume  things  not  conceded.  A little  after,  he  largely  ex- 
cuses himself  for  his  boldness  in  bringing  forward  new  terms  ; 
for,  when  he  has  used  the  names  of  nature.  Father,  Son,  and 
Spirit,  he  immediately  adds,  that  whatever  is  sought  further, 
is  beyond  the  signification  of  language,  beyond  the  reach  of 
our  senses,  beyond  the  conception  of  our  understanding.  And, 
in  another  place,  he  pronounces  that  happy  were  the  bishops 
of  Gaul,  who  had  neither  composed,  nor  received,  nor  even 
known,  any  other  confession  but  that  ancient  and  very  simple 
one,  which  had  been  received  in  all  the  churches  from  the 
days  of  the  Apostles.  Very  similar  is  the  excuse  of  Augustine, 
that  this  word  was  extorted  by  necessity,  on  account  of  the 
poverty  of  human  language  on  so  great  a subject,  not  for  the 
sake  of  expressing  what  God  is,  but  to  avoid  passing  it  over 
in  total  silence,  that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  are  three. 
This  moderation  of  those  holy  men  should  teach  us,  not  to 
pass  such  severe  censures  on  those  who  are  unwilling  to  sub- 
scribe to  expressions  adopted  by  us,  provided  they  are  not 
actuated  by  pride,  perverseness,  or  disingenuous  subtlety.  But 
let  them  also,  on  the  other  hand,  consider  the  great  necessity 
which  constrains  us  to  use  such  language,  that,  by  degrees, 
they  may  at  length  be  accustomed  to  a useful  phraseology. 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  121 

Let  them  also  learn  to  beware,  since  we  have  to  oppose  the 
Arians  on  one  side,  and  the  Sabellians  on  the  other,  lest,  while 
they  take  offence  at  both  these  parties  being  deprived  of  all  . 
opportunity  of  evasion,  they  cause  some  suspfcion  that  they 
are  themselves  the  disciples  either  of  Arius  or  of  Sabellius. 
Aldus  confesses,  ‘‘that  Christ  is  God;”  but  maintains  also, 

“ that  he  was  created,  and  had  a beginning.”  He  acknowledges 
that  Christ  is  “one  with  the  Father  ; ” but  secretly  Avhispers 
in  the  ears  of  his  disciples,  that  he  is  “united  to  him,”  like 
the  rest  of  the  faithful,  though  by  a singular  privilege.  Say 
that  he  is  co7isubsta7itial,  you  tear  off  the  mask  from  the 
hypocrite,  and  yet  you  add  nothing  to  the  Scriptures.  Sa- 
bellius asserts,  “ that  the  names  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  are 
expressive  of  no  distinction  in  the  Godhead.”  Say  that  they 
are  three,  and  he  will  exclaim,  that  you  are  talking  of  “ three 
gods.”  Say,  “ that  in  the  one  essence  of  God  there  is  a trinity 
of  Persons,”  and  you  will  at  once  express  what  the  Scriptures 
declare,  and  will  restrain  such  frivolous  loquacity.  Now,  if 
any  persons  are  prevented,  by  such  excessive  scrupulousness, 
from  admitting  these  terms,  yet  not  one  of  them  can  deny, 
that,  when  the  Scripture  speaks  of  one  God,  it  should  be  un- 
derstood of  a unity  of  substance  ; and  that,  when  it  speaks 
of  three  in  one  essence,  it  denotes  the  Persons  in  this  trinity. 
When  this  is  honestly  confessed,  we  have  no  further  concern 
about  words.  But  I have  found,  by  long  and  frequent  ex- 
perience, that  those  who  pertinaciously  contend  about  words, 
cherish  some  latent  poison ; so-  that  it  were  better  designedly 
to  provoke  their  resentment,  than  to  use  obscure  language  for 
the  sake  of  obtaining  their  favour. 

VI.  But,  leaving  the  dispute  about  terms,  I shall  now  enter 
on  the  discussion  of  the  subject  itself.  What  I denominate  a 
Person,  is  a subsistence  in  the  Divine  essence,  which  is  re- 
lated to  the  others,  and  yet  distinguished  from  them  by  an  in- 
communicable property.  By  the  word  subsiste7ice  we  mean 
something  different  from  the  word  essence.  For,  if  the  Word 
were  simply  God,  and  had  no  peculiar  property,  John  had 
been  guilty  of  impropriety  in  saying  that  he  was  always  with 
God.  (1)  When  he  immediately  adds,  that  the  Word  also  was 
God,  he  reminds  us  of  the  unity  of  the  essence.  But  because 
he  could  not  be  with  God,  without  subsisting  in  the  Father, 
hence  arises  that  subsistence,  which,  although  inseparably  con- 
nected with  the  essence,  has  a peculiar  mark,  by  which  it  is 
distinguished  from  it.  Now,  I say  that  each  of  the  three  sub-  | 
sistences  has  a relation  to  the  others,  but  is  distinguished  from  | 
them  by  a peculiar  property.  We  particularly  use  the  word  ' 

(l)  John  1.  1. 

VOL.  I.  16 


122  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

relation^  (or  comparison^)  here,  because,  when  mention  is  made 
simply  and  indefinitely  of  God,  this  name  pertains  no  less  to 
the  Son  and  Spirit,  than  to  the  Father.  But  whenever  the 
Father  is  compared  with  the  Son,  the  property  peculiar  to 
each  distinguishes  him  from  the  other.  Thirdly,  whatever 
is  proper  to  each  of  them,  I assert  to  be  incommunicable,  be- 
cause whatever  is  ascribed  to  the  Father  as  a character  of 
distinction,  cannot  be  applied  or  transferred  to  the  Son.  Nor, 
indeed,  do  I disapprove  of  the  definition  of  Tertullian,  if  rightly 
understood  : That  there  is  in  God  a certain  distribution  or 
economy,  which  makes  no  change  in  the  unity  of  the  essence.” 

VII.  But  before  I proceed  any  further,  I must  prove  the 
Deity  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; after  which  we 
shall  see  how  they  differ  from  each  other.  When  the  Scrip- 
ture speaks  of  the  Word  of  God,  it  certainly  were  very  absurd 
to  imagine  it  to  be  only  a transient  and  momentary  sound, 
emitted  into  the  air,  and  coming  forth  from  God  himself ; of 
which  nature  were  the  oracles,  given  to  the  fathers,  and  all 
the  prophecies.  It  is  rather  to  be  understood  of  the  eternal 
wisdom  residing  in  God,  whence  the  oracles,  and  all  the 
prophecies,  proceeded.  For,  according  to  the  testimony  of 
Peter,  (m)  the  ancient  Prophets  spake  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
no  less  than  the  Apostles  and  all  the  succeeding  ministers  of 
the  heavenly  doctrine.  But,  as  Christ  had  not  yet  been  man- 
ifested, we  must  necessarily  understand  that  the  Word  was 
begotten  of  the  Father  before  the  world  began.  And  if  the 
Spirit  that  inspired  the  Prophets  was  the  Spirit  of  the  Word, 
we  conclude,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  the  Word  was  truly  God. 
And  this  is  taught  by  Moses,  with  sufficient  perspicuity,  in  the 
creation  of  the  world,  in  which  he  represents  the  Word  as 
acting  such  a conspicuous  part.  For  why  does  he  relate  that 
God,  in  the  creation  of  each  of  his  works,  said.  Let  this  or  that 
be  done,  but  that  the  unsearchable  glory  of  God  may  resplen- 
dently  appear  in  his  image  ? Captious  and  loquacious  men 
would  readily  evade  this  argument,  by  saying,  that  the  Word 
imports  an  order  or  command  ; but  the  Apostles  are  better  in- 
terpreters, who  declare,  that  the  worlds  were  created  by  the 
Son,  and  that  he  ‘‘upholds  all  things  by  the  word  of  his 
power.”  (n)  For  here  we  see  that  the  Word  intends  the  nod 
or  mandate  of  the  Son,  who  is  himself  the  eternal  and  essential 
Son  of  the  Father.  Nor,  to  the  wise  and  sober,  is  there  any 
obscurity  in  that  passage  of  Solomon,  where  he  introduces 
Wisdom  as  begotten  of  the  Father  before  time  began,  and  pre- 
siding at  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  over  all  the  works  of 
God.  For,  to  pretend  that  this  denotes  some  temporary  ex- 


(w)  1 Pet.  i.  11. 


(«)  Hob.  i.  2,  3. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


123 


CHAP.  XIII.] 

pression  of  the  will  of  God,  were  foolish  and  frivolous  ; where- 
as God  then  intended  to  discover  his  fixed  and  eternal  counsel, 
and  even  something  more  secret.  To  the  same  purpose  also 
is  that  assertion  of  Christ,  My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and 
I work.”  (o)  For,  by  affirming  that,  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  he  had  continually  cooperated  with  the  Father,  he 
makes  a more  explicit  declaration  of  what  had  been  briefly 
glanced  at  by  Moses.  We  conclude,  therefore,  that  God  spake 
thus  at  the  creation,  that  the  Word  might  have  his  part  in  the 
work,  and  so  that  operation  be  common  to  both.  But  John 
speaks  more  clearly  than  all  others,  when  he  represents  the 
Word^  who  from  the  beginning  loas  God  with  God^  as  in 
union  with  the  Father,  the  original  cause  of  all  things.  For 
to  the  Word  he  both  attributes  a real  and  permanent  essence, 
and  assigns  some  peculiar  property ; and  plainly  shows  how 
God,  by  speaking,  created  the  world.  Therefore,  as  all  Divine 
revelations  are  justly  entitled  the  word  of  God,  so  we  ought 
chiefly  to  esteem  that  substantial  Word  the  source  of  all  re- 
velations, who  is  liable  to  no  variation,  who  remains  with  God 
perpetually  one  and  the  same,  and  who  is  God  himself. 

YIII.  Here  Ave  are  interrupted  by  some  clamorous  objectors, 
who,  since  they  cannot  openly  rob  him  of  his  divinity,  secretly 
steal  from  him  his  eternity.  For  they  say,  that  the  W ord  only 
began  to  exist,  when  God  opened  his  sacred  mouth  in  the  cre- 
ation of  the  world.  But  they  are  too  inconsiderate  in  imagin- 
ing something  new  in  the  substance  of  God.  For,  as  those 
names  of  God,  which  relate  to  his  external  works,  began  to  be 
ascribed  to  him  after  the  existence  of  those  works,  as  when  he 
is  called  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  so  piety  neither  ac- 
knowledges nor  admits  any  name,  signifying  that  God  has 
found  any  thing  new  to  happen  to  himself.  For,  could  any 
thing,  from  any  quarter,  effect  a change  in  him,  it  would  contra- 
dict the  assertion  of  James,  that  every  good  gift  and  every  per- 
fect gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Father  of 
lights,  with  Avhom  is  no  variableness  or  shadow  of  turning.”  (p) 
Nothing,  then,  is  more  intolerable,  than  to  suppose  a beginning 
of  that  Word,  which  was  always  God,  and  afterwards  the  Cre- 
ator of  the  world.  But  they  argue,  in  their  own  apprehension 
most  acutely,  that  Moses,  by  representing  God  as  having 
then  spoken  for  the  first  time,  implies  also,  that  there  was  no 
Word  in  him  before;  than  which  nothing  is  more  absurd.  For 
it  is  not  to  be  concluded,  because  any  thing  begins  to  be  man- 
ifested at  a certain  time,  that  it  had  no  prior  existence.  I form 
a very  different  conclusion  ; that,  since,  in  the  very  instant  Avhen 
God  said,  “ Let  there  be  light,”  {q)  the  poAver  of  the  Word 


(o)  John  V.  17. 


{p)  James  i.  17. 


{q)  Gen.  i.  3. 


124  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

was  clearly  manifested,  the  Word  must  have  existed  long  before. 
But  if  any  one  inquires,  how  long,  he  will  find  no  beginning. 
For  he  limits  no  certain  period  of  time,  when  he  himself  says, 

O Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with  the 
glory  which  I had  with  thee  before  the  world  was.”  (r)  Nor 
is  this  omitted  by  John  ,*  for,  before  he  descends  to  the  creation 
of  the  world,  he  declares  that  the  Word  was  in  the  beginning 
with  God.”  (s)  We  therefore  conclude  again,  that  the  Word, 
conceived  of  God  before  time  began,  perpetually  remained  with 
him,  which  proves  his  eternity,  his  true  essence,  and  his  divinity. 

IX.  Though  I advert  not  yet  to  the  person  of  the  Mediator, 
but  defer  it  to  that  part  of  the  work  which  will  relate  to  re- 
demption, yet,  since  it  ought,  without  controversy,  to  be  believed 
by  all,  that  Christ  is  the  very  same  Word  clothed  in  flesh,  any 
testimonies  which  assert  the  Deity  of  Christ,  will  be  very  prop- 
erly introduced  here.  When  it  is  said,  in  the  forty-fifth  Psalm, 
“ Thy  throne,  O God,  is  for  ever  and  ever,”  the  Jews  endeav- 
our to  evade  its  force,  by  pleading  that  the  name  Elohim  is  ap- 
plicable also  to  angels,  and  to  men  of  dignity  and  power.  But 
there  cannot  be  found  in  the  Scripture  a similar  passage,  which 
erects  an  eternal  throne  for  a creature ; for  he  is  not  merely 
called  God,  but  is  also  declared  to  possess  an  eternal  dominion. 
Besides,  this  title  is  never  given  to  a creature,  without  some 
addition,  as  when  it  is  said  that  Moses  should  be  a god  to 
Pharaoh.”  [t]  Some  read  it  in  the  genitive  case,  Thy  throne 
is  of  God,”  which  is  extremely  insipid.  I confess,  indeed,  that 
what  is  eminently  and  singularly  excellent,  is  frequently  called 
Divine ; but  it  sufficiently  appears  from  the  context,  that  such 
a meaning  would  be  uncouth  and  forced,  and  totally  inappli- 
cable here.  But,  if  their  perverseness  refuse  to  yield  this  point, 
there  certainly  is  no  obscurity  in  Isaiah,  where  he  introduces 
Christ  as  God,  and  as  crowned  with  supreme  power,  Avhich  is 
the  prerogative  of  God  alone.  His  name,”  says  he,  “ shall  be 
called  the  Mighty  God,  the  Father  of  eternity,”  &c.  {v)  Here 
also  the  Jews  object,  and  invert  the  reading  of  the  passage  in 
this  manner : This  is  the  name  by  which  the  mighty  God, 
the  Father  of  eternity,  shall  call  him,”  &c. ; so  that  they 
would  leave  the  Son  only  the  title  of  Prince  of  peace.  But  to 
what  purpose  would  so  many  epithets  be  accumulated  in  this 
passage  on  God  the  Father,  when  the  design  of  the  prophet  is 
to  distinguish  Christ  by  such  eminent  characters  as  may  estab- 
lish our  faith  in  him  ? Wherefore,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
he  is  there  denominated  the  Mighty  God,  just  as,  a little  before, 
he  is  called  Immanuel.  But  nothing  can  be  required  plainer 
than  a passage  in  Jeremiah,  that  this  should  be  the  name 


(r)  John  xvii.  5. 


(5)  John  i.  2.  («)  Exod.  vii.  1.  (r)  Isaiah  ix.  6. 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  125 

whereby  the  Branch  of  David  shall  be  called  “ Jehovah  our 
righteousness.”  {w)  For  since  the  Jews  themselves  teach,  that  all 
other  names  of  God  are  mere  epithets,  but  that  this  alone,  which 
they  call  inelfable,  is  a proper  name  expressive  of  his  Essence, 
we  conclude,  that  the  Son  is  the  one  eternal  God,  who  declares, 
in  another  place,  that  he  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another.”  (2') 
This  also  they  endeavour  to  evade,  because  Moses  imposed 
this  name  on  an  altar  which  he  built,  and  Ezekiel  on  the  city 
of  the  new  Jerusalem.  But  who  does  not  perceive,  that  the 
altar  was  erected  as  a monument  of  Moses  having  been  exalted 
by  God,  and  that  Jerusalem  is  honoured  with  the  name  of  God, 
only  as  a testimony  of  the  Divine  presence  ? For  thus  speaks 
the  prophet : The  name  of  the  city  shall  be,  Jehovah  is 
there.”  (y)  But  Moses  expresses  himself  thus  : He  built  an 
altar,  and  called  the  name  of  it  Jehovah-nissi,”  (my  exalta- 
tion.) (2:)  But  there  is  more  contention  about  another  passage 
of  Jeremiah,  where  the  same  title  is  given  to  Jerusalem  in  these 
words : This  is  the  name  wherewith  she  shall  be  called,  Je- 

hovah our  righteousness.”  {a)  But  this  testimony  is  so  far 
from  opposing  the  truth  which  we  are  defending,  that  it  rather 
confirms  it.  For,  having  before  testified  that  Christ  is  the  true 
Jehovah,  from  whom  righteousness  proceeds,  he  now  pro- 
nounces that  the  church  will  have  such  a clear  apprehension  of 
it,  as  to  be  able  to  glory  in  the  same  name.  In  the  former 
place,  then,  is  shown  the  original  cause  of  righteousness,  in  the 
latter  the  effect. 

X.  Now,  if  these  things  do  not  satisfy  the  Jews,  I see  not  by 
what  cavils  they  can  evade  the  accounts  of  Jehovah  having  so 
frequently  appeared  in  the  character  of  an  angel.  An  angel  is 
said  to  have  appeared  to  the  holy  fathers.  He  claims  for  him- 
self the  name  of  the  eternal  God.  If  it  be  objected,  that  this  is 
spoken  with  regard  to  the  character  which  he  sustains,  this  by 
no  means  removes  the  difficulty.  For  a servant  would  never 
rob  God  of  his  honour,  by  permitting  sacrifice  to  be  offered  to 
himself.  But  the  angel,  refusing  to  eat  bread,  commands  a 
sacrifice  to  be  offered  to  Jehovah.  He  afterwards  demonstrates 
that  he  is  really  Jehovah  himself.  Therefore  Manoah  and  his 
wife  conclude,  from  this  evidence,  that  they  have  seen,  not  a 
mere  angel,  but  God  himself  Hence  he  says,  We  shall  surely 
die,  because  we  have  seen  God.”  When  his  wife  replies,  ‘‘If 
the  Lord  were  pleased  to  kill  us,  he  would  not  have  received  ” 
a sacrifice  “at  our  hands,”  (6)  she  clearly  acknowledges  him  to 
be  God,  who  before  is  called  an  angel.  Moreover,  the  reply  of  the 
angel  himself  removes  every  doubt  : “ Why  askest  thou  after 
my  name,  seeing  it  is  wonderful  ? ” So  much  the  more  detes- 

(w)  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  (?/)  Ezek.  xlviii.  35.  (a)  .Ter.  xxxiii.  16. 

(x)  Isaiah  xlii.  8.  (z)  Exod.  xvii.  15.  \b)  Judges  xiii.  22,23. 


126 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 


table  is  the  impiety  of  Servetus,  in  asserting  that  God  never 
appeared  to  Abraham  and  the  ofher  patriarchs,  but  that  they 
worshipped  an  angel  in  his  stead.  But  the  orthodox  doctors  of 
the  church  have  truly  and  wisely  understood  and  taught,  that 
the  same  chief  angel  was  the  Word  of  God,  who  even  then  be- 
gan to  perform  some  services  introductory  to  his  execution  of 
the  office  of  Mediator.  For  though  he  was  not  yet  incarnate, 
he  descended,  as  it  were,  in  a mediatorial  capacity,  that  he 
might  approach  the  faithful  with  greater  familiarity.  His  fa- 
miliar intercourse  with  men  gave  him  the  name  of  an  angel  ,* 
yet  he  still  retained  what  properly  belonged  to  him,  and  con- 
tinued the  ineffably  glorious  God.  The  same  truth  is  attested 
by  Hosea,  who,  after  relating  the  wrestling  of  Jacob  with  an 
angel,  says,  “ The  Lord  (Jehovah)  God  of  hosts ; Jehovah  is 
Iiis  memorial.”  (c)  Servetus  again  cavils,  that  God  employed 
the  person  of  an  angel ; as  though  the  prophet  did  not  confirm 
what  had  been  delivered  by  Moses,  — Wherefore  is  it  that  thou 
dost  ask  after  my  name  ? ” And  the  confession  of  the  holy  pa- 
triarch, when  he  says,  “I  have  seen  God  face  to  face,”  (c?) 
sufficiently  declares,  that  he  was  not  a created  angel,  but  one 
in  whom  resided  the  fulness  of  Deity.  Hence,  also,  the  repre- 
sentation of  Paul,  that  Christ  was  the  conductor  of  the  people 
in  the  wilderness ; because,  though  the  time  of  his  humiliation 
was  not  yet  arrived,  the  eternal  Word  then  exhibited  a type  of 
the  office  to  which  he  was  appointed.  Now,  if  the  second  chap- 
ter of  Zechariah  be  strictly  and  coolly  examined,  the  angel  who 
sends  another  angel  is  immediately  pronounced  the  God  of  hosts, 
and  supreme  power  is  ascribed  to  him.  I omit  testimonies  in- 
numerable on  which  our  faith  safely  rests,  although  they  have 
little  influence  on  the  Jews.  For  when  it  is  said  in  Isaiah,  Lo, 
this  is  our  God ; we  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us ; 
this  is  Jehovah  ; ” (e)  all  who  have  eyes  may  perceive  that  this 
is  God,  who  arises  for  the  salvation  of  his  people.  And  the 
emphatical  repetition  of  these  pointed  expressions  forbids  an 
application  of  this  passage  to  any  other  than  to  Christ.  But  still 
more  plain  and  decisi  ve  is  a passage  of  Malachi,  where  he  proph- 
esies, that  “ the  Lord,  who  was  then  sought,  should  come 
into  his  temple.”  (/)  The  temple  was  exclusively  consecrated  to 
the  one  Most  High  God  ; yet  the  prophet  claims  it  as  belonging 
to  Christ.  Whence  it  follows,  that  he  is  the  same  God  that  was 
always  worshipped  among  the  Jews. 

XI.  The  New  Testament  abounds  with  innumerable  tes-^ 
timonies.  We  must,  therefore,  endeavour  briefly  to  select  a 
few,  rather  than  to  collect  them  all.  Though  the  Apostles 
spake  of  him  after  he  had  appeared  in  flesh  as  the  Mediator, 


(c)  Hosea  xii.  5. 

(d)  Gen.  xxxii.  29,  30. 


(c)  Isaiah  xxv.  9. 
(/)  Mai.  iii.  1. 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  127 

yet  all  that  I shall  adduce  will  be  adapted  to  prove  his  eternal 
Deity.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  worthy  of  particular  observa- 
tion, that  the  apostle  represents  those  things  which  were  pre- 
dicted concerning  the  eternal  God,  as  either  already  exhibited 
in  Christ,  or  to  be  accomplished  in  him  at  some  future  period. 
The  prediction  of  Isaiah,  that  the  Lord  of  Hosts  would  be 
‘‘for  a stone  of  stumbling,  and  for  a rock  of  offence  to  both 
the  houses  of  Israel,”  (g)  Paul  asserts  to  have  been  fulfilled 
in  Christ,  (h)  Therefore  he  declares,  that  Christ  is  the  Lord 
of  Hosts.  There  is  a similar  instance  in  another  place  : “We 
shall  all  stand,”  says  he,  “ before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ. 
For  it  is  written,  As  I live,  saith  the  Lord,  every  knee  shall 
bow  to  me,  and  every  tongue  shall  confess  to  God.”  (i)  Since 
God,  in  Isaiah,  (k)  declares  this  concerning  himself,  and  Christ 
actually  exhibits  it  in  his  own  person,  it  follows,  that  he  is 
that  very  God,  whose  glory  cannot  be  transferred  to  another. 
The  apostle’s  quotation  from  the  Psalms  also,  in  his  Epistle 
to  the  Ephesians,  is  evidently  applicable  to  none  but  God  : 
“ When  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive  : ” (/) 
understanding  that  ascension  to  have  been  prefigured  by  the 
exertions  of  the  Divine  power  in  the  signal  victories  of  David 
over  the  heathen  nations,  he  signifies,  that  the  text  was  more 
fully  accomplished  in  Christ.  Thus  John  attests  that  it  was 
the  glory  of  the  Son  which  was  revealed  in  a vision  to  Isaiah  ; 
w'hereas  the  prophet  himself  records  that  he  saw  the  majesty 
of  God.  (m)  And  those  praises  which  the  Apostle,  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  ascribes  to  the  Son,  beyond  all  doubt 
most  evidently  belong  to  God  : “ Thou,  Lord,  in  the  begin- 
ning, hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth  ; and  the  heavens 
are  the  works  of  thine  hands,”  &c.  Again,  “ Let  all  the 
angels  of  God  worship  him.”  (n)  Nor  is  it  any  misapplication 
of  them,  when  he  refers  them  to  Christ ; since  all  that  is  pre- 
dicted in  those  Psalms  has  been  accomplished  only  by  him. 
For  it  was  He  who  arose  and  had  mercy  upon  Zion  ; it  was 
He  who  claimed  as  his  own  the  dominion  over  all  nations  and 
islands.  And  why  should  John,  after  having  affirmed,  at  the 
commencement  of  his  Gospel,  (o)  that  the  Word  was  always 
God,  have  hesitated  to  attribute  to  Christ  the  majesty  of  God  ? 
And  why  should  Paul  have  been  afraid  to  place  Christ  on  the 
tribunal  of  God,  (p)  after  having  so  publicly  preached  his 
Divinity,  when  he  called  him  “God  blessed  for  ever  ? ” ((/) 
And,  to  show  how  consistent  he  is  with  himself  on  this  sub- 
ject, he  says,  also,  that  “God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh.”  (r) 

(g)  Isaiah  viii.  14.  (/)  Eph.  iv.  8.  Psalm  Ixviii.  18.  (p)  2 Cor.  v.  10. 

(h)  Rom.  ix.  33.  (m)  John  xii.  41.  Isaiah  vi.  1.  (q)  Rom.  ix.  5. 

{i)  Rom.  xiv.  10,  11.  (n)  Heb.  i.  6,  10.  (r)  1 Tim.  iii.  16. 

{k)  Isaiah  xlv.  23.  (o)  John  i.  1,  14. 


128  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

If  he  is  ‘‘  God  blessed  for  ever,”  he  is  the  same  to  whom  this 
apostle,  ill  another  place,  affirms  all  glory  and  honour  to  be 
due.  And  he  conceals  not,  but  openly  proclaims,  that,  being 
in  the  form  of  God,”  he  “ thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God,  but  made  himself  of  no  reputation.”  (s)  And,  lest 
the  impious  might  object,  that  he  is  a sort  of  artificial  God, 
John  goes  further,  and  affirms,  that  This  is  the  true  God, 
and  eternal  life  ; ” (if)  although  we  ought  to  be  fully  satisfied 
by  his  being  called  God,  especially  by  a witness  who  expressly 
avers  that  there  are  no  more  gods  than  one ; I mean  Paul,  who 
says,  though  there  be  that  are  called  gods,  whether  in  heaven 
or  in  earth ; to  us  there  is  but  one  God,  of  whom  are  all 
things.”  (v)  When  we  hear,  from  the  same  mouth,  that 
“ God  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,”  that  “ God  hath  purchased 
the  Church  with  his  own  blood,”  — why  do  we  imagine  a 
second  God,  whom  he  by  no  means  acknowledges  ? And 
there  is  no  doubt  that  all  the  pious  were  of  the  same  opinion. 
Thomas,  likewise,  by  publicly  confessing  him  to  be  “ his 
Lord  and  God,”  declares  him  to  be  the  same  true  God  whom 
he  had  always  worshipped,  (w) 

XII.  If  we  judge  of  his  Divinity  from  the  works  which  the 
Scriptures  attribute  to  him,  it  will  thence  appear  with  increas- 
ing evidence.  For  when  he  said,  that  he  had,  from  the  be- 
ginning, continually  cooperated  with  the  Father,  the  Jews, 
stupid  as  they  were  about  his  other  declarations,  yet  perceived, 
that  he  assumed  to  himself  Divine  power ; and,  therefore,  as 
John  informs  us,  they  ‘‘  sought  the  more  to  kill  him ; because 
he  not  only  had  broken  the  sabbath,  but  said  also  that  God 
was  his  Father,  making  himself  equal  with  God.”  (a;)  How 
great,  then,  must  be  our  stupidity,  if  we  perceive  not  this 
passage  to  be  a plain  assertion  of  his  Divinity ! To  preside 
over  the  world  by  his  almighty  providence,  and  to  govern 
all  things  by  the  nod  of  his  own  power,  (which  the  Apostle 
attributes  to  him,)  (y)  belongs  exclusively  to  the  Creator. 
And  he  participates  with  the  Father,  not  only  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  world,  but  also  in  all  other  offices,  which  cannot 
be  communicated  to  creatures.  The  Lord  proclaims,  by  the 
prophet,  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions, 
for  mine  own  sake.”  (z)  According  to  this  declaration,  when 
the  Jews  thought  that  Christ  committed  an  injury  against  God, 
by  undertaking  to  forgive  sins,  (a)  he  not  only  asserted  in 
express  terms,  that  this  power  belonged  to  him,  but  proved  it 
by  a miracle.  We  see,  therefore,  that  he  hath  not  the  min- 
stry,  but  the  power  of  remission  of  sins,  which  the  Lord  de- 

(5)  Philip,  ii.  6.  (w)  John  xx.  28.  (z)  Isaiah  xliii.  25. 

(t)  1 John  V.  20.  (x)  John  v.  18.  (a)  Matt.  ix.  6. 

(v)  1 Cor.  viii.  5,  6.  (]/)  Heb.  i.  3. 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  129 

dares  shall  never  be  transferred  from  himself  to  another.  Is 
it  not  the  prerogative  of  God  alone  to  examine  and  penetrate 
the  secret  thoughts  of  the  heart?  Yet  Christ  possessed  that 
power ; which  is  a proof  of  his  Divinity. 

XIII.  But  with  what  perspicuity  of  evidence  does  it  appear 
in  his  miracles ! Though  I grant  that  the  Prophets  and 
Apostles  performed  miracles  similar  and  equal  to  his,  yet 
there  is  a considerable  difference  in  this  respect,  that  they,  in 
their  ministry,  dispensed  the  favours  of  God,  whereas  his 
miracles  were  performed  by  his  exertions  of  his  own  power. 
He  sometimes,  indeed,  used  prayer,  that  he  might  glorify  the 
Father;  but,  in  most  instances,  we  percei\re  the  manifest 
displays  of  his  own  power.  And  how  should  not  he  be  the 
true  author  of  miracles,  who,  by  his  own  authority,  committed 
the  dispensation  of  them  to  others?  For  the  Evangelists 
relate,  that  he  gave  his  Apostles  power  to  raise  the  dead,  to 
heal  the  leprous,  to  cast  out  devils,  &c.  (b)  And  they  per- 
formed that  ministry  in  such  a manner,  as  plainly  to  discover, 
that  the  power  proceeded  solely  from  Christ.  ‘‘  In  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,”  says  Peter,  arise  and  walk.”  (c)  It  is  no 
wonder,  therefore,  that  Christ  should  bring  forward  his  mir- 
acles, (d)  to  convince  the  incredulity  of  the  Jews,  since,  being 
performed  by  his  own  power,  they  afforded  most  ample  evi- 
dence of  his  Divinity.  Besides,  if  out  of  God  there  be  no  sal- 
vation, no  righteousness,  no  life,  but  Christ  contains  all  these 
things  in  himself,  it  certainly  demonstrates  him  to  be  God. 
Let  it  not  be  objected,  that  life  and  salvation  are  infused  into 
him  by  God  ; for  he  is  not  said  to  have  received  salvation, 
but  to  be  himself  salvation.  And  if  no  one  be  good  but  God 
alone,  (e)  how  can  he  be  a mere  man  who  is,  I will  not  say 
good  and  righteous,  but  goodness  and  righteousness  itself? 
Even  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  an  Evangelist,  “ in  him  was  life  ; and  the  life  ” 
then  existed  as  “ the  light  of  men.”  Supported  by  such  proofs, 
therefore,  we  venture  to  repose  our  faith  and  hope  on  him ; 
whereas  we  know  that  it  is  impious  and  sacrilegious  for  any 
man  to  place  his  confidence  in  creatures.  He  says,  Ye  be- 
lieve in  God,  believe  also  in  me.”  (/)  And  in  this  sense  Paul 
interprets  two  passages  of  Isaiah  — “Whosoever  believeth  on 
him  shall  not  be  ashamed.”  Again,  “ There  shall  be  a root 
of  Jesse,  that  shall  rise  to  reign  over  the  Gentiles ; in  him  shall 
the  Gentiles  trust.”  (g)  And  why  should  we  search  for  more 
testimonies  from  Scripture,  when  this  declaration  occurs  so  fre- 
quently, “ He  that  believeth  on  me  hath  everlasting  life  ” ? (A) 

(6)  Matt.  X.  8.  Mark  iii.  15.  (c)  Acts  iii.  6.  {d)  John  v.  36 ; x.  37. 

(e)  Matt.  xix.  17.  (/)  John  xiv.  1. 

{g)  Isaiah  xxviii.  16  ; xi.  10.  Rom.  x.  11 } xv.  12.  {h)  John  vi.  47. 

VOL.  I.  17 


130  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I 

The  invocation,  arising  from  faith,  is  also  directed  to  him 
which,  nevertheless,  peculiarly  belongs,  if  any  thing  peculiarly 
belongs,  to  the  Divine  majesty.  For  a prophet  says,  “ Who- 
soever shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  (Jehovah)  shall  be 
delivered.”  {i)  And  Solomon,  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a 
strong  tower  : the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe.”  {k) 
But  the  name  of  Christ  is  invoked  for  salvation  : it  follows, 
therefore,  that  he  is  Jehovah.  Moreover,  we  have  an  example 
of  such  invocation  in  Stephen,  when  he  says,  Lord  Jesus, 
receive  my  spirit.”  (/)  And  afterwards  in  the  whole  Church, 
as  Ananias  testifies  in  the  same  book  : “ Lord,  I have  heard 
by  many  of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy 
saints  — that  call  on  thy  name.”  (m)  And  to  make  it  more 
clearly  understood,  that  “ all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
dwelleth  bodily  in  Christ,”  the  Apostle  confesses  that  he  had 
introduced  among  the  Corinthians  no  other  doctrine  than  the 
knowledge  of  him,  and  that  this  had  been  the  only  subject  of 
his  preaching,  (n)  What  a remarkable  and  important  consid- 
eration is  it,  that  the  name  of  the  Son  only  is  preached  to  us, 
whereas  God  commands  us  to  glory  in  the  knowledge  of  him- 
self alone  ! (o)  Who  can  dare  to  assert  that  he  is  a mere 
creature,  the  knowledge  of  whom  is  our  only  glory  ? It  must 
also  be  remarked,  that  the  salutations  prefixed  to  the  epistles 
of  Paul  implore  the  same  blessings  from  the  Son  as  from  the 
Father  ,*  whence  we  learn,  not  only  that  those  things,  which 
our  heavenly  Father  bestows,  are  obtained  for  us  by  his  in- 
tercession, but  that  the  Son,  by  a communion  of  power,  is 
himself  the  author  of  them.  This  practical  knowledge  is 
unquestionably  more  certain  and  solid  than  any  idle  specula- 
tion. For  then  the  pious  mind  has  the  nearest  view  of  the 
Divine  presence,  and  almost  touches  it,  when  it  experiences 
itself  to  be  quickened,  illuminated,  saved,  justified,  and  sanc- 
tified. 

XIV.  Wherefore  the  proof  of  the  Deity  of  the  Spirit  must  be 
derived  principally  from  the  same  sources.  There  is  no  ob- 
scurity in  the  testimony  of  Moses,  in  the  history  of  the  crea- 
tion, that  the  Spirit  of  God  was  expanded  on  the  abyss  or 
chaos  ]{p)  for  it  signifies,  not  only  that  the  beautiful  state  of 
the  world  which  we  now  behold  owes  its  preservation  to  the 
power  of  the  Spirit,  but  that,  previously  to  its  being  Xhus 
adorned,  the  Spirit  was  engaged  in  brooding  over  the  confused 
mass.  The  declaration  of  Isaiah  bids  defiance  to  all  cavils  : 
‘‘And  now  the  Lord  God,  and  his  Spirit,  hath  sent  me.”  (^) 
For  the  Holy  Spirit  is  united  in  the  exercise  of  supreme 

(i)  Joel  ii.  32.  (m)  Acts  ix.  13,  14.  (p)  Gen.  i.  2. 

{k)  Prov.  xviii.  10.  (n)  1 Cor.  ii.  2.  \q)  Isaiah  xlviii.  16. 

{1)  Acts  vii.  59.  {p)  Jer.  ix.  24. 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  131 

power  in  the  mission  of  Prophets,  which  is  a proof  of  his 
Divine  majesty.  But  the  best  confirmation,  as  I have  re- 
marked, we  shall  derive  from  familiar  experience.  For  what 
the  Scriptures  ascribe  to  him,  and  what  we  ourselves  learn  by 
the  certain  experience  of  piety,  is  not  at  all  applicable  to  any 
creature.  For  it  is  he  who,  being  universally  diffused,  sus- 
tains and  animates  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth.  And 
this  very  thing  excludes  him  from  the  number  of  creatures, 
that  he  is  circumscribed  by  no  limits,  but  transfuses  through 
all  his  own  vigorous  infitience,  to  inspire  them  with  being, 
life,  and  motion  : this  is  clearly  a work  of  Deity.  Again,  if 
regeneration  to  an  incorruptible  life  be  more  important  and 
excellent  than  any  present  life,  what  must  we  think  of  him 
from  whose  power  it  proceeds  ? But  the  Scripture  teaches,  in 
various  places,  that  he  is  the  author  of  regeneration  by  a 
power  not  derived,  but  properly  his  own ; and  not  of  regen- 
eration only,  but  likewise  of  the  future  immortality.  Finally, 
to  him,  as  well  as  to  the  Son,  are  applied  all  those  offices 
which  are  peculiar  to  Deity.  For  he  searcheth  even  the 
deep  things  of  God,”  (r)  who  admits  no  creature  to  a share 
in  his  councils.  He  bestows  wisdom  and  the  faculty  of 
speech;  (s)  whereas  the  Lord  declares  to  Moses,  that  this  can 
only  be  done  by  himself,  {t)  So  through  him  we  attain  to  a 
participation  of  God,  to  feel  his  vivifying  energy  upon  us. 
Our  justification  is  his  work.  From  him  proceed  power, 
sanctification,  truth,  grace,  and  every  other  blessing  we  can 
conceive  ; since  there  is  but  one  Spirit,  from  whom  every 
kind  of  gifts  descends.  For  this  passage  of  Paul  is  worthy  of 
particular  attention  : “ There  are  diversities  of  gifts,  and  there 
are  differences  of  administrations,  but  the  same  Spirit  ; ” [u) 
because  it  represents  him,  not  only  as  the  principle  and  source 
of  them,  but  also  as  the  author ; which  is  yet  more  clearly 
expressed  a little  after  in  these  words:  ‘‘All  these  worketh 
that  only  and  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man 
severally  as  he  will.”  For  if  he  were  not  a subsistence  in  the 
Deity,  judgment  and  voluntary  determination  would  never  be 
ascribed  to  him.  Paul,  therefore,  very  clearly  attributes  to  the 
Spirit  Divine  power,  and  thereby  demonstrates  him  to  be  an 
hypostasis  or  subsistence  in  God. 

XV.  Nor  does  the  Scripture,  when  it  speaks  of  him,  refrain 
from  giving  him  the  appellation  of  God.  For  Paul  concludes 
that  we  are  the  temple  of  God,  because  his  Spirit  dwelleth  in 
us.  {v)  This  must  not  be  passed  over  without  particular  notice  ; 
fur  the  frequent  promises  of  God,  that  he  will  choose  us  for  a 
temple  for  himself,  receive  no  other  accomplishment,  than  by 

(r)  1 Cor  ii.  10,  16.  {s)  1 Cor.  xii.  8.  {t)  Exod.  iv.  11. 

(u)  1 Cor.  xil.  4,  &c.  {v)  I Cor.  iii.  16;  vi.  19.  2 Cor.  vi.  16. 


132 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  L 


the  inhabitation  of  his  Spirit  in  us.  Certainly,  as  Augustine  ex- 
cellently observes,  If  we  were  commanded  to  erect  to  the  Spirit 
a temple  of  wood  and  stone,  forasmuch  as  God  is  the  sole  ob- 
ject of  worship,  it  would  be  a clear  proof  of  his  Divinity  ; how 
much  clearer,  then,  is  the  proof,  now  that  we  are  commanded, 
not  to  erect  one,  but  to  be  ourselves  his  temples ! ” And  the 
Apostle  calls  us  sometimes  the  temple  of  God,  and  sometimes 
the  temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  both  in  the  same  signification. 
Peter,  reprehending  Ananias  for  having  “lied  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,”  told  him  that  he  had  “not  lied  unto  men,  but  unto 
God.”  (tu)  And  where  Isaiah  (a;)  introduces  the  Lord  of  hosts  as 
the  speaker,  Paul  (y)  informs  us  that  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit  who 
speaks.  Indeed,  while  the  Prophets  invariably  declare,  that  the 
words  which  they  utter  are  those  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  Christ 
and  the  Apostles  refer  them  to  the  Holy  Spirit ; whence  it 
follows,  that  he  is  the  true  Jehovah,  who  is  the  primary  author 
of  the  prophecies.  Again,  God  complains  that  his  anger  was 
provoked  by  the  perverseness  of  the  people ; Isaiah,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  same  conduct,  says,  that  “they  vexed  his  Holy 
Spirit.”  (z)  Lastly,  if  blasphemy  against  the  Spirit  be  not  for- 
given, either  in  this  world  or  in  that  which  is  to  come,  (a) 
whilst  a man  may  obtain  pardon  who  has  been  guilty  of  blas- 
phemy against  the  Son,  this  is  an  open  declaration  of  his  Divine 
majesty,  to  defame  or  degrade  which  is  an  inexpiable  crime.  I 
intentionally  pass  over  many  testimonies  which  were  used  by 
the  fathers.  To  them  there  appeared  much  plausibility  in 
citing  this  passage  from  David,  “ By  the  word  of  the  Lord 
were  the  heavens  made,  and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath 
of  his  mouth  ; ” (6)  to  prove  that  the  creation  of  the  world  was 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  well  as  of  the  Son.  But  since 
a repetition  of  the  same  thing  twice  is  common  in  the  Psalms, 
and  in  Isaiah  “ the  spirit  of  his  mouth  ” means  the  same  as  “ his 
word,”  this  is  but  a weak  argument.  Therefore  I have  deter- 
mined to  confine  myself  to  a sober  statement  of  those  evidences 
on  which  pious  minds  may  satisfactorily  rest. 

XVI.  As  God  afforded  a clearer  manifestation  of  himself  at 
the  advent  of  Christ,  the  three  Persons  also  then  became  bet- 
ter known.  Among  many  testimonies,  let  us  be  satisfied  with 
this  one : Paul  connects  together  these  three.  Lord,  Faith,  and 
Baptism,  (c)  in  such  a manner  as  to  reason  from  one  to  another. 
Since  there  is  but  one  faith,  hence  he  proves  that  there  is  but 
one  Lord ; since  there  is  but  one  baptism,  he  shows  that  there 
is  also  but  one  faith.  Therefore,  if  we  are  initiated  by  baptism  in- 
to the  faith  and  religion  of  one  God,  we  must  necessarily  suppose 

(w)  Acts  V.  3,  4.  (i)  Isaiah  vi.  9.  (y)  Acts  xxvili.  25. 

(z)  Isaiah  Ixiii.  10.  (a)  Matt.  xii.  31.  Mark  iii.  29.  Luke  xii.  10. 

(h)  Psalm  xxxiii.  6.  (c)  Ephes.  iv.  5. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


133 


CHAP.  XIII.] 

him  to  be  the  true  God,  into  whose  name  we  are  baptized.  Nor 
can  it  be  doubted  but  that  in  this  solemn  commission,  “ Baptize 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,”  Christ  intended  to  testify,  that  the  perfect  light 
of  faith  was  now  exhibited.  For  this  is  equivalent  to  being 
baptized  into  the  name  of  the  one  God,  who  hath  clearly  man- 
ifested himself  in  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit ; whence  it  evi- 
dently appears,  that  in  the  Divine  Essence  there  exist  three 
Persons,  in  whom  is  known  the  one  God.  And  truly,  since 
faith  ought  not  to  be  looking  about  hither  and  thither,  or  to  be 
wandering  through  the  varieties  of  inconstancy,  but  to  direct 
its  views  towards  the  one  God,  to  be  fixed  on  him,  and  to  adhere 
to  him, — it  may  easily  be  proved  from  these  premises,  that,  if 
there  be  various  kinds  of  faith,  there  must  also  be  a plurality  of 
gods.  Baptism,  being  a sacrament  of  faith,  confirms  to  us  the 
unity  of  God,  because  it  is  but  one.  Hence,  also,  we  conclude, 
that  it  is  not  lawful  to  be  baptized,  except  into  the  name  of  the 
one  God ; because  we  embrace  the  faith  of  him,  into  whose 
name  we  are  baptized.  What,  then,  was  intended  by  Christ, 
when  he  commanded  baptism  to  be  administered  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  that 
one  faith  ought  to  be  exercised  in  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  ? 
and  what  is  that  but  a clear  testimony,  that  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  the  one  God  ? Therefore,  since  it 
is  an  undeniable  truth,  that  there  is  one  God,  and  only  one,  we 
conclude  the  Word  and  Spirit  to  be  no  other  than  the  very  Es- 
sence of  the  Deity.  The  greatest  degree  of  folly  was  betrayed 
by  the  Arians,  who  confessed  the  Divinity  of  the  Son,  but  de- 
nied him  to  possess  the  substance  of  God.  Nor  were  the  Mace- 
donians free  from  a similar  delusion,  who  would  explain  the 
term  Spirit  ” to  mean  only  the  gifts  of  grace  conferred  upon 
man.  For  as  wisdom,  understanding,  prudence,  fortitude,  and 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  proceed  from  him,  so  he  alone  is  the  Spirit 
of  wisdom,  prudence,  fortitude,  and  piety.  Nor  is  he  himself  di- 
vided according  to  the  distribution  of  his  graces ; but,  as  the 
Apostle  declares,  how  variously  soever  they  are  divided,  he  al- 
ways remains  one  and  the  same,  {d) 

XVII.  On  the  other  hand,  also,  we  find  in  the  Scriptures  a 
distinction  between  the  Father  and  the  Word,  between  the 
Word  and  the  Spirit ; in  the  discussion  of  which  the  magni- 
tude of  the  mystery  reminds  us  that  we  ought  to  proceed  with 
the  utmost  reverence  and  sobriety.  I am  exceedingly  pleased 
with  this  observation  of  Gregory  Nazianzen  : I cannot  think 
of  the  0716^  but  I am  immediately  surrounded  with  the  splen- 
dour of  the  three;  nor  can  I clearly  discover  the  three^  but  I 


(d)  ] Cor.  xii.  11. 


134 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 


am  suddenly  carried  back  to  the  one.”  Wherefore  let  us  not 
imagine  such  a trinity  of  Persons,  as  includes  an  idea  of  separa- 
tion, or  'does  not  immediately  recall  us  to  the  unity.  The 
names  of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  certainly  imply  a real  dis- 
tinction ; let  no  one  suppose  them  to  be  mere  epithets,  by 
which  God  is  variously  designated  from  his  works  ; but  it  is 
a distinction,  not  a division.  The  passages  already  cited 
show,  that  the  Son  has  a property,  by  which  he  is  distin- 
guished from  the  Father ; because  the  Word  had  not  been 
with  God,  or  had  his  glory  with  the  Father,  unless  he  had  been 
distinct  from  him.  He  likewise  distinguishes  the  Father  from 
himself,  when  he  says,  that  there  is  another  that  beareth 
witness  of  him.”(e)  And  to  the  same  effect  is  what  is  de- 
clared in  another  place,  that  the  Father  created  all  things  by 
the  Word;  which  he  could  not  have  done,  unless  he  had  been 
in  some  sense  distinct  from  him.  Besides,  the  Father  de- 
scended not  to  the  earth,  but  he  who  came  forth  from  the 
Father.  The  Father  neither  died  nor  rose  again,  but  he  who 
was  sent  by  the  Father.  Nor  did  this  distinction  commence 
at  the  incarnation,  but  it  is  evident,  that,  before  that  period, 
he  was  the  only  begotten  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father.  (/) 
For  who  can  undertake  to  assert,  that  the  Son  first  entered 
into  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  when  he  descended  from  heaven 
to  assume  a human  nature  ? He,  therefore,  was  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father  before,  and  possessed  his  glory  with  the  Father. 
The  distinction  between  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  Father  is 
announced  by  Christ,  when  he  says,  that  he  “ proceedeth  from 
the  Father.”  (^)  But  how  often  does  he  represent  him  as 
another,  distinct  from  himself!  as  when  he  promises  that 
“ another  Comforter  ” (A)  should  be  sent,  and  in  many  other 


places. 


XVIH.  I doubt  the  propriety  of  borrowing  similitudes  from 
human  things,  to  express  the  force  of  this  distinction.  The 
fathers  sometimes  practise  this  method ; but  they  likewise 
confess  the  great  disproportion  of  all  the  similitudes  which  they 
introduce.  Wherefore  I greatly  dread,  in  this  instance,  every 
degree  of  presumption  ; lest  the  introduction  of  any  thing  un- 
seasonable should  afford  an  occasion  of  calumny  to  the  ma- 
licious, or  of  error  to  the  ignorant.  Yet  it  is  not  right  to  be 
silent  on  the  distinction  which  we  find  expressed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures ; which  is  this  — that  to  the  Father  is  attributed  the 
principle  of  action,  the  fountain  and  source  of  all  things  ; to 
the  Son,  wisdom,  counsel,  and  the  arrangement  of  all  opera- 
tions ; and  the  power  and  efficacy  of  the  action  is  assigned  to 
the  Spirit.  Moreover,  though  eternity  belongs  to  the  Father, 


(e)  John  V.  32;  viii.  16,  18. 
(/)  John  i.  18. 


(g)  John  XV.  26. 
(7<)  John  xiv.  16. 


CHAP.  XIII.  1 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


135 


and  to  the  Son  and  Spirit  also,  since  God  can  never  have  been 
destitute  of  his  wisdom  or  his  power,  and  in  eternity  we  must 
not  inquire  after  any  thing  prior  or  posterior,  — yet  the  observa- 
tion of  order  is  not  vain  or  superfluous,  while  the  Father  is 
mentioned  as  first ; in  the  next  place  the  Son,  as  from  him  ; 
and  then  the  Spirit,  as  from  both.  For  the  mind  of  every 
man  naturally  inclines  to  the  consideration,  first,  of  God ; sec- 
ondly, of  the  wisdom  emanating  from  him ; and  lastly,  of  the 
power  by  which  he  executes  the  decrees  of  his  wisdom.  For 
this  reason  the  Son  is  said  to  be  from  the  Father,  and  the 
Spirit  from  both  the  Father  and  the  Son  ; and  that  in  various 
places,  but  nowhere  more  clearly  than  in  the  eighth  chapter  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  where  the  same  Spirit  is  indif- 
ferently denominated  the  Spirit  of  Christ,”  and  the  Spirit 
of  him  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead,”  and  that  without 
any  impropriety.  For  Peter  also  testifies  that  it  was  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  by  whom  the  prophets  prophesied ; (i)  whereas  the 
Scripture  so  frequently  declares  that  it  was  the  Spirit  of  God 
the  Father. 

XIX.  This  distinction  is  so  far  from  opposing  the  most  ab- 
solute simplicity  and  unity  of  the  Divine  Being,  that  it  aflbrds 
a proof  that  the  Son  is  one  God  with  the  Father,  because  he 
has  the  same  Spirit  with  him  ; and  that  the  Spirit  is  not  a 
ditferent  substance  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  because  he 
is  the  Spirit  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son.  For  the  whole 
nature  is  in  each  hypostasis,  and  each  has  something  peculiar 
to  himself.  The  Father  is  entirely  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son 
entirely  in  the  Father,  according  to  his  own  declaration,  “ I 
am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me;  ” (/c)  nor  do  eccle- 
siastical writers  allow  that  one  is  divided  from  the  other  by 
any  difference  of  essence.  These  distinctive  appellations,” 
says  Augustine,  “ denote  their  reciprocal  relations  to  each 
other,  and  not  the  substance  itself,  which  is  but  one.”  This 
explanation  may  serve  to  reconcile  the  opinions  of  the  fathers, 
which  would  otherwise  appear  totally  repugnant  to  each  other. 
For  sometimes  they  state  that  the  Son  originates  from  the 
Father,  and  at  other  times  assert  that  he  has  essential  Divinity 
from  himself,  and  so  is,  together  with  the  Father,  the  one 
first  cause  of  all.  Augustine,  in  another  place,  admirably  and 
perspicuously  explains  the  cause  of  this  diversity,  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner  : “ Christ,  considered  in  himself,  is  called  God  ; 
but  with  relation  to  the  Father,  he  is  called  the  Son.”  And 
again,  The  Father,  considered  in  himself,  is  called  God ; but 
with  relation  to  the  Son,  he  is  called  the  Father.  He  who 
with  relation  to  the  Son,  is  called  the  Father,  is  not  the  Son  ; 


(i)  1 Fet.  i.  11. 


(k)  John  xiv.  10,  11. 


136 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


he  who,  with  relation  to  the  Father,  is  called  the  Son,  is  not 
the  Father ; they  who  are  severally  called  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  are  the  same  God.”  Therefore,  when  we  speak  simply 
of  the  Son,  without  reference  to  the  Father,  we  truly  and 
properly  assert  him  to  be  self-existent,  and  therefore  call  him 
the  sole  first  cause  ; but,  when  we  distinctly  treat  of  the  rela- 
tion between  him  and  the  Father,  we  justly  represent  him  as 
originating  from  the  Father.  The  first  book  ofs  Augustine  on 
the  Trinity  is  entirely  occupied  with  the  explication  of  this 
subject ; and  it  is  far  more  safe  to  rest  satisfied  with  that  re- 
lation which  he  states,  than  by  curiously  penetrating  into  the 
sublime  mystery,  to  wander  through  a multitude  of  vain  spec- 
ulations. 

XX.  Therefore,  let  such  as  love  sobriety,  and  will  be  con- 
tented with  the  measure  of  faith,  briefly  attend  to  what  is  use- 
ful to  be  known  ; which  is,  that,  when  we  profess  to  believe  in 
* one.  God,  the  word  God  denotes  a single  and  simple  essence, 
in  which  we  comprehend  three  Persons,  or  hypostases ; and 
that,  therefore,  whenever  the  word  God  is  used  indefinitely, 
the  Son  and  Spirit  are  intended  as  much  as  the  Father ; but 
when  the  Son  is  associated  with  the  Father,  that  introduces 
the  reciprocal  relation  of  one  to  the  other  ; and  thus  we  dis- 
tinguish between  the  Persons.  But,  since  the  peculiar  proper- 
ties of  the  Persons  produce  a certain  order,  so  that  the  original 
cause  is  in  the  Father,  whenever  the  Father  and  the  Son  or 
Spirit  are  mentioned  together,  the  name  of  God  is  peculiarly 
ascribed  to  the  Father : by  this  method  the  unity  of  the  es- 
sence is  preserved,  and  the  order  is  retained  ; which,  however, 
derogates  nothing  from  the  Deity  of  the  Son  and  Spirit.  And 
indeed,  as  we  have  already  seen  that  the  Apostles  assert  him 
to  be  the  Son  of  God,  whom  Moses  and  the  Prophets  have 
represented  as  Jehovah,  it  is  always  necessary  to  recur  to  the 
unity  of  the  essence.  Wherefore  it  would  be  a detestable 
sacrilege  for  us  to  call  the  Son  another  God  different  from  the 
Father ; because  the  simple  name  of  God  admits  of  no  rela- 
tion; nor  can  God,  with  respect  to  himself,  be  denominated 
either  the  one  or  the  other.  Now,  that  the  name  ‘‘Jehovah,” 
in  an  indefinite  sense,  is  applicable  to  Christ,  appears  even  from 
the  words  of  Paul  : “ for  this  thing  I besought  the  Lord 
thrice  ;”(/)  because,  after  relating  the  answer  of  Christ, 
“ My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,”  he  immediately  subjoins, 
“ That  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me.”  For  it  is  cer- 
tain that  the  word  “ Lord  ” is  there  used  for  “ Jehovah  ; ” 
and  to  restrict  it  to  the  person  of  the  Mediator,  would  be  friv- 
olous and  puerile,  since  it  is  an  absolute  declaration,  containing 


'D  2 Cor.  xii.  8,  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


137 


CHAP.  XIII.] 

no  comparison  between  the  Son  and  the  Father.  And  we 
know  that  the  Apostles,  following  the  custom  of  the  Greek 
translators,  invariably  use  the  word  Ku|iog,  (Lord,)  instead  of 
Jehovah.  And,  not  to  seek  far  for  an  example  of  this,  Paul 
prayed  to  the  Lord  in  no  other  sense  than  is  intended  in  a 
passage  of  Joel,  cited  by  Peter  : Whosoever  shall  call  on  the 
name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved.”  (m)  But  for  the  peculiar 
ascription  of  this  name  to  the  Son,  another  reason  will  be  given 
in  its  proper  place ; suffice  it  at  present  to  observe  that,  when 
Paul  had  prayed  to  God  absolutely,  he  immediately  subjoins 
the  name  of  Christ.  Thus  also  the  whole  Deity  is  by  Christ 
himself  denominated  ^^a  Spirit.”  For  nothing  opposes  the 
spirituality  of  the  whole  Divine  essence,  in  which  are  compre- 
hended the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit ; which  is  plain 
from  the  Scripture.  For  as  we  there  find  God  denominated 
a Spirit,  so  we  find  also  the  Holy  Spirit,  forasmuch  as  he  is 
an  hypostasis  of  the  whole  essence,  represented  both  as  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  as  proceeding  from  God. 

XXL  But  since  Satan,  in  order  to  subvert  the  very  foun- 
dations of  our  faith,  has  always  been  exciting  great  conten- 
tions concerning  the  Divine  essence  of  the  Son  and  Spirit, 
and  the  distinction  of  the  Persons ; and  in  almost  all  ages  has 
instigated  impious  spirits  to  vex  the  orthodox  teachers  on  this 
account  ; and  is  also  endeavouring,  in  the  present  day,  with 
the  old  embers,  to  kindle  a new  flame  ; it  becomes  necessary 
here  to  refute  the  perverse  and  fanciful  notions  which  some 
persons  have  imbibed.  Hitherto  it  has  been  our  principal  de- 
sign to  instruct  the  docile,  and  not  to  combat  the  obstinate 
and  contentious  ; but  now,  having  calmly  explained  and  proved 
the  truth,  we  must  vindicate  it  from  all  the  cavils  of  the  wick- 
ed ; although  I shall  make  it  my  principal  study,  that  those 
who  readily  and  implicitly  attend  to  the  Divine  word,  may 
have  stable  ground  on  which  they  may  confidently  rest.  On 
this,  indeed,  if  on  any  of  the  secret  mysteries  of  the  Scripture, 
we  ought  to  philosophize  with  great  sobriety  and  moderation  ; 
and  also  with  extreme  caution,  lest  either  our  ideas  or  our  lan- 
guage should  proceed  beyond  the  limits  of  the  Divine  word. 
For  how  can  the  infinite  essence  of  God  be  defined  by  the 
narrow  capacity  of  the  human  mind,  which  could  never  yet 
certainly  determine  the  nature  of  the  body  of  the  sun,  though 
the  object  of  our  daily  contemplation  ? How  can  the  human 
mind,  by  its  own  efforts,  penetrate  into  an  examination  of  the 
essence  of  God,  when  it  is  totally  ignorant  of  its  own  ? Where- 
fore let  us  freely  leave  to  God  the  knowledge  of  himself.  For 
he  alone,”  as  Hilary  says,  is  a competent  witness  for  him- 


VOL.  I. 


(m)  Joel  ii.  28 — 32.  Ads  ii.  16 — 21. 

18 


138 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

self,  being  only  known  by  himself.”  And  we  shall  certainly 
leave  it  to  him,  if  our  conceptions  of  him  correspond  to  the 
manifestations  which  he  has  given  us  of  himself,  and  our  in- 
quiries concerning  him  are  confined  to  his  word.  There  are 
extant  on  this  argument  five  homilies  of  Chrysostom  against 
the  Anomoei ; which,  however,  were  not  sufficient  to  restrain 
the  presumptuous  garrulity  of  those  sophists.  For  they  dis- 
covered no  greater  modesty  in  this  instance  than  in  every 
other.  The  very  unhappy  consequences  of  this  temerity 
should  warn  us  to  study  this  question  with  more  docility  than 
subtlety,  and  not  allow  ourselves  to  investigate  God  any  where 
but  in  his  sacred  word,  or  to  form  any  ideas  of  him  but  such 
as  are  agreeable  to  his  word,  or  to  speak  any  thing  concerning 
him  but  what  is  derived  from  the  same  word.  But  if  the  dis- 
tinction of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  in  the  one  Deity,  as  it  is 
not  easy  to  be  comprehended,  occasions  some  understandings 
more  labour  and  trouble  than  is  desirable,  let  them  remember 
that  the  mind  of  man,  when  it  indulges  its  curiosity,  enters 
into  a labyrinth ; and  let  them  submit  to  be  guided  by  the 
heavenly  oracles,  however  they  may  not  comprehend  the 
height  of  this  mystery. 

XXII.  To  compose  a catalogue  of  the  errors,  by  which  the 
purity  of  the  faith  has  been  attacked  on  this  point  of  doctrine, 
would  be  too  prolix  and  tedious,  without  being  profitable  ; and 
most  of  the  heretics  so  strenuously  exerted  themselves  to  effect 
the  total  extinction  of  the  Divine  glory  by  their  gross  reveries, 
that  they  thought  it  sufficient  to  unsettle  and  disturb  the  inexpe- 
rienced. From  a few  men  there  soon  arose  numerous  sects,  of 
whom  some  would  divide  the  Divine  essence,  and  others  would 
confound  the  distinction  which  subsists  between  the  Persons. 
But  if  we  maintain,  what  has  already  been  sufiiciently  demon- 
strated from  the  Scripture,  that  the  essence  of  the  one  God, 
which  pertains  to  the  Father,  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Spirit,  is 
simple  and  undivided,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  Father 
is,  by  some  property,  distinguished  from  the  Son,  and  likewise 
the  Son  from  the  Spirit,  the  gate  will  be  shut,  not  only  against 
Arius  and  Sabellius,  but  also  against  all  the  other  ancient  he- 
resiarchs.  But  since  our  own  times  have  witnessed  some  mad- 
men, as  Servetus  and  his  followers,  who  have  involved  every 
thing  in  new  subtleties,  a brief  exposure  of  their  fallacies  will 
not  be  unuseful.  The  word  Trinity  was  so  odious  and  even 
detestable  to  Servetus,  that  he  asserted  all  Trinitarians,  as  he 
called  them,  to  be  Atheists.  I omit  his  impertinent  and  scurri- 
lous language,  but  this  was  the  substance  of  his  speculations  : 
That  it  is  representing  God  as  consisting  of  three  parts,  when 
three  Persons  are  said  to  subsist  in  his  essence,  and  that  this 
triad  is  merely  imaginary,  being  repugnant  to  the  Divine  unity. 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  139 

At  the  same  time,  he  maintained  the  Persons  to  he  certain  ex- 
ternal ideas,  which  have  no  real  subsistence  in  the  Divine  es- 
sence, but  give  us  a figurative  representation  of  God,  under  this 
or  the  other  form ; and  that  in  the  beginning  there  was  no  dis- 
tinction in  God,  because  the  Word  was  once  the  same  as  the 
Spirit ; but  that,  after  Christ  appeared  God  of  God,  there  em- 
anated from  him  another  God,  even  the  Spirit.  Though  he 
sometimes  glosses  over  his  impertinencies  with  allegories,  as 
when  he  says,  that  the  eternal  Word  of  God  was  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  Avith  God,  and  the  reflection  of  his  image,  and  that  the 
Spirit  was  a shadow  of  the  Deity,  yet  he  afterwards  destroys 
the  Deity  of  both,  asserting  that,  according  to  the  mode  of  dis- 
pensation, there  is  a part  of  God  in  both  the  Son  and  the  Spirit  ,* 
just  as  the  same  Spirit,  substantially  diffused  in  us,  and  even  in 
wood  and  stones,  is  a portion  of  the  Deity.  What  he  broached 
concerning  the  Person  of  the  Mediator,  we  shall  examine  in  the 
proper  place.  But  this  monstrous  fiction,  that  a Divine  Person 
is  nothing  but  a visible  appearance  of  the  glory  of  God,  Avill 
not  need  a prolix  refutation.  For  when  John  pronounces  that 
the  Word  (Aoyog)  was  God  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  he 
sufficiently  discriminates  him  from  an  ideal  form.  But  if  then 
also,  and  from  the  remotest  eternity,  that  Word  {Aoyog)  who  was 
God,  was  with  the  Father,  and  possessed  his  own  glory  with  the 
Father,  he  certainly  could  not  be  an  external  or  figurative  splen- 
dour ; but  it  necessarily  folloAvs,  that  he  was  a real  hypostasis, 
subsisting  in  God  himself.  But  although  no  mention  is  made  of 
the  Spirit,  but  in  the  history  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  yet  he 
is  there  introduced,  not  as  a shadoAV,  but  as  the  essential  pow>*r  of 
God,  since  Moses  relates  that  the  chaotic  mass  was  support d by 
him.  {71)  It  then  appeared,  therefore,  that  the  eternal  Spirit  had 
always  existed  in  the  Deity,  since  he  cherished  and  sustained  the 
confused  matter  of  the  heaven  and  earth,  till  it  attained  a state 
of  beauty  and  order.  He  certainly  could  not  then  be  an  image 
or  representation  of  God,  according  to  the  dreams  of  Servetus. 
But  in  other  places  he  is  constrained  to  make  a fuller  disclosure 
of  his  impiety,  saying  that  God,  in  his  eternal  reason,  decreeing 
for  himself  a visible  Son,  has  visibly  exhibited  himself  in  this 
manner ; for  if  this  be  true,  there  is  no  other  Divinity  left  to 
Christ,  than  as  he  has  been  appointed  a Son  by  an  eternal  de- 
cree of  God.  Besides,  he  so  transforms  those  phantasms,  which 
he  substitutes  instead  of  the  hypostases,  that  he  hesitates  not  to 
imagine  new  accidents  or  properties  in  God.  But  the  most  ex- 
ecrable blasphemy  of  all  is,  his  promiscuous  confusion  of  the  Son 
of  God  and  the  Spirit  Avith  all  the  creatures.  For  he  asserts  that 
in  the  Divine  essence  there  are  parts  and  divisions,  every  por- 

(n)  Gen.  i.  2. 


*40  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

tion  of  which  is  God ; and  especially  that  the  souls  of  the 
faithful  are  coeternal  and  consubstantial  with  God ; though  in 
another  place  he  assigns  substantial  Deity,  not  only  to  the  hu- 
man soul,  but  to  all  created  things. 

XXIII.  From  the  same  corrupt  source  has  proceeded  an- 
other heresy,  equally  monstrous.  For  some  worthless  men, 
to  escape  the  odium  and  disgrace  which  attended  the  impious 
tenets  of  Servetus,  have  confessed,  indeed,  that  there  are  three 
Persons,  but  with  this  explanation,  that  the  Father,  who  alone 
is  truly  and  properly  God,  hath  created  the  Son  and  Spirit, 
and  transfused  his  Deity  into  them.  Nor  do  they  refrain  from 
this  dreadful  manner  of  expressing  themselves,  that  the  Father 
is  distinguished  from  the  Son  and  Spirit,  as  being  the  sole  pos- 
sessor of  the  Divine  essence.  Their  first  plea  in  support  of 
this  notion  is,  that  Christ  is  commonly  called  the  Son  of  God  ; 
whence  they  conclude  that  no  other  is  properly  God  but  the 
Father.  But  they  observe  not,  that  although  the  name  of 
God  is  common  also  to  the  Son,  yet  that  it  is  sometimes  as- 
cribed to  the  Father  (xar  iiox'nv}  by  way  of  eminence,  because 
he  is  the  fountain  and  original  of  the  Deity ; and  this  in  order 
to  denote  the  simple  unity  of  the  essence.  They  object,  that 
if  he  is  truly  the  Son  of  God,  it  is  absurd  to  account  him  the 
Son  of  a Person.  I reply,  that  both  are  true  ,*  that  he  is  the 
Son  of  God,  because  he  is  the  Word  begotten  of  the  Father 
before  time  began,  for  we  are  not  yet  speaking  of  the  Person 
of  the  Mediator  ; and  to  be  explicit,  we  must  notice  the  Per- 
son, that  the  name  of  God  may  not  be  understood  absolutely, 
but  for  the  Father ; for  if  we  acknowledge  no  other  to  be  God 
than  the  Father,  it  will  be  a manifest  degradation  of  the  dig- 
nity of  the  Son.  Whenever  mention  is  made  of  the  Deity, 
therefore,  there  must  no  opposition  be  admitted  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  as  though  the  name  of  the  true  God  be- 
longed exclusively  to  the  Father.  For  surely  the  God  who 
appeared  to  Isaiah,  was  the  only  true  God ; (o)  whom,  never- 
theless, John  affirms  to  have  been  Christ,  (p)  He  likewise, 
who  by  the  mouth  of  Isaiah  declared  that  he  was  to  be  a rock 
of  offence  to  the  Jews,  was  the  only  true  God  ; (q)  whom 
Paul  pronounces  to  have  been  Christ,  (r)  He  who  proclaims 
by  Isaiah,  “As  I live,  every  knee  shall  bow  to  me,”  (s)  is  the 
only  true  God;  but  Paul  applies  the  same  to  Christ,  (l)  To 
the  same  purpose  are  the  testimonies  recited  by  the  Apostle  — 
“ Thou,  Lord,  hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth  and  the 
heavens  ; ” and  “ Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him.”  (v) 
These  ascriptions  belong  only  to  the  one  true  God  ; whereas 

(o)  Isaiah  vi.  1.  (7)  Isaiah  viii.  14.  (s)  Isaiah  xlv.  23. 

^ (p)  John  xii.  41.  (r)  Rom.  ix.  33.  (t)  Rom.  xiv.  11. 

(v)  Heb.  i.  6, 10.  Psalm  cii.  25;  xcvii.  7. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


141 


CHAP.  XIII.] 

he  contends  that  they  are  properly  applied  to  Christ.  Nor  is 
there  any  force  in  that  cavil,  that  what  is  proper  to  God  is 
transferred  to  Christ,  because  he  is  the  brightness  of  his  glory. 
For,  since  the  name  Jehovah  is  used  in  each  of  these  passages, 
it  follows  that  in  respect  of  his  Deity  he  is  self-existent.  For, 
if  he  is  Jehovcih,  he  cannot  be  denied  to  be  the  same  God,  who 
in  another  place  proclaims  by  Isaiah,  I am  the  first  and  I 
am  the  last ; and  beside  me  there  is  no  God.”  {w)  That  pas- 
sage in  Jeremiah  also  deserves  our  attention  — The  gods  that 
have  not  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  even  they  shall 
perish  from  the  earth,  and  from  under  these  heavens ; ” {x) 
whilst,  on  the  contrary,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  that  the 
Deity  of  the  Son  of  God  is  frequently  proved  by  Isaiah  from 
the  cieation  of  the  world.  But  how  shall  the  Creator,  who 
gives  existence  to  all,  not  be  self-existent,  but  derive  his  es- 
sence from  another  ? For  whoever  asserts  that  the  Son  owes 
his  essence  to  the  Father,  denies  him  to  be  self-existent.  But 
this  is  contradicted  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  gives  him  the 
name  of  Jehovah.  Now,  if  we  admit  the  whole  essence  to  be 
solely  in  the  Father,  either  it  will  be  divisible,  or  it  Avill  be 
taken  away  from  the  Son ; and  so,  being  despoiled  of  his  es- 
sence, he  will  be  only  a titular  god.  The  Divine  essence, 
according  to  these  triflers,  belongs  solely  to  the  Father,  inas- 
much as  he  alone  possesses  it,  and  is  the  author  of  the  essence 
of  the  Son.  Thus  the  Divinity  of  the  Son  will  be  a kind  of 
emanation  from  the  essence  of  God,  or  a derivation  of  a part 
from  the  whole.  Now,  they  must  of  necessity  concede,  from 
their  own  premises,  that  the  Spirit  is  the  Spirit  of  the  Father 
only  ; because  if  he  be  a derivation  from  the  original  essence, 
which  belongs  exclusively  to  the  Father,  he  cannot  be  ac- 
counted the  Spirit  of  the  Son  ; which  is  refuted  by  the  tes- 
timony of  Paul,  where  he  makes  him  common  to  Christ  and 
the  Father.  Besides,  if  the  Person  of  the  Father  be  expunged 
from  the  Trinity,  wherein  will  he  differ  from  the  Son  and 
Spirit,  but  in  being  himself  the  sole  Deity  ? They  confess 
that  Christ  is  God;  and  yet  differs  from  the  Father.  Some 
distinctive  character  is  necessary,  also,  to  discriminate  the 
Father  from  the  Son.  They  who  place  this  in  the  essence, 
manifestly  destroy  the  true  Deity  of  Christ,  which  cannot  exist 
independently  of  the  essence,  that  is,  of  the  entire  essence. 
The  Father  certainly  cannot  differ  from  the  Son,  unless  he 
have  something  peculiar  to  himself,  which , is  not  common  to 
the  Son.  What  will  they  find,  by  which  to  distinguish  him  ? 
If  the  difference  be  in  the  essence,  let  them  tell  us  whether  he 
hats  communicated  the  same  to  the  Son.  But  this  could  not 


{w)  Isaiah  xliv.  6. 


(x)  Jer.  X.  11. 


142  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

be  done  partially ; for  it  would  be  an  abomination  to  fabricate 
a demigod.  Besides,  this  would  miserably  dismember  the 
Divine  essence.  The  necessary  conclusion  then  is,  that  it  is 
entirely  and  perfectly  common  to  the  Father  and  the  Son. 
And  if  this  be  true,  there  cannot,  in  respect  of  the  essence,  be 
any  difference  between  them.  If  it  be  objected  that  the  Fa- 
ther, notwithstanding  this  communication  of  his  essence,  re- 
mains the  only  God  with  whom  the  essence  continues,  then 
Christ  must  be  a figurative  god,  a god  in  appearance  and  name 
only,  not  in  reality ; because  nothing  is  more  proper  to  God 
than  TO  BE,  according  to  that  declaration,  ‘‘  I AM  hath  sent  me 
unto  you.”  (y) 

XXI Y.  We  might  readily  prove  from  many  passages  the 
falsehood  of  their  assumption,  that,  whenever  the  name  of  God 
is  mentioned  absolutely  in  the  Scripture,  it  means  only  the 
Father.  And  in  those  places  which  they  cite  in  their  own 
defence,  they  shamefully  betray  their  ignorance,  since  the  Son 
is  there  added  ; from  which  it  appears,  that  the  name  of  God 
is  used  in  a relative  sense,  and  therefore  is  particularly  re- 
stricted to  the  Person  of  the  Father.  Their  objection,  that, 
unless  the  Father  alone  were  the  true  God,  he  would  himself 
be  his  own  Father,  is  answered  in  a word.  For  there  is  no 
absurdity  in  the  name  of  God,  for  the  sake  of  dignity  and 
order,  being  peculiarly  given  to  him,  who  not  only  hath  be- 
gotten of  himself  his  own  wisdom,  but  is  also  the  God  of  the 
Mediator,  of  which  I shall  treat  more  at  large  in  its  proper 
place.  For  since  Christ  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,  he 
is  called  the  Son  of  God,  not  only  as  he  was  the  eternal 
Word  begotten  of  the  Father  before  time  began,  but  because 
he  assumed  the  person  and  office  of  a Mediator,  to  unite  us  to 
God.  And  since  they  so  presumptuously  exclude  the  Son 
from  Divine  honours,  I would  wish  to  be  informed,  when  he 
declares  that  there  is  none  good  but  the  one  God,  (z)  whether 
he  deprives  himself  of  all  goodness.  I speak  not  of  his  hu- 
man nature,  lest  they  should  object,  that,  whatever  goodness 
it. had,  it  was  gratuitously  conferred  on  it.  *1  demand  whether 
the  eternal  Word  of  God  be  good  or  not.  If  they  answer  in 
the  negative,  they  are  sufficiently  convicted  of  impiety  ; and 
if  in  the  affirmative,  they  cut  the  throat  of  their  own  system. 
But  though,  at  the  first  glance,  Christ  seems  to  deny  himself 
the  appellation  of  good,  he  furnishes,  notwithstanding,  a fur- 
ther confirmation  of  our  opinion.  For,  as  that  is  a title  which 
peculiarly  belongs  to  the  one  God,  forasmuch  as  he  had  been 
saluted  as  good,  merely  according  to  a common  custom,  by  his 
rejection  of  false  honour,  he  suggested  that  the  goodness 


(y)  Exod.  iii.  14. 


(z)  Matt.  xix.  17. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


143 


^HAP.  XIII.] 

which  he  possessed  was  Divine.  I demand,  also,  when  Paul 
affirms  that  God  alone  is  immortal,  wise,  and  true,  {a)  whether 
he  thereby  degrades  Christ  to  the  rank  of  those  who  are  mor- 
tal, unwise,  and  false.  Shall  not  he  then  be  immortal  who 
from  the  beginning  was  life  itself,  and  the  giver  of  immortal- 
ity to  angels*?'"  Shall  not  he  be  wise  who  is  the  eternal  Wis- 
dom of  God?  Shall  not  he  be  true  who  is  truth  itself?  I 
demand  further,  whether  they  think  that  Christ  ought  to  be 
worshipped.  For,  if  he  justly  claims  this  as  his  right,  that 
every  knee  should  bow  before  him,  (6)  it  follows  that  he  is 
that  God,  who,  in  the  law,  prohibited  the  worship  of  any  one 
but  himself.  If  they  will  have  this  passage  in  Isaiah,  “ I 
am,  and  there  is  no  God  besides  me,”  to  be  understood  solely 
of  the  Father,  I retort  this  testimony  on  themselves  ; since 
Ave  see  that  whatever  belongs  to  God  is  attributed  to  Christ. 
Nor  is  there  any  room  for  their  cavil,  that  Christ  was  exalted 
in  the  humanity  in  which  he  had  been  abased ; and  that,  with 
regard  to  his  humanity,  all  power  was  given  to  him  in  heaven 
and  in  earth  ; because,  although  the  regal  and  judicial  majesty 
extends  to  the  whole  Person  of  the  Mediator,  yet,  had  he  not 
been  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  he  could  not  have  been 
exalted  to  such  an  eminence,  without  God  being  in  opposition 
to  himself.  And  Paul  excellently  determines  this  controversy, 
by  informing  us  that  he  was  equal  with  God,  before  he  abased 
himself  under  the  form  of  a servant,  (c)  Now,  how  could  this 
equality  subsist,  unless  he  had  been  that  God  whose  name  is 
Jah  and  Jehovah,  who  rides  on  the  cherubim,  whose  kingdom 
is  universal  and  everlasting  ? No  clamour  of  theirs  can  de- 
prive Christ  of  another  declaration  of  Isaiah  : “ Lo,  this  is  our 
God,  we  have  waited  for  him  ; ” {d)  since  in  these  Avords  he 
describes  the  advent  of  God  the  Redeemer,  not  only  for  the 
deliverance  of  the  people  from  exile  in  Babylon,  but  also  for 
the  complete  restoration  of  the  church.  Nor  do  they  gain  any 
thing  by  another  cavil,  that  Christ  was  God  in  his  Father. 
For  although  Ave  confess,  in  point  of  order  and  degree,  that  the 
Father  is  the  fountain  of  the  Deity,  yet  we  pronounce  it  a 
detestable  figment,  that  the  essence  belongs  exclusively  to  the 
Father,  as  though  he  Avere  the  author  of  the  Deity  of  the  Son  ; 
because,  on  this  supposition,  either  the  essence  would  be  divi- 
ded, or  Christ  Avould  be  only  a titular  and  imaginary  god.  If 
they  admit  that  the  Son  is  God,  but  inferior  to  the  Father, 
then  in  him  the  essence  must  be  begotten  and  created,  which 
in  the  Father  is  unbegotten  and  uncreated.  I know  that 
some  scorners  ridicule  our  concluding  a distinction  of  Persons 
from  the  words  of  Moses,  where  he  introduces  God  thus  speak- 


(a)  1 Tim.  i.  17.  (J)  Phil.  ii.  10.  (c)  Phil.  ii.  6,  7.  (d)  Isaiah  xxv.  9 


144 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

ing  : ‘‘Let  us  make  man  in  our  image.”  (e)  Yet  pious  readers 
perceive  how  frigidly  and  foolishly  Moses  would  have  intro- 
duced this  conference,  if  in  one  God  there  had  not  subsisted  a 
plurality  of  Persons.  Now,  it  is  certain  that  they  whom  the 
Father  addressed,  were  uncreated  ; but  there  is  nothing  un- 
created, except  the  one  God  himself.  Now,  tlieVefore,  unless 
they  grant  that  the  power  to  create,  and  the  authority  to  com- 
mand, were  common  to  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit, 
it  will  follow,  that  God  did  not  speak  thus  within  himself,  but 
directed  his  conversation  to  some  exterior  agents.  Lastly, 
one  place  will  easily  remove  their  two  objections  at  once. 
For  when  Christ  himself  declares,  that  God  is  a Spirit,  it 
would  be  unreasonable  to  restrict  this  solely  to  the  Father, 
as  though  the  Word  were  not  also  of  a spiritual  nature.  But 
if  the  name  of  Spirit  is  equally  as  applicable  to  the  Son  as  to 
the  Father,  I conclude  that  the  Son  is  comprehended  under 
the  indefinite  name  of  God.  Yet  he  immediately  subjoins, 
that  none  are  approved  worshippers  of  the  Father,  but  those 
who  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  (/)  Whence  follows 
another  consequence,  that,  because  Christ  performs  the  office 
of  a Teacher,  in  a station  of  inferiority,  he  ascribes  the  name 
of  God  to  the  Father,  not  to  destroy  his  own  Deity,  but  by  de- 
grees to  raise  us  to  the  knowledge  of  it. 

XXV.  But  they  deceive  themselves  in  dreaming  of  three 
separate  individuals,  each  of  them  possessing  a part  of  the  Divine 
essence.  We  teach,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  that  there  is 
essentially  but  one  God  ; and,  therefore,  that  the  essence  of  both 
the  Son  and  the  Spirit  is  unbegotten.  But  since  the  Father  is 
first  in  order,  and  hath  of  himself  begotten  his  wisdom,  there- 
fore, as  has  before  been  observed,  he  is  justly  esteemed  the 
original  and  fountain  of  the  whole  Divinity.  Thus  God,  indef- 
initely, is  unbegotten  ] and  the  Father  also  is  imbegotten  with 
regard  to  his  Person.  They  even  foolishly  suppose,  that  our 
opinion  implies  a quaternity ; whereas  they  are  guilty  of  false- 
hood and  calumny,  in  ascribing  to  us  a figment  of  their  own ; 
as  though  we  pretended  that  the  three  Persons  are  as  so  many 
streams  proceeding  from  one  essence,  when  it  is  evident,  from 
our  writings,  that  we  separate  not  the  Persons  from  the  essence, 
but,  though  they  subsist  in  it,  make  a distinction  between 
them.  If  the  persons  were  separated  from  the  essence,  there 
would  perhaps  be  some  probability  in  their  argument ; but  then 
there  would  be  a trinity  of  Gods,  not  a trinity  of  persons  con- 
tained in  one  God.  This  solves  their  frivolous  question,  whether 
the  essence  concurs  to  the  formation  of  the  Trinity  ; as  though 
we  imagined  three  Gods  to  descend  from  it.  Their  objection, 


(e)  Gen.  i.  26. 


(/)  John  i7.  24. 


CHAP.  XIII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


145 


that  then  ^he  Trinity  would  be  without  God,  is  equally  im- 
pertinent. Because,  though  it  concurs  not  to  the  distinction 
as  a part  or  member,  yet  the  Persons  are  not  independent  of  it, 
nor  separate  from  it ; for  the  Father,  unless  he  were  God,  could 
not  be  the  Father ; and  the  Son  is  the  Son  only  as  he  is  God. 
Therefore  we  say,  that  the  Deity  is  absolutely  self-existent  j 
whence  we  confess,  also,  that  the  Son,  as  God,  independently 
of  the  consideration  of  Person,  is  self-existent ; but  as  the  Son, 
we  say,  that  he  is  of  the  Father.  Thus  his  essence  is  unori- 
ginated ; but  the  origin  of  his  Person  is  God  himself.  And,  in- 
deed, the  orthodox  writers,  who  have  written  on  the  Trinity, 
have  referred  this  name  only  to  the  Persons ; since  to  compre- 
hend the  essence  in  that  distinction,  were  not  only  an  absurd 
error,  but  a most  gross  impiety.  For  it  is  evident  that  those 
who  maintain  that  the  Trinity  consists  in  a union  of  the  Es- 
sence, the  Son,  and  the  Spirit,  annihilate  the  essence  of  the 
Son  and  of  the  Spirit ; otherwise  the  parts  would  be  destroyed 
by  being  confounded  together ; which  is  a fault  in  every  dis- 
tinction. Finally,  if  the  words  Father  and  God  were  synon- 
ymous — if  the  Father  were  the  author  of  the  Deity  — nothing 
would  be  left  in  the  Son  but  a mere  shadow  ; nor  would  the 
Trinity  be  any  other  than  a conjunction  of  the  one  God  with 
two  created  things. 

XXVI.  Their  objection,  that  Christ,  if  he  be  properly  God, 
is  not  rightly  called  the  Son  of  God,  has  already  been  an- 
swered ; for  when  a comparison  is  made  between  one  Person 
and  another,  the  word  God  is  not  used  indefinitely,  but  is  re- 
stricted to  the  Father,  as  being  the  fountain  of  the  Deity,  not 
with  regard  to  the  essence,  as  fanatics  falsely  pretend,  but  in 
respect  of  order.  This  is  the  sense  in  which  we  ought  to  un- 
derstand that  declaration  of  Christ  to  his  Father  : “ This  is  life 
eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and 
Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent.’’  {g)  For,  speaking  in  the 
capacity  of  Mediator,  he  holds  an  intermediate  station  between 
God  and  men  ; yet  without  any  diminution  of  his  majesty. 
For,  although  he  abased  himself,  yet  he  lost  not  his  glory  with 
the  Father,  which  was  hidden  from  the  world.  Thus  the 
Apostle  to  the  Hebrews,  {h)  though  he  acknowledges  that  Christ 
was  made  for  a short  time  inferior  to  the  angels,  yet,  neverthe- 
less, hesitates  not  to  assert,  that  he  is  the  eternal  God,  who  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  earth.  We  must  remember,  therefore,  that 
whenever  Christ,  in  the  capacity  of  Mediator,  addresses  the 
Father,  he  comprehends,  under  the  name  of  God,  the  Divinity 
which  belongs  also  to  himself.  Thus,  when  he  said  to  his 


VOL.  I. 


(g)  John  xvii.  3. 

I.  19 


(/i)  Heb.  i.  10;  ii.  9. 


146 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  /, 

A.postles,  I go  unto  the  Father,  for  my  Father  is  greater  than 
I,  ” (^)  he  attributes  not  to  himself  a secondary  Divinity,  as  if 
he  were  inferior  to  the  Father  with  respect  to  the  eternal  es- 
sence, but  because,  having  obtained  the  glory  of  heaven,  he 
gathers  together  the  faithful  to  a participation  of  it  with  him  ; 
he  represents  the  Father  to  be  in  a station  superior  to  himself,  just 
as  the  illustrious  perfection  of  the  splendour  which  appears  in 
heaven  excels  that  degree  of  glory  which  was  visible  in  him 
during  his  incarnate  state.  For  the  same  reason,  Paul  says,  in 
another  place,  that  Christ  shall  deliver  up  the  kingdom  to 
God,  even  the  Father,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all.”  {k)  Nothing 
would  be  more  absurd  than  to  deny  perpetual  duration  to  the 
Deity  of  Christ.  Now,  if  he  will  never  cease  to  be  the  Son  of 
God,  but  will  remain  for  ever  the  same  as  he  has  been  from  the 
beginning,  it  follows,  that  by  the  name  Father  is  intended  the 
one  sole  Divine  essence,  which  is  common  to  them  both.  And 
it  is  certain  that  Christ  descended  to  us,  in  order  that,  exalting 
us  to  the  Father,  he  might  at  the  same  time  exalt  us  to  him- 
self also,  as  being  one  with  the  Father.  It  is  therefore  neither 
lawful  nor  right  to  restrict  the  name  of  God  exclusively  to  the 
Father,  and  to  deny  it  to  the  Son.  For  even  on  this  very  ac- 
count John  asserts  him  to  be  the  true  God,  (/)  that  no  one 
might  suppose,  that  he  possessed  only  a secondary  degree  of 
Deity,  inferior  to  the  Father.  And  I wonder  what  can  be  the 
meaning  of  these  fabricators  of  new  gods,  when,  after  confessing 
that  Christ  is  the  true  God,  they  immediately  exclude  him  from 
the  Deity  of  the  Father  ; as  though  there  could  be  any  true  God 
but  one  alone,  or  as  though  a transfused  Divinity  were  any  thing 
but  a novel  fiction. 

XXVII.  Their  accumulation  of  numerous  passages  from  Ire- 
nseus,  where  he  asserts  the  Father  of  Christ  to  be  the  only  and 
eternal  God  of  Israel,  is  a proof  either  of  shameful  ignorance,  or 
of  consummate  wickedness.  For  they  ought  to  have  consid- 
ered, that  that  holy  man  was  then  engaged  in  a controversy 
with  some  madmen,  who  denied  that  the  Father  of  Christ  was 
the  same  God  that  has  spoken  by  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  but 
maintained  that  he  was  I know  not  what  sort  of  phantasm, 
produced  from  the  corruption  of  the  world.  His  only  object, 
therefore,  is  to  show  that  no  other  God  is  revealed  in  the  Scrip- 
ture than  the  Father  of  Christ,  and  that  it  is  impious  to  imagine 
any  other ; and  therefore  we  need  not  wonder  at  his  frequently 
concluding,  that  there  never  was  any  other  God  of  Israel  than 
he  who  was  preached  by  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  So,  now,  on 
the  other  hand,  when  a dilferent  error  is  to  be  opposed,  we 


(i)  John  xiv.  28. 


{h)  1 Cor.  XV.  24. 


(Z)  1 John  V.  20. 


CHAP  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  147 

shall  truly  assert,  that  the  God  who  appeared  formerly  to  the 
patriarchs,  was  no  other  than  Christ.  If  it  be  objected  that  it 
was  the  Father,  we  are  prepared  to  reply,  that,  while  we  con- 
tend for  the  Divinity  of  the  Son,  we  by  no  means  reject  that  of 
the  Father.  If  the  reader  attends  to  this  design  of  Irenaeus,  ail 
contention  will  cease.  Moreover,  the  whole  controversy  is 
easily  decided  by  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  third  book,  where 
the  good  man  insists  on  this  one  point : That  he  who  is  abso- 
lutely and  indefinitely  called  God  in  the  Scripture,  is  the  only 
true  God ; but  that  the  name  of  God  is  given  absolutely  to 
Christ.  Let  us  remember  that  the  point  at  issue,  as  appears 
from  the  whole  treatise,  and  particularly  from  the  forty-sixth 
chapter  of  the  second  book,  was  this : That  the  appellation  of 
Father  is  not  given  in  an  enigmatical  and  parabolical  sense  to 
one  who  is  not  truly  God.  Besides,  in  another  place  he  con- 
tends, that  the  Son  is  called  God,  as  well  as  the  Father,  by  the 
Prophets  and  Apostles.  He  afterwards  states  how  Christ,  who 
is  Lord,  and  King,  and  God,  and  Judge  of  all,  received  power 
from  him  who  is  God  of  all ; and  that  is  with  relation  to  the 
subjection  in  which  he  was  humbled  even  to  the  death  of  the 
cross.  And  a little  after  he  affirms,  that  the  Son  is  the  Creator 
of  heaven  and  earth,  who  gave  the  law  by  the  hand  of  Moses, 
and  appeared  to  the  patriarchs.  Now,  if  any  one  pretends  that 
Irenseus  acknowledges  the  Father  alone  as  the  God  of  Israel,  I 
shall  reply,  as  is  clearly  maintained  by  the  same  writer,  that 
Christ  is  one  and  the  same  ; as  also  he  applies  to  him  the 
prophecy  of  Habakkuk : God  shall  come  from  the  south. 
To  the  same  purpose  is  what  we  find  in  the  ninth  chapter  of 
the  fourth  book  : Therefore  Christ  himself  is,  with  the  Father, 
the  God  of  the  living.”  And  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  the  same 
book  he  states,  that  Abraham  believed  in  God,  inasmuch  eis 
Christ  is  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  only  God. 

XXVIII.  Their  pretensions  to  the  sanction  of  Tertullian 
are  equally  unfounded,  for,  notwithstanding  the  occasional 
harshness  and  obscurity  of  his  mode  of  expression,  yet  he  un- 
equivocally teaches  the  substance  of  the  doctrine  which  we 
are  defending  ; that  is,  that  whereas  there  is  one  God,  yet  by 
dispensation  or  economy  there  is  his  Word ; that  there  is  but 
one  God  in  the  unity  of  the  substance,  but  that  the  unity,  by 
a mysterious  dispensation,  is  disposed  into  a trinity  ; that  there 
are  three,  not  in  condition,  but  in  degree  ; not  in  substance, 
but  in  form ; not  in  power,  but  in  order.  He  says,  indeed, 
that  he  maintains  the  Son  to  be  second  to  the  Father ; but  he 
applies  this  only  to  the  distinction  of  the  Persons.  He  says 
somewhere,  that  the  Son  is  visible  ; but  after  having  stated 
arguments  on  both  sides,  he  concludes  that,  as  the  Word,  he  is 


148  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

invisible.  Lastly,  his  assertion  that  the  Father  is  designated 
by  his  Person,  proves  him  to  be  at  the  greatest  distance  from 
the  notion  which  we  are  refuting.  And  though  he  acknowl- 
edges no  other  God  than  the  Father,  yet  the  explanations 
which  he  gives  in  the  immediate  context  show  that  he  speaks 
not  to  the  exclusion  of  the  Son,  when  he  denies  the  existence  of 
any  other  God  than  the  Father ; and  that  therefore  the  unity 
of  Divine  government  is  not  violated  by  the  distinction  of  per- 
sons. And  from  the  nature  and  design  of  his  argument  it  is 
easy  to  gather  the  meaning  of  his  words.  For  he  contends,  in 
opposition  to  Praxeas,  that  although  God  is  distinguished  into 
three  Persons,  yet  neither  is  there  a plurality  of  gods,  nor  is 
the  unity  divided.  And  because,  according  to  the  erroneous 
notion  of  Praxeas,  Christ  could  not  be  God,  without  being  the 
Father,  therefore  Tertullian  bestows  so  much  labour  upon  the 
distinction.  His  calling  the  Word  and  Spirit  a portion  of  the 
whole,  though  a harsh  expression,  yet  is  excusable  ; since  it 
has  no  reference  to  the  substance,  but  only  denotes  the  disposi- 
tion and  economy,  which  belongs  solely  to  the  Persons,  accord- 
ing to  the  testimony  of  Tertullian  himself.  Hence  also  that 
question,  How  many  Persons  suppose  you  that  there  are, 
O most  perverse  Preixeas,  but  as  many  as  there  are  names  ? ” 
So,  a little  after,  ‘‘that  they  may  believe  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  both  in  their  names  and  Persons.’’  These  arguments,  I 
conceive,  will  suffice  to  refute  the  impudence  of  those  who 
make  use  of  the  authority  of  Tertullian  in  order  to  deceive 
the  minds  of  the  simple. 

XXIX.  And  certainly,  whoever  will  diligently  compare  the 
writings  of  the  fathers,  will  find  in  Irenseus  nothing  differ- 
ent from  what  was  advanced  by  others  who  succeeded  him. 
Justin  Martyr  is  one  of  the  most  ancient ; and  he  agrees  with 
us  in  every  point.  They  may  object  that  the  Father  of  Christ 
is  denominated  the  one  God  by  him  as  well  as  by  the  rest. 
The  same  is  asserted  also  by  Hilary,  and  even  in  harsher 
terms  : he  says,  that  eternity  is  in  the  Father  ; but  does  this 
imply  a denial  of  the  Divine  essence  to  the  Son  ? On  the 
contrary,  he  had  no  other  design  than  to  maintain  the  same 
faith  which  we  hold.  Nevertheless,  they  are  not  ashamed  to 
cull  out  mutilated  passages,  in  order  to  induce  a belief  that  he 
patronized  their  error.  If  they  wish  any  authority  to  be  at- 
tached to  their  quotation  of  Ignatius,  let  them  prove  that  the 
Apostles  delivered  any  law  concerning  Lent,  and  similar  cor- 
ruptions ; for  nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than  the  impertinen- 
cies  which  have  been  published  under  the  name  of  Ignatius. 
Wherefore  their  impudence  is  more  intolerable,  who  disguise 
themselves  under  such  false  colours  for  the  purpose  of  decep- 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  149 

tion.  Moreover,  the  consent  of  antiquity  manifestly  appears 
from  this  circumstance,  that  in  the  Nicene  Council,  Arius  never 
dared  to  defend  himself  by  the  authority  of  any  approved  wri- 
ter ; and  not  one  of  the  Greek  or  Latin  fathers,  who  were  there 
united  against  him,  excused  himself  as  at  all  dissenting  from 
his  predecessors.  With  regard  to  Augustine,  who  experienced 
great  hostility  from  these  disturbers,  his  diligent  examination 
of  all  the  writings  of  the  earlier  fathers,  and  his  respectful  at- 
tention to  them,  need  not  be  mentioned.  If  he  differs  from 
them  in  the  smallest  particulars,  he  assigns  the  reasons  which 
oblige  him  to  dissent  from  them.  On  this  argument  also,  if  he 
finds  any  thing  ambiguous  or  obscure  in  others,  he  never  con- 
ceals it.  Yet  he  takes  it  for  granted,  that  the  doctrine  which 
those  men  oppose  has  been  received  without  controversy  from 
the  remotest  antiquity ; and  yet  that  he  was  not  uninformed  of 
what  others  had  taught  before  him,  appears  even  from  one 
word  in  the  first  book  of  his  Treatise  on  the  Christian  Doc- 
trine, where  he  says,  that  unity  is  in  the  Father.  Will  they  pre- 
tend that  he  had  then  forgotten  himself  ? But  he  elsewhere  vin- 
dicates himself  from  this  calumny,  where  he  calls  the  Father 
the  fountain  of  the  whole  Deity,  because  he  is  from  no  other  ; 
wisely  considering  that  the  name  of  God  is  especially  ascribed 
to  the  Father,  because,  unless  the  original  be  from  him,  it  is 
impossible  to  conceive  of  the  simple  unity  of  the  Deity. 
These  observations,  I hope,  will  be  approved  by  the  pious 
reader,  as  sufficient  to  refute  all  the  calumnies,  with  which 
Satan  has  hitherto  laboured  to  pervert  or  obscure  the  purity  of 
this  doctrine.  Finally,  I trust  that  the  whole  substance  of  this 
doctrine  has  been  faithfully  stated  and  explained,  provided  my 
readers  set  bounds  to  their  curiosity,  and  are  not  unreasonably 
fond  of  tedious  and  intricate  controversies.  For  I have  not  the 
least  expectation  of  giving  satisfaction  to  those  who  are  pleased 
with  an  intemperance  of  speculation.  I am  sure  I have  used 
no  artifice  in  the  omission  of  any  thing,  from  a supposition 
that  it  would  make  against  me.  But,  studying  the  edification 
of  the  Church,  I have  thought  it  better  not  to  touch  upon 
many  things,  which  would  be  unnecessarily  burdensome  to  the 
reader,  without  yielding  him  any  profit.  For  to  what  purpose  is 
it  to  dispute,  whether  the  Father  be  always  begetting  ? For 
it  is  foolish  to  imagine  a continual  act  of  generation,  since  it  is 
evident  that  three  Persons  have  subsisted  in  God  from  all 
eternity. 


150 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  TRUE  GOD  CLEARLY  DISTINGUISHED  IN  THE  SCRIPTURE 
FROM  ALL  FICTITIOUS  ONES  BY  THE  CREATION  OF  THE  WORLD. 

Although  Isaiah  (m)  brings  a just  accusation  of  stupidity 
against  the  worshippers  of  fictitious  deities,  for  not  having 
learned,  from  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  and  the  circuit  of 
the  heavens,  who  was  the  true  God,  yet  such  is  the  slowness 
and  dulness  of  our  minds,  as  to  induce  a necessity  for  a more 
express  exhibition  of  the  true  God,  lest  the  faithful  should  de- 
cline to  the  fictions  of  the  heathen.  For,  since  the  most  toler- 
able description  given  by  the  philosophers,  that  God  is  the  soul 
of  the  world,  is  utterly  vain  and  worthless,  we  require  a more 
familiar  knowledge  of  him,  to  prevent  us  from  wavering  in  per- 
petual uncertainty.  Therefore  he  hath  been  pleased  to  give  us 
a history  of  the  creation,  on  which  the  faith  of  the  Church 
might  rest,  without  seeking  after  any  other  God  than  him 
whom  Moses  has  represented  as  the  former  and  builder  of  the 
world.  The  first  thing  specified  in  this  history  is  the  time, 
that  by  a continued  series  of  years  the  faithful  might  arrive  at 
the  first  original  of  the  human  race,  and  of  all  things.  This 
knowledge  is  eminently  useful,  not  only  to  contradict  the 
monstrous  fables  formerly  received  in  Egypt  and  other  coun- 
tries, but  also  to  give  us  clearer  views  of  the  eternity  of  God, 
and  to 'fill  us  with  greater  admiration  of  it.  Nor  ought  we  to 
be  moved  with  that  profane  sneer,  that  it  is  marvellous  that 
God  did  not  form  the  design  of  creating  heaven  and  earth  at 
an  earlier  period,  but  suffered  an  immeasurable  duration  to  pass 
away  unemployed,  since  he  could  have  made  them  many  thou- 
sands of  ages-  before  ; whereas  the  continuance  of  the  world, 
now  advancing  to  its  last  end,  has  not  yet  reached  six  thousand 
years.  For  the  reason  why  God  deferred  it  so  long,  it  would 
be  neither  lawful  nor  expedient  to  inquire ; because,  if  the 
human  mind  strive  to  penetrate  it,  it  will  fail  a hundred  times 
in  the  attempt ; nor,  indeed,  could  there  be  any  utility  in  the 
knowledge  of  that  which  God  himself,  in  order  to  prove  the 
modesty  of  our  faith,  has  purposely  concealed.  Great  shrewd- 
ness was  discovered  by  a certain  pious  old  man,  who,  when 
some  scoffer  ludicrously  inquired  what  God  had  been  doing 
before  the  creation  of  the  world,  replied  that  he  had  been 
making  hell  for  over  curious  men.  This  admonition,  no  less 


(m)  Isaiah  xl.  21. 


CHAP.  XIV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  151 

grave  than  severe,  should  repress  the  wantonness  which  stim- 
ulates many,  and  impels  them  to  perverse  and  injurious  spec- 
ulations. Lastly,  let  us  remember  that  God,  who  is  invisible, 
and  whose  wisdom,  power,  and  justice,  are  incomprehensiblej 
has  placed  before  us  the  history  of  Moses,  as  a mirror  which 
exhibits  his  lively  image.  For  as  eyes,  either  dim  through 
age,  or  dull  through  any  disease,  see  nothing  distinctly  without 
the  assistance  of  spectacles,  so,  in  our  inquiries  after  God,  such 
is  our  imbecility,  without  the  guidance  of  the  Scripture  we 
immediately  lose  our  way.  But  those  who  indulge  their  pre- 
sumption, since  they  are  now  admonished  in  vain,  will  per- 
ceive too  late,  by  their  horrible  destruction,  how  much  better  it 
would  have  been  to  look  up  to  the  secret  counsels  of  God  with 
reverential  awe,  than  to  disgorge  their  blasphemies  to  darken 
the  heaven.  Augustine  justly  complains,  that  it  is  an  offence 
against  God,  to  inquire  for  any  cause  of  things,  higher  than  his 
will.  He  elsewhere  prudently  cautions  us,  that  it  is  as  absurd 
to  dispute  concerning  an  infinite  duration  of  time,  as  concern- 
ing an  infinite  extent  of  place.  However  extensive  the  circuit 
of  the  heavens,  yet  certainly  it  has  some  dimensions.  Now,  if 
any  one  should  expostulate  with  God,  that  the  vacuity  of  space 
is  a hundred  times  larger,  would  not  such  arrogance  be  detested 
by  all  pious  persons-?  The  same  madness  is  chargeable  on  those 
who  censure  the  inaction  of  God,  for  not  having,  according  to 
their  wishes,  created  the  world  innumerable  ages  before.  To 
gratify  their  inordinate  curiosity,  they  desire  to  pass  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  world  ; as  though,  in  the  very  ample  circum- 
ference of  heaven  and  earth,  we  were  not  surrounded  by  numer- 
ous objects  capable  of  absorbing  all  our  senses  in  their  inesti- 
mable splendour  ; as  though,  in  the  course  of  six  thousand  years, 
God  had  not  given  us  lessons  sufficient  to  exercise  our  minds 
in  assiduous  meditation  on  them.  Then  let  us  cheerfully  re- 
main within  these  barriers  with  which  God  has  been  pleased 
to  circumscribe  us,  and  as  it  were  to  confine  our  minds,  that 
they  might  not  be  wandering  in  the  boundless  regions  of  un- 
certain conjecture. 

H.  To  the  same  purpose  is  the  narration  of  Moses,  that  the 
work  of  God  was  completed,  not  in  one  moment,  but  in  six 
days.  For  by  this  circumstance  also  we  are  called  away  from 
all  false  deities  to  the  only  true  God,  who  distributed  his  work 
into  six  days,  that  it  might  not  be  tedious  to  us  to  occupy  the 
whole  of  life  in  the  consideration  of  it.  For  though,  whither- 
soever we  turn  our  eyes,  they  are  constrained  to  behold  the 
works  of  God,  yet  we  see  how  transient  our  attention  is,  and, 
if  we  are  touched  with  any  pious  reflections,  how  soon  they 
leave  us  again.  Here,  also,  human  reason  murmurs,  as  though 
such  progressive  works  were  inconsistent  with  the  power  of 


152  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

Deity ; till,  subdued  to  the  obedience  of  faith,  it  learns  to  ob- 
serve that  rest,  to  which  the  sanctification  of  the  seventh  day 
invites  us.  Now,  in  the  order  of  those  things,  we  must  dil- 
igently consider  the  paternal  love  of  God  towards  the  human 
race,  in  not  creating  Adam  before  he  had  enriched  the  earth 
with  an  abundant  supply  of  every  thing  conducive  to  his  hap- 
piness. For  had  he  placed  him  in  the  earth  while  it  remained 
barren  and  vacant,  had  he  given  him  life  before  there  was  any 
light,  he  would  have  appeared  not  very  attentive  to  his  benefit. 
Now,  when  he  has  regulated  the  motions  of  the  sun  and  the 
stars  for  the  service  of  man,  replenished  the  earth,  the  air,  and 
the  waters,  with  living  creatures,  and  caused  the  earth  to  pro- 
duce an  abundance  of  all  kinds  of  fruits  sufficient  for  suste- 
nance, he  acts  the  part  of  a provident  and  sedulous  father  of 
a family,  and  displays  his  wonderful  goodness  towards  us. 
If  the  reader  will  more  attentively  consider  with  himself  these 
things,  which  I only  hint  at  as  I proceed,  he  will  be  convinced 
that  Moses  was  an  authentic  witness  and  herald  of  the  one  God, 
the  Creator  of  the  world.  I pass  over  what  I have  already 
stated,  that  he  not  only  speaks  of  the  mere  essence  of  God, 
but  also  exhibits  to  us  his  eternal  Wisdom  and  his  Spirit,  in 
order  that  we  may  not  dream  of  any  other  God  except  him 
who  will  be  known  in  that  express  image.  • 

III.  But  before  I begin  to  enlarge  on  the  nature  of  man, 
something  must  be  said  concerning  angels.  Because,  though 
Moses,  in  the  history  of  the  creation,  accommodating  himself 
to  the  ignorance  of  the  common  people,  mentions  no  other 
works  of  God  than  such  as  are  visible  to  our  eyes,  yet,  when 
he  afterwards  introduces  angels  as  ministers  of  God,  we  may 
easily  conclude,  that  he  is  their  Creator,  whom  they  obey,  and 
in  whose  service  they  are  employed.  Though  Moses,  there- 
fore, speaking  in  a popular  manner,  does  not,  in  the  beginning 
of  his  writings,  immediately  enumerate  the  angels  among  the 
creatures  of  God,  yet  nothing  forbids  our  here  making  a plain 
and  explicit  statement  of  those  things  which  the  Scripture 
teaches  in  other  places  ; because,  if  we  desire  to  know  God 
from  his  works,  such  an  excellent  and  noble  specimen  should 
by  no  means  be  omitted.  Besides,  this  point  of  doctrine  is 
very  necessary  for  the  confutation  of  many  errors.  The  ex- 
cellence of  the  angelic  nature  has  so  dazzled  the  minds  of 
many,  that  they  have  supposed  them  to  be  injured,  if  they 
were  treated  as  mere  creatures,  subject  to  the  government  of 
one  God.  Hence  they  were  falsely  pretended  to  possess  a 
kind  of  divinity.  Manichmus  has  also  arisen,  with  the  sect 
which  he  founded,  who  imagined  to  himself  two  original  prin- 
ciples, God  and  the  devil ; and  attributed  to  God  the  origin  of 
all  good  things,  but  referred  evil  natures  to  the  production  of 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


153 


CHAP.  XIV.] 

the  devil.  If  our  minds  were  bewildered  in  this  wild  and  in- 
coherent system,  we  should  not  leave  God  in  full  possession 
of  his  glory  in  the  creation  of  the  world.  For,  since  nothing 
is  more  peculiar  to  God  than  eternity  and  self-existence,  does 
not  the  ascription  of  this  to  the  devil  dignify  him  with  a title 
of  Divinity  ? . Now,  where  is  the  omnipotence  of  God,  if  such 
an  empire  be  conceded  to  the  devil,  as  that  he  can  execute 
whatever  he  pleases,  notwithstanding  the  aversion  of  the 
Divine  will,  or  opposition  of  the  Divine  power  ? But  the 
only  foundation  of  the  system  of  Manichasus,  that  it  is  unlaw- 
ful to  ascribe  to  a good  God  the  creation  of  any  evil  thing,  in 
no  respect  affects  the  orthodox  faith,  which  admits  not  that 
any  thing  in  the  universe  is  evil  in  its  nature  ; since  neither 
the  depravity  and  wickedness  of  men  and  devils,  nor  the  sins 
which  proceed  from  that  source,  are  from  mere  nature,  but  from 
a corruption  of  nature  ; nor  from  the  beginning  has  any  thing 
existed,  in  which  God  has  not  given  a specimen  both  of  his 
wisdom  and  of  his  justice.  To  oppose  these  perverse  notions, 
it  is  necessary  to  raise  our  minds  higher  than  our  eyes  can 
reach.  And  it  is  very  probable  that  it  was  with  this  design, 
when,  in  the  Nicene  creed,  God  is  called  the  Creator  of  all 
things,  that  particular  mention  is  made  of  things  invisible. 
Yet  it  shall  be  my  study  to  observe  the  limit  which  the  rule 
of  piety  prescribes,  lest,  by  indulging  an  unprofitable  degree 
of  speculation,  I should  lead  the  reader  astray  from  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  faith.  And  certainly,  since  the  Spirit  invariably 
teaches  us  in  a profitable  manner,  but,  with  regard  to  things 
of  little  importance  to  edification,  either  is  wholly  silent,  or 
but  lightly  and  cursorily  touches  on  them,  — it  is  also  our  duty 
cheerfully  to  remain  in  ignorance  of  what  it  is  not  for  our  ad- 
vantage to  know. 

IV.  Since  angels  are  ministers  of  God  appointed  to  execute 
his  commands,  {n)  that  they  are  also  his  creatures,  ought  to 
be  admitted  without  controversy.  And  does  it  not  betray  ob- 
stinacy rather  than  diligence,  to  raise  any  contention  concern- 
ing the  time  or  the  order  in  which  they  were  created  ? Moses 
narrates,  that  “ the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  finished,  and 
all  the  host  of  them  : ” (o)  to  what  purpose  is  it  anxiously  to 
inquire,  on  what  day,  besides  the  stars  and  the  planets,  the 
other  more  concealed  hosts  of  heaven  began  to  exist  ? Not 
to  be  too  prolix,  let  us  remember  on  this  point  (as  on  the 
whole  doctrine  of  religion)  to  observe  one  rule  of  modesty 
and  sobriety  ; which  is,  not  to  speak,  or  think,  or  even  desire 
to  know,  concerning  obscure  subjects,  any  thing  beyond  the 
information  given  us  in  the  Divine  word.  Another  rule  to  be 

(n)  Psalm  ciii.  20.  (o)  Gen.  ii.  1. 

VOL.  I.  20 


154  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1. 

followed  is,  in  reading  the  Scripture,  continually  to  direct  our 
attention  to  investigate  and  meditate  upon  things  conducive 
to  edification  ; not  to  indulge  curiosity  or  the  study  of  things 
unprofitable.  And,  since  the  Lord  has  been  pleased  to  in- 
. struct  us,  not  in  frivolous  questions,  but  in  solid  piety,  the  fear 
of  his  name,  true  confidence,  and  the  duties  of  holiness,  let  us 
content  ourselves  with  that  knowledge.  Wherefore,  if  we 
wish  to  be  truly  wise,  we  must  forsake  the  vain  imaginations 
propagated  by  triflers  concerning  the  nature,  orders,  and  mul- 
titude of  angels.  I know  that  these  things  are  embraced  by 
many  persons  with  greater  avidity,  and  dwelt  upon  with  more 
pleasure,  than  such  things  as  are  in  daily  use.  But,  if  it  be 
not  irksome  to  be  the  disciples  of  Christ,  it  should  not  be  irk- 
some to  follow  that  method  which  he  has  prescribed.  Then 
the  consequence  will  be,  that,  content  with  his  discipline,  we 
shall  not  only  leave,  but  also  abhor,  those  unprofitable  specu- 
lations from  which  he  calls  us  away.  No  man  can  deny  that 
great  subtlety  and  acuteness  is  discovered  by  Dionysius,  who- 
ever he  was,  in  many  parts  of  his  treatise  on  the  Celestial 
Hierarchy ; but,  if  any  one  enters  into  a critical  examination 
of  it,  he  will  find  the  greatest  part  of  it  to  be  mere  babbling. 
But  the  duty  of  a theologian  is,  not  to  please  the  ear  with 
empty  sounds,  but  to  confirm  the  conscience  by  teaching 
things  which  are  true,  certain,  and  profitable.  A reader  of 
that  book  would  suppose  that  the  author  was  a man  descended 
from  heaven,  giving  an  account  of  things  that  he  had  not 
learned  from  the  information  of  others,  but  had  seen  with  his 
own  eyes.  But  Paul,  who  was  caught  up  to  the  third 
heaven,”  (^)  not  only  has  told  us  no  such  things,  but  has 
even  declared,  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  men  to  utter  the  secret 
things  which  he  had  seen.  Taking  our  leave,  therefore,  of 
this  nugatory  wisdom,  let  us  consider,  from  the  simple  doctrine 
of  the  Scripture,  what  the  Lord  has  been  pleased  for  us  to 
know  concerning  his  angels. 

V.  We  are  frequently  informed  in  the  Scripture,  that  angels 
are  celestial  spirits,  whose  ministry  and  service  God  uses  for 
the  execution  of  whatever  he  has  decreed  ; and  hence  this 
name  is  given  to  them,  because  God  employs  them  as  mes- 
sengers to  manifest  himself  to  men.  Other  appellations  also, 
by*  which  they  are  distinguished,  are  derived  from  a similar 
cause.  They  are  called  Hosts,  because,  as  life-guards,  they 
surround  their  prince,  aggrandizing  his  majesty,  and  rendering 
it  conspicuous ; and,  like  soldiers,  are  ever  attentive  to  the 
signal  of  their  leader ; and  are  so  prepared  for  the  performance 
of  his  commands,  that  he  has  no  sooner  signified  his  will  than 


{p)  2 Cor.  xii.  1,  &c. 


CHAP.  XIV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  155 

they  are  ready  for  the  work,  or  rather  are  actually  engaged  in 
it,  Such  a representation  of  the  throne  of  God  is  exhibited 
in  the  magnificent  descriptions  of  the  Prophets,  but  particularly 
of  Daniel  ; where  he  says,  when  God  had  ascended  the  judg- 
ment-seat, that  thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and 
ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him.”  (q)  Since 
by  their  means  the  Lord  wonderfully  exerts  and  declares  the 
power  and  strength  of  his  hand,  thence  they  are  denominated 
Powers,  (r)  Because  by  them  he  exercises  and  administers 
his  government  in  the  world,  therefore  they  are  called  some- 
times Principalities,  sometimes  Powers,  sometimes  Dominions. 
Lastly,  because  the  glory  of  God  in  some  measure  resides  in 
them,  they  have  also,  for  this  reason,  the  appellation  of 
Thrones  ;(s)  although  on  this  last  name  I would  affirm 
nothing,  because  a different  interpretation  is  equally  or  even 
more  suitable.  But,  omitting  this  name,  the  Holy  Spirit  often 
uses  the  former  ones,  to  magnify  the  dignity  of  the  angelic 
ministry.  Nor,  indeed,  is  it  right  that  no  honour  should  be 
paid  to  those  instruments,  by  whom  God  particularly  exhibits 
the  presence  of  his  power.  Moreover,  they  are  more  than 
once  called  gods  ; because  in  their  ministry,  as  in  a mirror, 
they  give  us  an  imperfect  representation  of  Divinity.  Though 
I am  pleased  with  the  interpretation  of  the  old  writers,  on 
those  passages  where  the  Scripture  records  the  appearance  of 
an  angel  of  God  to  Abraham,  Jacob,  Moses,  and  others,  (t)  that 
Christ  was  that  angel,  yet  frequently,  where  mention  is  made 
of  angels  in  general,  this  name  is  given  to  them.  Nor  should 
this  surprise  us ; for,  if  that  honour  be  given  to  princes  and 
governors,  because,  in  the  performance  of  their  functions,  they 
are  vicegerents  of  God,  the  supreme  King  and  Judge,  (v)  there 
is  far  greater  reason  for  its  being  paid  to  angels,  in  whom  the 
splendour  of  the  Divine  glory  is  far  more  abundantly  displayed. 

YI.  But  the  Scripture  principally  insists  on  what  might 
conduce  most  to  our  consolation,  and  the  confirmation  of  our 
faith  — that  the  angels  are  the  dispensers  and  administrators  of 
the  Divine  beneficence  towards  us ; and  therefore  it  informs 
us,  that  they  guard  our  safety,  undertake  our  defence,  direct 
our  ways,  and  exercise  a constant  solicitude  that  no  evil  befall 
us.  The  declarations  are  universal,  belonging  primarily  to 
Christ  the  head  of  the  Church,  and  then  to  all  the  faithful : 
“ He  shall  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee,  to  keep  thee  in  all 
thy  ways.  They  shall  bear  thee  up  in  their  hands,  lest  thou 
dash  thy  foot  against  a stone.”  (w)  Again,  The  angel  of 
the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that  fear  him,  and  de- 

(7)  Daniel  vii.  10.  (r)  Ephes.  i.  21.  (s)  Col.  i.  16. 

(t)  Gen.  xviii.  2;  xxxii.  ],  28.  Josh.  v.  13.  Judges  vi.  11  ; xiii.  3,  22. 

(®)  Psalm  Ixxxii.  6.  (ic)  Psalm  xci.  11,  12. 


156  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1 

livereth  them.”  {x)  In  these  passages  God  shows  that  he 
delegates  to  his  angels  the  protection  of  those  whom  he  has 
undertaken  to  preserve.  Accordingly,  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
consoles  the  fugitive  Hagar,  and  commands  her  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  her  mistress,  {y)  Abraham  promises  his  servant  that 
an  angel  should  be  the  guide  of  his  journey,  {z)  Jacob,  m 
his  benediction  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  prays  that  the  an- 
gel of  the  Lord,  by  whom  he  had  been  redeemed  from  all  evil, 
would  cause  them  to  prosper,  (a)  Thus  an  angel  was  ap- 
pointed to  protect  the  camp  of  the  Israelites  ]{h)  and  whenever 
it  pleased  God  to  deliver  them  from  the  hands  of  their  enemies, 
he  raised  up  avengers  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  (c)  And 
finally,  to  supersede  the  necessity  of  adducing  more  examples, 
angels  ministered  to  Christ  and  attended  him  in  all  his  dif- 
ficulties ; they  announced  his  resurrection  to  the  women,  and 
his  glorious  advent  to  the  disciples,  (d)  And  thus,  in  the  dis- 
charge of  their  office  as  our  protectors,  they  contend  against 
the  devil  and  all  our  enemies,  and  execute  the  vengeance  of 
God  on  those  who  molest  us ; as  we  read  that  an  angel  of  God, 
to  deliver  Jerusalem  from  a siege,  slew  a hundred  and  eighty- 
five  thousand  men  in  the  camp  of  the  king  of  Assyria  in  one 
night,  (e) 

VII.  But  whether  each  of  the  faithful  has  a particular  angel 
assigned  him  for  his  defence,  I cannot  venture  certainly  to  af- 
firm. When  Daniel  introduces  the  angel  of  the  Persians  and 
the  angel  of  the  Greeks,  (/)  he  clearly  signifies  that  certain 
angels  are  appointed  to  preside  over  kingdoms  and  provinces. 
Christ  also,  when  he  says  that  the  angels  of  children  always 
behold  ‘the  face  of  the  Father,  (g)  suggests,  that  there  are  cer- 
tain angels  who  are  charged  with  their  safety.  But  I know 
not  whether  this  justifies  the  conclusion,  that  every  one  of 
them  has  his  particular  guardian  angel.  Of  this,  indeed,  we 
may  be  certain,  that  not  one  angel  only  has  the  care  of  every  one 
of  us,  but  that  they  all  with  one  consent  watch  for  our  salvation. 
For  it  is  said  of  all  the  angels  together,  that  they  rejoice  more 
over  one  sinner  turned  to  repentance,  than  over  ninety  and  nine 
just  persons  who  have  persevered  in  their  righteousness.  (A) 
Of  more  than  one  angel  it  is  said,  that  they  carried  the  soul  of 
Lazarus  into  the  bosom  of  Abraham,  {i)  Nor  is  it  in  vain  that 
Elisha  shows  his  servant  so  many  fiery  chariots,  which  were 
peculiarly  assigned  to  him  for  his  protection.  (A)  There  is  one 
place  which  seems  clearer  than  the  rest  in  confirmation  of  this 

(x)  Psalm  xxxiv.  7.  {y)  Gen.  xvi.  9.  {z)  Gen.  xxiy.  7. 

(a)  Gen.  xlviii.  16.  {b)  Exod.xiv.l9;  xxiii.20.  (c)  Judges  ii.l;  vi.ll;  xiii.  3.  &c 

(d)  Matt.iv.il.  Luke  xxii.  43.  Matt,  xxviii.  5.  Luke  xxiv.  4,  .5.  Acts  i.  10. 
(e)  Kings  xix.  35.  Isaiah  xxxvii.  36.  (/)  Daniel  x.  13,  20  ; xii.  1. 

{jg)  Matt,  xviii.  10.  (/t)  Luke  xv.  7.  (J)  Luke  xvi.  22.  (k)  2 Kings  vi.  17 


CHAP.  XIV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  157 

point.  For  when  Peter,  on  his  liberation  from  prison,  knocked 
at  the  door  of  the  house  in  which  the  brethren  were  assembled, 
as  they  could  not  suppose  it  to  be  Peter  himself,  they  said  it 
was  his  angel.  {1)  This  conclusion  seems  to  have  arisen  in 
their  minds  from  the  common  opinion  that  each  of  the  faithful 
has  his  guardian  angel  assigned  him.  But  here  it  may  also  be 
replied,  that  nothing  prevents  this  being  understood  of  any  one 
of  the  angels,  to  whom  the  Lord  might  have  committed  the 
care  of  Peter  on  that  occasion,  and  who  yet  might  not  be  his 
perpetual  guardian  ; as  it  is  vulgarly  imagined  that  every  per- 
son has  two  angels,  a good  one  and  a bad  one,  according  to  the 
heathen  notion  of  different  genii.  But  it  is  not  worth  while 
anxiously  to  investigate  what  it  little  concerns  us  to  know.  For 
if  any  one  be  not  satisfied  with  this,  that  all  the  orders  of  the 
celestial  army  watch  for  his  safety,  I see  not  what  advantage 
he  can  derive  from  knowing  that  he  has  one  particular  angel 
given  him  for  his  guardian.  But  those  who  restrict  to  one 
angel  the  care  which  God  exercises  over  every  one  of  us,  do  a 
great  injury  to  themselves,  and  to  all  the  members  of  the 
Church  ; as  though  those  auxiliaries  had  been  promised  in  vain, 
who,  by  surrounding  and  defending  us  on  all  sides,  contribute  to 
increase  our  courage  in  the  conflict. 

VIII.  Let  those,  who  venture  to  determine  concerning  the 
multitude  and  orders  of  the  angels,  examine  on  what  foun- 
dation their  opinions  rest.  Michael,  I confess,  is  called  in  Dan- 
iel ‘‘  the  great  prince,”  and  in  Jude  ‘‘the  archangel.”  (m)  And 
Paul  informs  us  that  it  will  be  an  archangel,  who,  with  the 
sound  of  a trumpet,  shall  summon  men  to  judgment,  (/i)  But 
who,  from  these  passages,  can  determine  the  degrees  of  honour 
among  the  angels,  distinguish  the  individuals  by  their  respec- 
tive titles,  and  assign  to  every  one  his  place  and  station  ? 
For  the  two  names  which  are  found  in  the  Scripture,  Michael 
and  Gabriel,  and  the  third,  if  you  wish  to  add  it  from  the 
history  of  Tobias,  (o)  may  appear,  from  their  significations,  to 
be  given  to  angels  on  account  of  our  infirmity  ; though  I would 
rather  leave  this  undetermined.  With  respect  to  their  num- 
bers, we  hear,  from  the  mouth  of  Christ,  of  many  legions ; (js) 
from  Daniel,  of  many  myriads;  {q)  the  servant  of  Elisha  saw 
many  chariots  ; and  their  being  said  to  encamp  round  about 
them  that  fear  God,  (r)  is  expressive  of  a great  multitude.  It 
is  certain  that  spirits  have  no  form  ; and  yet  the  Scripture,  on 
account  of  the  slender  capacity  of  our  minds,  under  the  names 
of  cherubim  and  -seraphim,  represents  angels  to  us  as  having 
wings,  to  prevent  our  doubting  that  they  will  always  attend,  with 

0 Acts  xii.  15.  (m)  Daniel  xii.  1.  Jude,  ver.  9.  (n)  1 Thess.  iv.  16. 

(o)  Daniel  x.  13,21  ; viii.  16  ; ix.  21.  Luke  i.  19,  26.  Tob.  iii.  17  ; v.  5. 

(p)  Malt.  xxvi.  53.  {q)  Daniel  vii.  10.  (r)  Psalm  xxxiv.  7. 


158 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

incredible  celerity,  to  afford  us  assistance  as  soon  as  our  casea 
require  it ; as  though  the  lightning  darted  from  heaven  were  to 
fly  to  us  with  its  accustomed  velocity.  All  further  inquiries  on 
both  these  points,  we  should  consider  as  belonging  to  that  class 
of  mysteries,  the  full  revelation  of  which  is  deferred  to  the  last 
day.  Wherefore  let  us  remember  that  we  ought  to  avoid  too 
much  curiosity  of  research,  and  presumption  of  language. 

IX.  But  this,  which  is  called  in  question  by  some  restless 
men,  must  be  received  as  a certain  truth,  that  angels  are 
ministering  spirits,  whose  service  God  uses  for  the  protection 
of  his  people,  and  by  whom  he  dispenses  his  benefits  among 
mankind,  and  executes  his  other  works.  It  was  the  opinion 
of  the  ancient  Sadducees,  indeed,  that  the  term  angels  signified 
nothing  but  the  motions  which  God  inspires  into  men,  or  those 
specimens  which  he  gives  of  his  power.  But  this  foolish  no- 
tion is  repugnant  to  so  many  testimonies  of  Scripture,  that 
it  is  surprising  how  such  gross  ignorance  could  have  been 
tolerated  among  that  people.  For,  to  omit  the  places  before 
cited,  where  mention  is  made  of  thousands  and  legions  of 
angels  ; where  joy  is  attributed  to  them  ; where  they  are  said  to 
sustain  the  faithful  in  their  hands,  to  carry  their  souls  into  rest, 
to  behold  the  face  of  the  Father,  (s)  and  the  like,  — there  are 
others  which  most  clearly  evince,  that  they  are  spirits  possess- 
ing an  actual  existence  and  their  own  peculiar  nature.  For 
the  declarations  of  Stephen  and  Paul,  — that  the  law  was 
given  by  the  hand  of  angels,  {t)  and  of  Christ,  that  the  elect, 
after  the  resurrection,  shall  be  like  angels ; that  the  day  of 
judgment  is  not  known  even  to  the  angels ; that  he  then  will 
come  with  his  holy  angels,  (v)  — however  tortured,  must  ne- 
cessarily be  thus  understood.  Likewise,  when  Paul  charges 
Timothy,  before  Christ  and  the  elect  angels,  to  keep  his  pre- 
cepts, {lo)  he  intends,  not  unsubstantial  qualities  or  inspirations, 
but  real  spirits.  Nor  otherwise  is  there  any  meaning  in  what 
we  read  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  Christ  is  made 
more  excellent  than  the  angels,  that  the  world  is  not  subject  to 
them,  that  Christ  assumed  not  their  nature,  but  the  nature  of 
man,  (.t)  unless  we  understand  that  there  are  happy  spirits,  to 
whom  these  comparisons  may  apply.  And  the  author  of  the 
same  epistle  explains  himself,  where  he  places  angels  and  the 
souls  of  the  faithful  together  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  (y)  Be- 
sides, we  have  already  quoted,  that  the  angels  of  children 
always  behold  the  face  of  God  ; that  we  are  always  defended 
by  their  protection  ; that  they  rejoice  for  our  safety  ; that  they 


(5)  Luke  XV.  10;  iv.  10  ; xvi.  2Q.  Psalm  xci.  12.  Matt.  iv.  6 ; xviii.  10. 

{t.)  Acts  vii.  53.  Gal.  iii.  19. 

(y)  Matt.  xxii.  30;  xxiv.  30  ; xxv.  31.  Luke  ix.  26.  (w)  1 Tim.  v.  21. 

(a;)  Heb.  i.  4 ; ii.  16.  (y)  Heb.  xii.  22,  23. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


159 


CHAP.  XIV.] 

admire  the  manifold  grace  of  God  in  the  church; (2;)  and  are 
subject  to  Christas  their  head,  {a)  The  same  truth  is  proved 
by  their  having  so  often  appeared  to  the  patriarchs  in  the  form  ^ 
of  men,  conversed  with  them,  and  been  entertained  by  them. 
And  Christ  himself,  on  account  of  the  preeminence  which  he 
obtains  in  the  capacity  of  Mediator,  is  called  an  angel.  (6)  I 
have  thought  proper  cursorily  to  touch  on  this  point,  in  order 
to  fortify  the  simple  against  those  foolish  'and  absurd  notions, 
which  were  disseminated  by  Satan  many  ages  ago,  and  are 
frequently  springing  up  afresh. 

X.  It  remains  for  us  to  encounter  the  superstition,  which 
generally  insinuates  itself  into  men’s  minds  when  angels  are 
said  to  be  the  ministers  and  dispensers  of  all  our  blessings. 
For  human  reason  soon  falls  into  an  opinion,  that  there  is  no 
honour  that  ought  not  to  be  paid  to  them.  Thus  it  happens 
that  what  belongs  solely  to  God  and  Christ,  is  transferred  to 
them.  Thus  we  see,  that  for  some  ages  past  the  glory  of 
Christ  has  in  many  ways  been  obscured  ; while  angels  have  been 
loaded  with  extravagant  honours  without  the  authority  of  the 
word  of  God.  And  among  the  errors  which  we  combat  in  the 
present  day,  there  is  scarcely  one  more  ancient  than  this.  For 
even  Paul  appears  to  have  had  a great  controversy  with  some, 
who  exalted  angels  in  such  a manner  as  almost  to  degrade 
Christ  to  an  inferior  station.  Hence  the  solicitude  with  which 
he  maintains,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  not  only  that 
Christ  is  to  be  esteemed  above  angels,  but  also  that  he  is  the 
author  of  all  blessings  to  them,  (c)  in  order  that  we  may  not 
forsake  him  and  turn  to  them,  who  are  not  even  sufficient  for 
themselves,  but  draw  from  the  same  fountain  as  we  do.  Since 
the  splendour  of  the  Divine  majesty,  therefore,  is  eminently  dis- 
played in  them,  there  is  nothing  more  natural  than  for  us  to 
fall  down  with  astonishment  in  adoration  of  them,  and  to  at- 
tribute every  thing  to  them  which  exclusively  belongs  to  God. 
Even  John,  in  the  Revelation,  confesses  this  to  have  happened 
to  himself ; but  adds  at  the  same  time,  that  he  was  thus 
answered  : “ See  thou  do  it  not : I am  thy  fellow-servant : wor- 
ship God.”(^/) 

XL  But  this  danger  we  shall  happily  avoid,  if  we  consider 
why  God  is  accustomed  to  provide  for  the  safety  of  the  faith- 
ful, and  to  communicate  the  gifts  of  his  beneficence  by  means 
of  angels,  rather  than  by  himself  to  manifest  his  own  power 
without  their  intervention.  He  certainly  does  this  not  from 
necessity,  as  though  he  were  unable  to  do  without  them ; for 
whenever  he  pleases  he  passes  them  by,  and  performs  his  work 
with  a mere  nod  of  his  power ; so  far  is  he  from  being  indebt- 

(z)  1 Peter  i.  12. 

(c)  Col.  i.  16,  20. 


(a)  Heb.  i.  6.  {h)  Mai.  iii.  1. 

{d)  Rev.  xix.  10 ; xxii.  8,  9. 


160  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

ed  to  their  assistance  for  relieving  him  in  any  difficulty.  This, 
thereforCj  conduces  to  the  consolation  of  our  imbecility,  that 
we  may  want  nothing  that  can  either  raise  our  minds  to  a good 
hope,  or  confirm  them  in  security.  This  one  thing,  indeed, 
ought  to  be  more  than  sufficient  for  us,  that  the  Lord  declares 
himself  to  be  our  Protector.  But  while  we  see  ourselves  en- 
compassed with  so  many  dangers,  so  many  annoyances,  such 
various  kinds  of  enemies, — such  is  our  weakness  and  frailty, 
that  we  may  sometimes  be  filled  with  terror,  or  fall  into  de- 
spair, unless  the  Lord  enables  us,  according  to  our  capacity,  to 
discover  the  presence  of  his  grace.  For  this  reason  he  prom- 
ises, not  only  that  he  will  take  care  of  us  himself,  but  also  that 
we  shall  have  innumerable  life-guards,  to  whom  he  has  com- 
mitted the  charge  of  our  safety  ; and  that,  as  long  as  we  are 
surrounded  by  their  superintendence  and  protection,  whatever 
danger  may  threaten,  we  are  placed  beyond  the  utmost  reach 
of  evil.  I confess,  indeed,  that  it  is  wrong  for  us,  after  that 
simple  promise  of  the  protection  of  God  alone,  still  to  be  look- 
ing around  to  see  from  what  quarter  our  aid  may  come.  But 
since  the  Lord,  from  his  infinite  clemency  and  goodness,  is 
pleased  to  assist  this  our  weakness,  there  is  no  reason  why  we 
should  neglect  this  great  favour  which  he  shows  us.  We  have 
an  example  of  this  in  the  servant  of  Elisha,  who,  when  he  saw 
that  the  mountain  was  besieged  by  an  army  of  Syrians,  (e)  and 
that  no  way  of  escape  was  left,  was  filled  with  consternation, 
as  though  himself  and  his  master  had  been  ruined.  Then 
Elisha  prayed  that  God  would  open  his  eyes,  and  he  immedi- 
ately saw  the  mountain  full  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire  ; that 
is,  of  a multitude  of  angels  who  were  to  guard  him  and  the 
Prophet.  Encouraged  by  this  vision,  he  came  to  himself  again, 
and  was  able  to  look  down  with  intrepidity  on  the  enemies, 
the  sight  of  whom  before  had  almost  deprived  him  of  life. 

XII.  Therefore,  whatever  is  said  concerning  the  ministry  of 
angels,  let  us  direct  it  to  this  end,  that,  overcoming  all  diffi- 
dence, our  hope  in  God  may  be  more  firmly  established.  Foi 
the  Lord  has  provided  these  guards  for  us,  that  we  may  not 
be  terrified  by  a multitude  of  enemies,  as  though  they  could 
prevail  in  opposition  to  his  assistance,  but  may  have  recourse  to 
the  sentiment  expressed  by  Elisha,  “ There  are  more  for  us 
than  against  us.”  How  preposterous  is  it,  then,  that  we  should 
be  alienated  from  God  by  angels,  who  are  appointed  for  this 
very  purpose,  to  testify  that  his  aid  is  more  especially  present 
with  us ! But  they  do  alienate  us  from  him,  unless  they  lead 
us  directly  to  him,  to  regard  him,  call  on  him,  and  celebrate 
him  as  our  only  helper ; unless  they  are  considered  by  us  as 


(c)  2 Kings  vi.  15,  16,  17. 


CHAP.  XIV.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


161 


his  hands,  which  apply  themselves  to  do  nothing  without  his 
direction  ; unless  they  attach  us  to  Christ,  the  only  Mediator,  to 
depend  entirely  on  him,  to  lean  upon  him,  to  aspire  to  him,  and 
to  rest  satisfied  in  him.  For  what  is  described  in  the  vision  of 
Jacob  (/)  ought  to  be  firmly  fixed  in  our  minds,  that  the  an- 
gels descend  to  the  earth  to  men,  and  ascend  from  earth  to 
heaven,  by  a ladder  above  which  stands  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
This  implies,  that  it  is  only  through  the  intercession  of  Christ, 
that  we  are  favoured  with  the  ministry  of  angels,  as  he  himself 
affirms:  “Hereafter  ye  shall  see  heaven  open,  and  the  angels 
descending  upon  the  Son  of  man.”  {g)  Therefore  the  servant 
of  Abraham,  having  been  commended  to  the  care  of  an  an- 
gel, (A)  does  not  therefore  invoke  him  for  his  aid,  but,  trusting 
to  that  committal,  pours  out  his  prayers  before  the  Lord,  and 
entreats  him  to  display  his  mercy  towards  Abraham.  For  as 
God  does  not  make  them  the  ministers  of  his  power  and  good- 
ness, in  order  to  divide  his  glory  with  them,  so  neither  does 
he  promise  his  assistance  in  their  ministry,  that  we  may  divide 
our  confidence  between  them  and  him.  Let  us  take  our  leave, 
therefore,  of  that  Platonic  philosophy,  which  seeks  access  to 
God  by  means  of  angels,  and  worships  th^^m  in  order  to  render 
him  more  propitious  to  us  ,*  which  superstitious  and  curious 
men  have  endeavoured  from  the  beginning,  and  even  to  this 
day  persevere  in  attempting,  to  introduce  into  our  religion. 

XIII.  The  design  of  almost  every  thing  that  the  Scripture 
teaches  concerning  devils,  is  that  we  may  be  careful  to  guard 
against  their  insidious  machinations,  and  may  provide  ourselves 
with  such  weapons  as  are  sufficiently  firm  and  strong  to  repel 
the  most  powerful  enemies.  For  when  Satan  is  called  the  god 
and  prince  of  this  world,  [i)  the  strong  man  armed,  {k)  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  (/)  a roaring  lion,  (m)  these 
descriptions  only  tend  to  make  us  more  cautious  and  vigilant, 
and  better  prepared  to  encounter  him.  This  is  sometimes  sig- 
nified in  express  words.  For  Peter,  after  having  said  that  “ the 
devil,  as  a roaring  lion,  walketh  about  seeking  whom  he  may 
devour,”  immediately  subjoins  an  exhortation  to  “resist  him, 
steadfast  in  the  faith.”  And  Paul,  having  suggested  that  “ we 
wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities, 
against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world, 
against  spiritual  Avickedness,”  {n)  immediately  commands  us  to 
put  on  suitable  armour  for  so  great  and  so  perilous  a conflict. 
Wherefore,  having  been  previously  warned  that  Ave  are  perpet- 
ually threatened  by  an  enemy,  and  an  enemy  desperately  bold 

(/)  Gen.  xxviii.  12.  {k)  Matt.  xii.  29.  Luke  xi.  21. 


{g)  John  i.  51. 

(/i)  Gen.  xxiv.  7,  12,  27,  52. 

(i)  2 Cor.  iv.  4.  John  xii.  31. 


(ij  Ephes.  ii.  2. 

(m)  1 Peter  v.  8,  9. 

(n)  Ephes.  vi.  12,  &c. 


VOL.  I. 


21 


162 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


BOOK  t 


and  extremely  strong,  skilled  in  every  artifice,  indefatigable  in 
diligence  and  celerity,  abundantly  provided  with  all  kinds  of 
weapons,  and  most  expert  in  the  science  of  war,  let  us  make  it 
the  grand  object  of  our  attention,  that  we  sutfer  not  ourselves 
to  be  oppressed  with  slothfulness  and  inactivity,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  arousing  and  collecting  all  our  courage,  be  ready  for  a 
vigorous  resistance  ; and  as  this  warfare  is  terminated  only  by 
death,  let  us  encourage  ourselves  to  perseverance.  But,  above 
all,  conscious  of  weakness  and  ignorance,  let  us  implore  the  as- 
sistance of  God,  nor  attempt  any  thing  but  in  reliance  on  him  ; 
since  he  alone  can  supply  us  with  wisdom,  and  strength,  and 
courage,  and  armour. 

XIV.  But,  the  more  to  excite  and  urge  us  to  such  conduct,  the 
Scripture  announces  that  there  are  not  one,  or  two,  or  a few 
enemies,  but  great  armies  who  wage  war  against  us.  For  even 
Mary  Magdalene  is  said  to  have  been  delivered  from  seven  de- 
mons, by  whom  she  was  possessed  ; (o)  and  Christ  declares  it  to 
be  a common  case,  that,  if  you  leave  the  place  open  for  the  re- 
entrance of  a demon  who  has  once  been  ejected,  he  associates 
with  himself  seven  spirits  more  wicked  still,  and  returns  to  his 
vacant  possession,  (p)  Indeed,  one  man  is  said  to  have  been  pos- 
sessed by  a whole  legion,  (y)  By  these  passages,  therefore,  we 
are  taught,  that  we  have  to  contend  with  an  infinite  multitude 
of  enemies  ; lest,  despising  their  paucity,  we  should  be  more  re- 
miss to  encounter  them,  or,  expecting  sometimes  an  intermission 
of  hostility,  should  indulge  ourselves  in  idleness.  But  when 
one  Satan  or  devil  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  singular 
number,  it  denotes  that  principality  of  wickedness  which  op- 
poses the  kingdom  of  righteousness.  For  as  the  Church  and 
society  of  saints  have  Christ  as  their  head,  so  the  faction  of 
the  impious,  and  impiety  itself,  are  represented  to  us  with  their 
prince,  who  exercises  the  supreme  power  among  them ; which 
is  the  meaning  of  that  sentence,  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.”  (r) 

XV.  It  a^so  ought  to  stimulate  us  to  a perpetual  war  with 

the  devil,  thaTt  he  is  every  where  called  God’s  adversary  and 
ours.  For,  if  we  feel  the  concern  which  we  ought  to  feel  for 
the  glory  of  God,  we  shall  exert  all  our  power  against  him 
who  attempts  the  extinction  of  it.  If  we  are  animated  by  a 
becoming  zeal  for  defending  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  we  must 
necessarily  have  an  irreconcilable  war  with  him  who  con- 
spires its  ruin.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  are  solicitous  for 

our  salvation,  we  ought  to  make  neither  peace  nor  truce  with 
him  who  assiduously  plots  its  destruction.  Now,  such  is  the 
description  given  of  him  in  the  third  chapter  of  Genesis,  where 

(o)  Mark  xvi.  9.  (9)  Luke  viii.  30. 

(p)  Matt.  xii.  43 — 45.  (r)  Matt.  xxv.  41. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


163 


CHAP.  XIV.] 

he  seduces  man  from  the  obedience  owed  by  him  to  God,  so 
that  he  at  once  robs  God  of  his  just  honour,  and  precipitates 
man  into  ruin.  Such,  also,  is  he  described  in  the  Evangelists, 
where  he  is  called  an  enemy,  and  said  to  sow  tares  in  order  to 
corrupt  the  seed  of  eternal  life,  (s)  In  short,  the  testimony  of 
Christ  concerning  him,  that  he  was  a murderer  and  a liar  from 
the  beginning,  (t)  we  find  verified  in  all  his  actions.  For  he 
opposes  Divine  truth  with  lies ; obscures  the  light  with  shades 
of  darkness  ; involves  the  minds  of  men  in  errors  ; stirs  up 
animosities,  and  kindles  contentions  and  wars  ; — and  all  for  the 
purpose  of  subverting  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  plunging  man- 
kind with  himself  into  eternal  destruction.  Whence  it  is  evi- 
dent, that  he  is  naturally  depraved,  vicious,  malignant,  and 
mischievous.  For  there  must  be  extreme  depravity  in  that 
mind  which  is  bent  on  opposing  the  glory  of  God  and  the  sal- 
vation of  men.  And  this  is  suggested  by  John  in  his  Epistle, 
when  he  says,  that  “ he  sinneth  from  the  beginning.”  For  he 
intends,  that  he  is  the  author,  conductor,  and  principal  con- 
triver of  all  wickedness  and  iniquity. 

XVI.  But  since  the  devil  was  created  by  God,  we  must  re- 
mark, that  this  wickedness  which  we  attribute  to  his  nature 
is  not  from  creation,  but  from  corruption.  For  whatever  evil 
quality  he  has,  he  has  acquired  by  his  defection  and  fall.  And 
of  this  the  Scripture  apprizes  us  ; lest,  believing  him  to  have 
come  from  God,  just  as  he  now  is,  we  should  ascribe  to  God 
himself  that  which  is  in  direct  opposition  to  him.  For  this 
reason  Christ  declares,  that  Satan,  ‘‘  when  he  speaketh  a lie, 
speaketh  of  his  own  ; ” (v)  and  adds  the  reason  — because  he 
abode  not  in  the  truth.”  When  he  says  that  he  abode  not  in 
the  truth,  he  certainly  implies  that  he  had  once  been  in  it ; and 
when  he  calls  him  the  father  of  a lie,  he  precludes  his  impu- 
ting to  God  the  depravity  of  his  nature,  which  originated  wholly 
from  himself.  Though  these  things  are  delivered  in  a brief 
and  rather  obscure  manner,  yet  they  are  abundantly  sufficient 
to  vindicate  the  majesty  of  God  from  every  calumny.  And 
what  does  it  concern  us  to  know,  respecting  devils,  either  more 
particulars,  or  for  any  other  purpose  ? Some  persons  are  dis- 
pleased that  the  Scripture  does  not  gjve  us,  in  various  places, 
a distinct  and  detailed  account  of  their  fall,  with  its  cause,  man- 
ner, time,  and  nature.  But,  these  things  being  nothing  to  us, 
it  was  better  for  them,  if  not  to  be  passed  over  in  total  silence, 
yet  certainly  to  be  touched  on  but  lightly  ; because  it  would 
ill  comport  with  the  dignity  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  feed  curiosity 
Avith  vain  and  unprofitable  histories  ; and  we  perceive  it  to  have 
been  the  design  of  the  Lord,  to  deliver  nothing  in  his  sacred 


(s)  Matt.  xiii.  25,  28. 


(t)  John  viii.  44. 


(v)  John  viii.  44, 


164 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

oracles,  which  we  might  not  learn  to  our  edification.  That  we 
ourselves,  therefore,  may  not  dwell  upon  unprofitable  subjects, 
let  us  be  content  with  this  concise  information  respecting  the 
nature  of  devils ; that  at  their  creation  they  were  originally 
angels  of  God,  but  by  degenerating  have  ruined  themselves, 
and  become  the  instruments  of  perdition  to  others.  This  being 
useful  to  be  known,  it  is  clearly  stated  by  Peter  and  Jude. 
“God,”  say  they,  “ spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned,  and  kept 
not  their  first  estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation.”  {x)  And 
Paul,  mentioning  the  elect  angels,  (y)  without  doubt  tacitly 
implies  that  there  are  reprobate  ones. 

XVII.  The  discord  and  contention,  which  we  say  Satan 
maintains  against  God,  ought  to  be  understood  in  a manner 
consistent  with  a firm  persuasion,  that  he  can  do  nothing  with- 
out God’s  will  and  consent.  For  we  read  in  the  history  of 
Job,  that  he  presented  himself  before  God  to  receive  his  com- 
mands, and  dared  not  to  undertake  any  enterprise  without 
having  obtained  his  permission.  (2;)  Thus,  also,  when  Ahab 
was  to  be  deceived,  he  undertook  to  be  a lying  spirit  in  the 
mouth  of  all  the  prophets ; and,  being  commissioned  by  God, 
he  performed  it.  (a)  For  this  reason  he  is  also  called  the 
“evil  spirit  from  the  Lord,”  who  tormented  Saul,  (6)  because 
he  was  employed  as  a scourge  to  punish  the  sins  of  that  im- 
pious monarch.  And  elsewhere  it  is  recorded,  that  the  plagues 
were  inflicted  on  the  Egyptians  by  the  “ evil  angels.”  (c)  Ac- 
cording to  these  particular  examples,  Paul  declares  generally, 
that  the  blinding  of  unbelievers  is  the  work  of  God,  (d)  where- 
as he  had  before  called  it  the  operation  of  Satan.  It  appears, 
then,  that  Satan  is  subject  to  the  power  of  God,  and  so  gov- 
erned by  his  control,  that  he  is  compelled  to  render  obedience 
to  him.  Now,  when  we  say  that  Satan  resists  God,  and  that 
his  works  are  contrary  to  the  works  of  God,  we  at  the  same 
time  assert  that  this  repugnance  and  contention  depend  on  the 
Divine  permission.  I speak  now,  not  of  the  will  or  the  en- 
deavour, but  only  of  the  effect.  For  the  devil,  being  naturally 
wicked,  has  not  the  least  inclination  towards  obedience  to  the 
Divine  will,  but  is  wholly  bent  on  insolence  and  rebellion.  It 
therefore  arises  from  himself  and  his  wickedness,  that  he  op- 
poses God  with  all  his  desires  and  purposes.  This  depravity 
stimulates  him  to  attempt  those  things  which  he  thinks  the 
most  opposed  to  God.  But  since  God  holds  him  tied  and 
bound  with  the  bridle  of  his  power,  he  executes  only  those 
things  which  are  divinely  permitted ; and  thus,  whether  he 

(x)  2 Peter  li.  4.  Jude,  ver.  G.  {h)  1 Sam.  xvi,  14  ) XTiii.  10. 

\y)  1 Tim.  v.  21.  (c)  Psalm  Ixxviii.  49. 

(z)  Job  i.  6;  ii.  1.  (d)  2 Thess.  ii.  9,  11. 

(a)  1 Kings  20,  &c. 


CHAP.  XIV.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


165 


will  or  not,  he  obeys  his  Creator,  being  constrained  to  fulfil 
any  service  to  Avhich  he  impels  him. 

XVIII.  While  God  directs  the  courses  of  unclean  spirits 
hither  and  thither  at  his  pleasure,  he  regulates  this  government 
in  such  a manner,  that  they  exercise  the  faithful  with  fighting, 
attack  them  in  ambuscades,  harass  them  with  incursions,  push 
them  in  battles,  and  frequently  fatigue  them,  throw  them  into 
confusion,  terrify  them,  and  sometimes  wound  them,  yet  never 
conquer  or  overwhelm  them ; but  subdue  and  lead  captive  the 
impious,  tyrannize  over  their  souls  and  bodies,  and  abuse  them 
like  slaves  by  employing  them  in  the  perpetration  of  every 
enormity.  The  faithful,  in  consequence  of  being  harassed  by 
such  enemies,  are  addressed  with  the  following,  and  other  sim- 
ilar exhortations:  “Give  not  place  to  the  devil.’’ (e)  “Your 
adversary  the  devil,  as  a roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  seeking 
whom  he  may  devour  ; whom  resist,  steadfast  in  the  faith.”  (/) 
Paul  confesses  that  he  himself  was  not  free  from  this  kind  of 
warfare,  when  he  declares  that,  as  a remedy  to  subdue  pride, 
“ the  messenger  of  Satan  was  given  to  him  to  buffet  him.”  (g) 
This  exercise,  then,  is  common  to  all  the  children  of  God.  But, 
as  the  promise  respecting  the  breaking  of  the  head  of  Satan  (A) 
belongs  to  Christ  and  all  his  members  in  common,  I therefore 
deny  that  the  faithful  can  ever  be  conquered  or  overwhelmed 
by  him.  They  are  frequently  filled  with  copsternation,  but 
recover  themselves  again  ; they  fall  by  the  violence  of  his 
blows,  but  are  raised  up  again ; they  are  wounded,  but  not 
mortally  ,*  finally,  they  labour  through  their  whole  lives  in 
such  a manner,  as  at  last  to  obtain  the  victory.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  to  be  restricted  to  each  single  action.  For  we 
know  that,  by  the  righteous  vengeance  of  God,  David  was  for 
a time  delivered  to  Satan,  that  by  his  instigation  he  might 
number  the  people ; (i)  nor  is  it  without  reason  that  Paul  ad- 
mits a hope  of  pardon  even  for  those  who  may  have  been  en- 
tangled in  the  snares  of  the  devil,  (k)  Therefore  the  same 
Apostle  shows,  in  another  place,  that  the  promise  before  cited 
is  begun  in  this  life,  where  we  must  engage  in  the  conflict ; 
and  that  after  the  termination  of  the  conflict  it  will  be  com- 
pleted. “ And  the  God  of  peace,”  he  says,  “ shall  bruise 
Satan  under  your  feet  shortly.”  (/)  In  our  Head  this  victory, 
indeed,  has  always  been  complete,  because  the  prince  of  this 
world  had  nothing  in  him : (m)  in  us,  who  are  his  members,  it 
yet  appears  only  in  part,  but  will  be  completed  Avhen  we  shall 
have  put  off  our  flesh,  which  makes  us  still  subject  to  inflrm- 

(e)  Ephes.  iv.  27.  (i)  2 Sam.  xxiv.  1.  1 Chron.  xxi.  1. 


(/)  1 Peter  v.  8. 
(fr)  2 Cor.  xii.  7. 
(A)  Gen.  iii.  15. 


(/.)  2 Tim.  ii.  26. 
(/)  Rom.  xvi.  20. 
(ni)  John  xiv.  30. 


166  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I, 

ities,  and  shall  he  full  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In 
this  manner,  when  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  erected,  Satan  and 
his  power  must  fall ; as  the  Lord  himself  says,  I beheld 
Satan  as  lightning  falling  from  heaven.”  {n)  For  by  this 
answer  he  confirms  what  the  Apostles  had  reported  concerning 
the  power  of  his  preaching.  Again : When  a strong  man 
aimed  keepeth  his  palace,  his  goods  are  in  peace  ] but  when 
a stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon  him  and  overcome  him,” 
&c.  (o)  And  to  this  end  Christ  by  his  death  overcame  Satan, 
who  had  the  power  of  death,  and  triumphed  over  all  his  forces, 
that  they  might  not  be  able  to  hurt  the  Church ; for  otherwise 
it  would  be  in  hourly  danger  of  destruction.  For  such  is  our 
imbecility,  and  such  the  strength  of  his  fury,  how  could  we 
stand  even  for  a moment  against  his  various  and  unceasing  at- 
tacks, without  being  supported  by  the  victory  of  our  Captain  ? 
Therefore  God  permits  not  Satan  to  exercise  any  power  over 
the  souls  of  the  faithful,  but  abandons  to  his  government 
only  the  impious  and  unbelieving,  whom  he  designs  not  to 
number  among  his  own  flock.  For  he  is  said  to  have  the 
undisturbed  possession  of  this  world,  till  he  is  expelled  by 
Christ,  {p)  He  is  said  also  to  blind  all  who  believe  not  the 
Gospel,  {q)  and  to  work  in  the  children  of  disobedience ; (r) 
and  this  justly,  for  all  the  impious  are  vessels  of  wrath,  (s)  To 
Avhom,  therefore,  should  they  be  subjected,  but  to  the  minister 
of  the  Divine  vengeance  ? Finally,  they  are  said  to  be  of  their 
father  the  devil ; {t)  because,  as  the  faithful  are  known  to  be 
the  children  of  God  from  their  bearing  his  image,  {v)  so  the 
impious,  from  the  image  of  Satan  into  which  they  have  de- 
generated, are  properly  considered  as  his  children. 

XIX.  But  as  we  have  already  confuted  that  nugatory  phi- 
losophy concerning  the  holy  angels,  which  teaches  that  they 
are  nothing  but  inspirations,  or  good  motions,  excited  by  God 
in  the  minds  of  men,  so  in  this  place  we  must  refute  those 
who  pretend  that  devils  are  nothing  but  evil  afiections  or  per- 
turbations, which  our  flesh  obtrudes  on  our  minds.  But  this 
may  be  easily  done,  and  that  because  the  testimonies  of  Scrip- 
ture on  this  subject  are  numerous  and  clear.  First,  when  they 
are  called  unclean  spirits  and  apostate  angels,  {lo)  who  have 
degenerated  from  their  original  condition,  the  very  names  suf- 
ficiently express,  not  mental  emotions  or  afiections,  but  rather 
in  reality  what  are  called  minds,  or  spirits  endued  with  per- 
ception and  intelligence.  Likewise,  when  the  children  of  God 
are  compared  with  the  children  of  the  devil,  both  by  Christ 
and  by  John,  {x)  would  not  the  comparison  be  absurd,  if  noth- 

(t?)  Luke  X.  is.  (;>)  John  xii.  31.  (r)  Eph.  ii.  2.  {t)  John  viii.  44. 

(o)  Luke  xi.  21.  {q)  2 Cor.  iv.  4.  (5)  Rom.  ix.  22.  (r)  1 John  iii.  10. 

{w)  Matt.  xii.  43.  Jude  6.  {x)  John  viii.  44.  1 John  iii.  10. 


CHAP.  XIV. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


167 


ing  were  intended  by  the  word  devil  but  evil  inspirations  r 
And  John  adds  something  still  plainer,  that  the  devil  sins 
from  the  beginning.  Likewise,  when  Jude  introduces  Michael 
the  archangel  contending  with  the  devil,  (y)  he  certainly  op- 
poses to  the  good  angel  an  evil  and  rebellious  one  ; to  which 
agrees  what  is  recorded  in  the  history  of  Job,  that  Satan  ap- 
peared with  the  holy  angels  before  God.  (z)  But  the  clearest 
of  all  are  those  passages,  which  mention  the  punishment  which 
they  begin  to  feel  from  the  judgment  of  God,  and  are  to  feel 
much  more  at  the  resurrection  : Thou  Son  of  God,  art  thou 
come  hither  to  torment  us  before  the  time  ? ” (a)  Also,  ‘‘  De- 
part, ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and 
his  angels.”  (6)  Again,  “If  God  spared  not  the  angels  that 
sinned,  but  cast  them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into 
chains  of  darkness,  to  be  reserved  unto  judgment,”  &c.  (c) 
How  unmeaning  were  these  expressions,  that  the  devils  are  ap- 
pointed to  eternal  judgment ; that  fire  is  prepared  for  them  ; 
that  they  are  now  tormented  and  vexed  by  the  glory  of  Christ, 
if  there  were  no  devils  at  all ! But  since  this  point  is  not  a 
subject  of  dispute  with  those  who  give  credit  to  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  but  with  those  vain  speculators  who  are  pleased  with 
nothing  but  novelty,  little  good  can  be  effected  by  testimonies 
of  Scripture.  I consider  myself  as  having  done  what  I in- 
tended, which  was  to  fortify  the  pious  mind  against  such  a 
species  of  errors,  with  which  restless  men  disturb  themselves 
and  others  that  are  more  simple.  But  it  was  requisite  to  touch 
on  it,  lest  any  persons  involved  in  that  error,  under  a supposi- 
tion that  they  have  no  adversary,  should  become  more  slothful 
and  incautious  to  resist  him. 

XX.  Yet  let  us  not  disdain  to  receive  a pious  delight  from 
the  works  of  God,  which  every  where  present  themselves  to 
view  in  this  very  beautiful  theatre  of  the  world.  For  this,  as 
1 have  elsewhere  observed,  though  not  the  principal,  is  yet,  in 
the  order  of  nature,  the  first  lesson  of  faith,  to  remember  that, 
whithersoever  we  turn  our  eyes,  all  the  things  which  we  be- 
hold are  the  works  of  God ; and  at  the  same  time  to  consider, 
with  pious  meditation,  for  what  end  God  created  them.  There- 
fore to  apprehend,  by  a true  faith,  what  it  is  for  our  benefit  to 
know  concerning  God,  we  must  first  of  all  understand  the  his- 
tory of  the  creation  of  the  world,  as  it  is  briefly  related  by  Mo- 
ses, and  afterwards  more  copiously  illustrated  by  holy  men, 
particularly  by  Basil  and  Ambrose.  Thence  we  shall  learn  that 
God,  by  the  power  of  his  Word  and  Spirit,  created  out  of  noth- 
ing the  heaven  and  the  earth ; that  from  them  he  produced  all 
things,  animate  and  inanimate ; distinguished  by  an  admirable 

(y)  Jude  9.  (z)  Jobi.  6;  ii.  1.  (a)  Matt.  viii.  29. 

(6)  Matt.  XXV.  il.  (c)  2 Peter  ii.  4 


168  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1. 

gradation  the  innumerable  variety  of  things ; to  every  species 
gave  its  proper  nature,  assigned  its  offices,  and  appointed  its 
places  and  stations ; and  since  all  things  are  subject  to  corrup- 
tion, has,  nevertheless,  provided  for  the  preservation  of  every 
species  till  the  last  day ; that  he  therefore  nourishes  some  by 
methods  concealed  from  us,  from  time  to  time  infusing,  as  it 
were,  new  vigour  into  them ; that  on  some  he  has  conferred  the 
power  of  propagation,  in  order  that  the  whole  species  may  not 
be  extinct  at  their  death ; that  he  has  thus  wonderfully 
adorned  heaven  and  earth  with  the  utmost  possible  abundance, 
variety,  and  beauty,  like  a large  and  splendid  mansion,  most 
exquisitely  and  copiously  furnished ; lastly,  that,  by  creating 
man,  and  distinguishing  him  with  such  splendid  beauty,  and 
with  such  numerous  and  great  privileges,  he  has  exhibited  in 
him  a most  excellent  specimen  of  all  his  works.  But  since  it 
is  not  my  design  to  treat  at  large  of  the  creation  of  the  world, 
let  it  suffice  to  have  again  dropped  these  few  hints  by  the  way. 
For  it  is  better,  as  I have  just  advised  the  reader,  to  seek  for 
fuller  information  on  this  subject  from  Moses,  and  others  who 
have  faithfully  and  diligently  recorded  the  history  of  the  world. 

XXL  It  is  useless  to  enter  into  a prolix  disputation  respecting 
the  right  tendency  and  legitimate  design  of  a consideration  of 
the  works  of  God,  since  this  question  has  been,  in  a great 
measure,  determined  in  another  place,  and,  as  much  as  concerns 
our  present  purpose,  may  be  despatched  in  few  words.  Indeed, 
if  we  wished  to  explain  how  the  inestimable  wisdom,  power, 
justice,  and  goodness,  of  God  are  manifested  in  the  formation  of 
the  world,  no  splendour  or  ornament  of  diction  will  equal  the 
magnitude  of  so  great  a subject.  And  it  is  undoubtedly  the 
will  of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  be  continually  employed  in 
this  holy  meditation ; that,  while  we  contemplate  in  all  the 
creatures,  as  in  so  many  mirrors,  the  infinite  riches  of  his  wis- 
dom, justice,  goodness,  and  power,  we  might  not  only  take  a 
transient  and  cursory  view  of  them,  but  might  long  dwell  on 
the  idea,  seriously  and  faithfully  revolve  it  in  our  minds,  and 
frequently  recall  it  to  our  memory.  But,  this  being  a didactic 
treatise,  we  must  omit  those  topics  which  require  long  declama- 
tions. To  be  brief,  therefore,  let  the  readers  know,  that  they 
have  then  truly  apprehended  by  faith  what  is  meant  by  God 
being  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  if  they,  in  the  ffi'st  place, 
follow  this  universal  rule,  not  to  pass  over,  with  ungrateful  in- 
attention or  oblivion,  those  glorious  perfections  which  God 
manifests  in  his  creatures ; and,  secondly,  learn  to  make  such 
an  application  to  themselves  as  thoroughly  to  alfect  their  hearts. 
The  first  point  is  exemplified,  when  we  consider  liow  great 
must  have  been  the  Artist  who  disposed  that  multitude  of  stars, 
which  adorn  the  heaven,  in  such  a regular  order,  that  it  is  im- 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


169 


CHAP.  XIV.] 

possible  to  imagine  any  thing  more  beautiful  to  behold ; who 
fixed  some  in  their  stations,  so  that  they  cannot  be  moved ; who 
granted  to  others  a freer  course,  but  so  that  they  never  travel 
beyond  their  appointed  limits ; who  so  regulates  the  motions  of 
all,  that  they  measure  days  and  nights,  months,  years,  and  sea- 
sons of  the  year  ; and  also  reduces  the  inequality  of  days,  which 
we  constantly  witness,  to  such  a medium  that  it  occasions  no 
confusion.  ^ So,  also,  when  we  observe  his  power  in  sustaining 
so  great  a mass,  in  governing  the  rapid  revolutions  of  the  celes- 
tial machine,  and  the  like.  For  these  few  examples  sufficiently 
declare,  what  it  is  to  recognize  the  perfections  of  God  in  the 
creation  of  the  world.  Otherwise,  were  I desirous  of  pursuing 
the  subject  to  its  full  extent,  there  would  be  no  end ; since 
there  are  as  many  miracles  of  Divine  power,  as  many  monu- 
ments of  Divine  goodness,  as  many  proofs  of  Divine  wisdom,  as 
there  are  species  of  things  in  the  world,  and  even  as  there  are 
individual  things,  either  great  or  small. 

XXII.  There  remains  the  other  point,  which  approaches 
more  nearly  to  faith ; that,  while  we  observe  how  God  has  ap- 
pointed all  things  for  our  benefit  and  safety,  and  at  the  same 
time  perceive  his  poAver  and  grace  in  ourselves,  and  the  great 
benefits  Avhich  he  has  conferred  on  us,  we  may  thence  excite 
ourselves  to  confide  in  him,  to  invoke  him,  to  praise  him,  and  to 
love  him.  Now,  as  I have  just  before  suggested,  God  himself 
has  demonstrated,  by  the  very  order  of  creation,  that  he  made 
all  things  for  the  sake  of  man.  For  it  was  not  Avithout  reason 
that  he  distributed  the  making  of  the  world  into  six  days  ; 
though  it  Avould  have  been  no  more  difficult  for  him  to  com- 
plete the  Avhole  Avork,  in  all  its  parts,  at  once,  in  a single  mo- 
ment, than  to  arrive  at  its  completion  by  such  progressive  ad- 
vances. But  in  this  he  has  been  pleased  to  display  his  provi- 
dence and  paternal  solicitude  toAvards  us,  since,  before  he  Avould 
make  man,  he  prepared  every  thing  Avhich  he  foresaw  would 
be  useful  or  beneficial  to  him.  Hoav  great  Avould  be,  noAv,  the 
ingratitude  to  doubt  Avhether  Ave  are  regarded  by  this  best  of 
fathers,  Avhom  Ave  perceive  to  have  been  solicitous  on  our  ac- 
count before  Ave  existed  ! Hoav  impious  Avould  it  be  to  tremble 
Avith  diffidence,  lest  at  any  time  his  benignity  should  desert  us 
in  our  necessities,  Avhich  Ave  see  Avas  displayed  in  the  greatest 
affiuence  of  all  blessings  provided  for  us  Avhile  we  Avere  yet 
unborn!  Besides,  Ave  are  told  by  Moses,  (d)  that  his  liberality 
has  subjected  to  us  all  that  is  contained  in  the  whole  Avorld. 
He  certainly  has  not  made  this  declaration  in  order  to  tantalize 
us  Avith  the  empty  name  of  such  a donation.  Therefore  we 
never  shall  be  destitute  of  any  thing  Avhich  Avill  conduce  to 


VOL.  I. 


22 


{d)  Gen.  i.  28  ; ix.  2. 


170  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1. 

our  welfare.  Finally,  to  conclude,  whenever  we  call  God  the 
Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  let  us  at  the  same  time  reflect, 
that  the  dispensation  of  all  those  things  which  he  has  made  is 
in  his  own  power,  and  that  we  are  his  children,  whom  he  has 
received  into  his  charge  and  custody,  to  be  supported  and  edu- 
cated ; so  that  we  may  expect  every  blessing  from  him  alone, 
and  cherish  a certain  hope  that  he  will  never  suffer  us  to  want 
those  things  which  are  necessary  to  our  well-being,  that  our 
hope  may  depend  on  no  other;  that,  whatever  -^e  need  or 
desire,  our  prayers  may  be  directed  to  him,  and  that,  from  what- 
ever quarter  we  receive  any  advantage,  we  may  acknowledge 
it  to  be  his  benefit,  and  confess  it  with  thanksgiving  ; that, 
being  allured  with  such  great  sweetness  of  goodness  and  benefi- 
cence, we  may  study  to  love  and  worship  him  with  all  our 
hearts. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  STATE  OF  MAN  AT  HIS  CREATION,  THE  FACULTIES  OF  THE 

SOUL,  THE  DIVINE  IMAGE,  FREE  WILL,  AND  THE  ORIGINAL 

PURITY  OF  HIS  NATURE. 

We  must  now  treat  of  the  creation  of  man,  not  only  because 
he  exhibits  the  most  noble  and  remarkable  specimen  of  the 
Divine  justice,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  among  all  the  works  of 
God,  but  because,  as  we  observed  in  the  beginning,  we  cannot 
attain  to  a clear  and  solid  knowledge  of  God,  without  a mutual 
acquaintance  with  ourselves.  But  though  this  is  twofold,  — the 
knowledge  of  the  condition  in  which  we  were  originally  cre- 
ated, and  of  that  into  which  we  entered  after  the  fall  of  Adam, 
(for  indeed  we  should  derive  but  little  advantage  from  a know- 
ledge of  our  creation,  unless  in  the  lamentable  ruin  which  has 
befallen  us  we  discovered  the  corruption  and  deformity  of  our 
nature,)  — yet  we  shall  content  ourselves  at  present  with  a de- 
scription of  human  nature  in  its  primitive  integrity.  And,  in- 
deed, before  we  proceed  to  the  miserable  condition  in  which 
man  is  now  involved,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  the  state  an 
which  he  was  first  created.  For  we  must  beware  lest,  m 
precisely  pointing  out  the  natural  evils  of  man,  we  seem  to 
refer  them  to  the  Author  of  nature ; since  impious  men  suppose 
that  this  pretext  affords  them  a sufficient  defence,  if  they  can 
plead  that  whatever  defect  or  fault  they  have,  proceeds  in  some 
measure  from  God ; nor  do  they  hesitate,  if  reproved,  to  litigate 
\\^ith  God  himself,  and  transfer  to  him  the  crime  of  which  they 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


171 


CHAP.  XV.] 

are  justly  accused.  And  those  who  would  be  thought  to  speak 
with  more  reverence  concerning  the  Deity,  yet  readily  en- 
deavour to  excuse  their  depravity  from  nature,  not  considering 
that  they  also,  though  in  a more  obscure  manner,  are  guilty  of 
defaming  the  character  of  God ; to  whose  dishonour  it  would 
redound,  if  nature  could  be  proved  to  have  had  any  innate  deprav- 
ity at  its  formation.  Since  we  see  the  flesh,  therefore,  eagerly 
catching  at  every  subterfuge,  by  which  it  supposes  that  the  / 
blame  of  its  evils  may  by  any  means  be  transferred  from  itself ' 
to  any  other,  we  must  diligently  oppose  this  perverseness.  The 
calamity  of  mankind  must  be  treated  in  such  a manner  as  to 
preclude  all  tergiversation,  and  to  vindicate  the  Divine  justice 
from  every  accusation.  We  shall  afterwards,  in  the  proper 
place,  see  how  far  men  are  fallen  from  that  purity  which  was 
bestowed  upon  Adam.  And  first  let  it  be  understood,  that,  by 
his  being  made  of  earth  and  clay,  a restraint  was  laid  upon 
pride ; since  nothing  is  more  absurd  than  for  creatures  to  glory 
in  their  excellence,  who  not  only  inhabit  a cottage  of  clay,  but 
who  are  themselves  composed  partly  of  dust  and  ashes,  (e)  But 
as  God  not  only  deigned  to  animate  the  earthen  vessel,  but 
chose  to  make  it  the  residence  of  an  immortal  spirit,  Adam 
might  justly  glory  in  so  great  an  instance  of  the  liberality  of 
his  ]\Iaker. 

II.  That  man  consists  of  soul  and  body,  ought  not  to  be  j 
controverted.  By  the  soul  ” I understand  an  immortal,  yet 
created  essence,  which  is  the  nobler  part  of  him.  Sometimes  ' 
it  is  called  a “ spirit ; ” for  though,  Avhen  these  names  are  con- 
nected, they  have  a different  signification,  yet  when  “spirit  ” is 
used  separately,  it  means  the  same  as  “ soul ; ” as  when  Solo- 
mon, speaking  of  death,  says  that  “ then  the  spirit  shall  return 
unto  God,  who  gave  it.”  (/)  And  Christ  commending  his  spirit 
to  the  Father,  (g)  and  Stephen  his  to  Christ,  (h)  intend  no  other 
than  that,  when  the  soul  is  liberated  from  the  prison  of  the 
flesh,  God  is  its  perpetual  keeper.  Those  who  imagine  that  the 
soul  is  called  a spirit,  because  it  is  a breath  or  faculty  divinely 
infused  into  the  body,  but  destitute  of  any  essence,  are  proved 
to  be  in  a gross  error  by  the  thing  itself,  and  by  the  whole 
tenor  of  Scripture.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that,  while  men  are  im- 
moderately attached  to  the  earth,  they  become  stupid,  and, 
being  alienated  from  the  Father  of  lights,  are  immersed  in 
darkness,  so  that  they  consider  not  that  they  shall  survive  after 
death ; yet  in  the  mean  time,  the  light  is  not  so  entirely  extin- 
guished by  the  darkness,  but  that  they  are  affected  with  some 
sense  of  their  immortality.  Surely  the  conscience,  which,  dis- 
cerning between  good  and  evil,  answers  to  the  judgment  of 

(e)  Gen.  ii.  7 ; iii.  19,  23. 

(/)  Eccles.  xii.  7. 


(g)  Luke  xxiii.  4G. 
(/t)  Acts  vii.  59. 


172  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

God,  is  an  indubitable  proof  of  an  immortal  spirit.  For  how 
could  an  affection  or  emotion,  without  any  essence,  penetrate  to 
the  tribunal  of  God,  and  inspire  itself  with  terror  on  account 
of  its  guilt  ? F or  the  body  is  not  affected  by  a fear  of  spiritual 
punishment ; that  falls  only  on  the  soul ; whence  it  follows, 
that  it  is  possessed  of  an  essence.  Now,  the  very  knowledge 
of  God  sufficiently  proves  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  which 
rises  above  the  world,  since  an  evanescent  breath  or  inspiration 
could  not  arrive  at  the  fountain  of  life.  Lastly,  the  many  noble 
faculties  with  which  the  human  mind  is  adorned,  and  which 
loudly  proclaim  that  something  Divine  is  inscribed  on  it,  are  so 
many  testimonies  of  its  immortal  essence.  For  the  sense  which 
the  brutes  have,  extends  not  beyond  the  body,  or  at  most  not 
beyond  the  objects  near  it.  But  the  agility  of  the  human 
mind,  looking  through  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  secrets  of 
nature,  and  comprehending  in  its  intellect  and  memory  all  ages, 
digesting  every  thing  in  proper  order,  and  concluding  future 
events  from  those  which  are  past,  clearly  demonstrates  that 
there  is  concealed  within  man  something  distinct  from  the 
body.  In  our  minds  we  forjn  conceptions  of  the  invisible  God 
and  of  angels,  to  which  the  body  is  not  at  all  competent.  We 
apprehend  what  is  right,  just,  and  honest,  which  is  concealed 
from  the  corporeal  senses.  The  spirit,  therefore,  must  be  the 
seat  of  this  intelligence.  Even  sleep  itself,  which,  stupefying 
man,  seems  to  divest  him  even  of  life,  is  no  obscure  proof  of 
immortality ; since  it  not  only  suggests  to  us  ideas  of  things 
which  never  happened,  but  also  presages  of  future  events.  I 
briefly  touch  those  things  which  even  profane  writers  magnifi- 
cently extol  in  a more  splendid  and  ornamented  diction ; but 
with  the  pious  reader  the  simple  mention  of  them  will  be  sufli- 
cient.  Now,  unless  the  soul  were  something  essentially  distinct 
from  the  body,  the  Scripture  would  not  inform  us  that  we 
dwell  in  houses  of  clay,  [i)  and  at  death  quit  the  tabernacle  of 
the  flesh;  {k)  that  we  put  off  the  corruptible,  {1)  to  receive  a 
reward  at  the  last  day,  according  to  the  respective  conduct  of 
each  individual  in  the  body,  (m)  For  certainly  these  and 
similar  passages,  which  often  occur,  not  only  manifestly  dis- 
tinguish the  soul  from  the  body,  but,  by  transferring  to  it  the 
name  of  ^‘man,”  indicate  that  it  is  the  principal  part  of  our 
nature.  When  Paul  exhorts  the  faithful  to  cleanse  themselves 
from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  spirit,  (?^)  he  points 
out  two  parts  in  which  the  defilement  of  sin  resides.  Peter 
also,  when  he  called  Christ  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls,  (d) 
would  have  spoken  improperly,  if  there  were  no  souls  over 
whom  he  could  exercise  that  office.  Nor  would  there  be  any 

(0  Job  iv.  10.  (0  2 Peter  i.  13,  14.  {n)  2 Cor.  vii.  1. 

(k)  2 Cor.  V.  4.  (m)  2 Cor.  v.  10.  (p)  1 Peter  ii.  25. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


173 


CHAP.  XV.] 

consistency  in  what  he  says  concerning  the  eternal  salvation  of 
souls,  or  in  his  injunction  to  purify  the  souls,  or  in  his  assertion 
that  fleshly  lusts  war  against  the  soul,  {p)  or  in  what  the  author 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  says,  that  pastors  watch  to  give 
an  account  of  our  souls,  {q)  unless  souls  had  a proper  essence. 
To  the  same  purpose  is  the  place  where  Paul  “ calls  God  for  a 
record  upon  his  soul,”  (r)  because  it  could  not  be  amenable  to 
God,  if  it  were  not  capable  of  punishment ; which  is  also 
more  clearly  expressed  in  the  words  of  Christ,  where  he  com- 
mands us  to  fear  him,  who,  after  having  killed  the  body,  is  able 
to  cast  the  soul  into  hell,  (s)  Where  the  author  of  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  distinguishes  between  the  fathers  of  our  flesh, 
and  God,  who  is  the  only  Father  of  spirits,  (t)  he  could  not  as- 
sert the  essence  or  existence  of  the  soul  in  more  express  terms. 
Besides,  unless  the  soul  survived  after  its  liberation  from  the 
prison  of  the  body,  it  was  absurd  for  Christ  to  represent  the 
soul  of  Lazarus  as  enjoying  happiness  in  the  bosom  of  Abra- 
ham, and  the  soul  of  the  rich  man  as  condemned  to  dreadful 
torments,  (u)  Paul  confirms  the  same  point,  by  informing  us 
that  we  are  absent  from  God  as  long  as  we  dwell  in  the  body, 
but  that  when  absent  from  the  body  we  are  present  with  the 
Lord,  (v)  Not  to  be  too  prolix  on  a subject  of  so  little  ob- 
scurity, I shall  only  add  this  from  Luke,  that  it  is  reckoned 
among  the  errors  of  the  Sadducees,  that  they  believed  not  the 
existence  of  angels  or  of  spirits,  (w) 

HI.  A solid  proof  of  this  point  may  also  be  gathered  from 
man  being  said  to  be  created  in  the  image  of  God.  (:r)  For 
though  the  glory  of  God  is  displayed  in  his  external  form,  yet 
there  is  no  doubt  that  the  proper  seat  of  his  image  is  in  the  soul. 
I admit  that  external  form,  as  it  distinguishes  us  from  brutes, 
also  exalts  us  more  nearly  to  God ; nor  will  I too  vehemently 
contend  with  any  one  who  would  understand,  by  the  image  of 
God,  that 

“ while  the  mute  creation  downward  bend 

Their  sight,  and  to  their  earthly  mother  tend, 

Man  looks  aloft,  and  with  erected  eyes 
Beholds  his  own  hereditary  skies.”  (^) 

Only  let  it  be  decided  that  the  image  of  God,  which  appears  or 
sparkles  in  these  external  characters,  is  spiritual.  For  Osiander, 
whose  perverse  ingenuity  in  futile  notions  is  proved  by  his 
writings,  extending  the  image  of  God  promiscuously  to  the  body 
as  well  as  to  the  soul,  confounds  heaven  and  earth  together. 
He  says,  that  the  Father,  and  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  fixed  their 

(p)  1 Peter  i.  9,  22;  ii.  11.  (s)  Matt.  x.  28.  Luke  xii.  4,  5.  (f)  2 Cor.  v.  6,  8 

\q)  Heb.  xiii.  17.  {t)  Heb.  xii.  9.  (?e)  Acts  xxiii.  8. 

(r)  2 Cor.  i.  23.  (m)  Luke  xvi.  22.  (x)  Gen.  i 27. 

G)  Ovid’s  Metam.  lib.  1.  Dryden’s  Translation. 


174  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

image  in  man,  because,  even  if  Adam  had  remained  in  his  inte- 
grity, Christ  would,  nevertheless,  have  become  man.  Thus,  ac- 
cording to  him,  the  body  which  had  been  destined  for  Christ 
was  the  exemplar  and  type  of  that  corporeal  figure  which  was 
then  formed.  But  where  will  he  find  that  Christ  is  the  image 
of  the  Spirit  ? I grant,  indeed,  that  the  glory  of  the  whole 
Deity  shines  in  the  person  of  the  Mediator ; but  how  shall  the 
eternal  Word  be  called  the  image  of  the  Spirit,  whom  he  pre- 
cedes in  order  ? Lastly,  it  subverts  the  distinction  between  the 
Son  and  Spirit,  if  the  former  be  denominated  the  image  of  the 
‘atter.  Besides,  I could  wish  to  be  informed  by  him,  how  Christ, 
in  the  body  which  he  has  assumed,  resembles  the  Spirit,  and  by 
what  characters  or  lineaments  his  similitude  is  expressed.  And 
since  that  speech,  ‘‘Let  us  make  man  in  our  own  image,”  (z) 
belongs  also  to  the  person  of  the  Son,  it  follows  that  he  is  the 
image  of  himself;  which  is  altogether  repugnant  to  reason. 
Moreover,  if  the  notion  of  Osiander  be  received,  man  was  formed 
only  to  the  type  or  exemplar  of  the  humanity  of  Christ ; and  the 
idea  from  which  Adam  was  taken  was  Christ,  as  about  to  be 
clothed  in  flesh ; whereas  the  Scripture  teaches,  in  a very  dif- 
ferent sense,  that  man  was  “created  in  the  image  of  God.” 
There  is  more  plausibility  in  the  subtlety  of  those  who  main- 
tain that  Adam  was  created  in  the  image  of  God,  because  he 
was  conformed  to  Christ,  who  is  the  only  image  of  God.  But 
this  also  is  destitute  of  solidity.  There  is  no  small  controversy 
concerning  “ image  ” and  “ likeness  ” among  expositors  who  seek 
for  a difference,  whereas  in  reality  there  is  none,  between  the 
two  words  ; “ likeness  ” being  only  added  by  way  of  explana- 
tion. In  the  first  place,  we  know  that  it  is  the  custom  of  the 
Hebrews  to  use  repetitions,  in  which  they  express  one  thing 
twice.  In  the  next  place,  as  to  the  thing  itself,  there  is  no 
doubt  but  man  is  called  the  image  of  God,  on  account  of  his 
likeness  to  God.  Hence  it  appears  that  those  persons  make 
themselves  ridiculous  who  display  more  subtlety  in  criticising 
on  these  terms,  whether  they  confine  zelem,  that  is,  “ image,” 
to  the  substance  of  the  soul,  and  demuthj  that  is,  “likeness,”'  to 
its  qualities,  or  whether  they  bring  forward  any  different  inter- 
pretation. Because,  when  God  determined  to  create  man  in  his 
own  image,  that  expression  being  rather  obscure,  he  repeats  the 
same  idea  in  this  explanatory  phrase,  “after  our  likeness;”  as 
though  he  had  said  that  he  was  about  to  make  man,  in  whom, 
as  in  an  image,  he  would  give  a representation  of  himself  by 
the  characters  of  resemblance  which  he  would  impress  upon  him. 
Therefore  Moses,  a little  after,  reciting  the  same  thing,  intro- 
duces the  image  of  God,  but  makes  no  mention  of  his  likeness. 
The  objection  of  Osiander  is  quite  frivolous,  that  it  is  not  a 


(z)  Gen.  i.  26. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


175 


CHAP.  XV.J 

part  of  man,  or  the  soul  with  its  faculties,  that  is  called  the  im- 
age of  God,  but  the  whole  Adam,  who  received  his  name  from 
the  earth  whence  he  was  tahen ; it  will  be  deemed  frivolous,  I 
say,  by  every  rational  reader.  For  when  the  whole  man  is 
called  mortal,  the  soul  is  not  therefore  made  subject  to  death ; 
nor,  on  the  other  hand,  when  man  is  called  a rational  animal, 
does  reason  or  intelligence  therefore  belong  to  the  body. 
Though  the  soul,  therefore,  is  not  the  whole  man,  yet  there  is 
no  absurdity  in  calling  him  the  image  of  God  Avith  relation  to 
the  soul ; although  I retain  the  principle  which  I have  just  laid 
down,  that  the  image  of  God  includes  all  the  excellence  in 
Avhich  the  nature  of  man  surpasses  all  the  other  species  of  ani- 
mals. This  term,  therefore,  denotes  the  integrity  which  Adam 
possessed,  when  he  was  endued  with  a right  understanding, 
when  he  had  alfections  regulated  by  reason,  and  all  his  senses 
governed  in  proper  order,  and  when,  in  the  excellency  of  his  na- 
ture, he  truly  resembled  the  excellence  of  his  Creator.  And 
though  the  principal  seat  of  the  Divine  image  was  in  the  mind 
and  heart,  or  in  the  soul  and  its  faculties,  yet  there  was  no  part 
of  man,  not  even  the  body,  which  was  not  adorned  with  some 
rays  of  its  glory.  It  is  certain  that  the  lineaments  of  the  Divine 
glory  are  conspicuous  in  every  part  of  the  world ; whence  it 
may  be  concluded,  that  where  the  image  of  God  is  said  to  be  in 
man,  there  is  implied  a tacit  antithesis,  which  exalts  man  above 
all  the  other  creatures,  and  as  it  were  separates  him  from  the 
vulgar  herd.  It  is  not  to  be-  denied  that  angels  Avere  created  in 
the  similitude  of  God,  since  our  highest  perfection  will  consist, 
according  to  the  declaration  of  Christ,  in  being  like  them,  {a) 
But  it  is  not  in  vain  that  Moses  celebrates  the  favour  of  God 
tOAvards  us  by  this  peculiar  title ; especially  as  he  compares 
man  only  to  visible  creatures. 

IV.  No  complete  definition  of  this  image,  however,  appears 
yet  to  be  given,  unless  it  be  more  clearly  specified  in  what  fac- 
ulties man  excels,  and  in  Avhat  respects  he  ought  to  be  ac- 
counted a mirror  of  the  Divine  glory.  But  that  cannot  be 
better  knoAvn  from  any  thing,  than  from  the  reparation  of  his 
corrupted  nature.  There  is  no  doubt  that  Adam,  when  he  fell 
from  his  dignity,  was  by  this  defection  alienated  from  God. 
Wherefore,  although  Ave  alloAV  that  the  Divine  image  Avas  not 
utterly  annihilated  and  effaced  in  him,  yet  it  Avas  so  corrupted 
that  whatever  remains  is  but  horrible  deformity.  And  there- 
fore the  beginning  of  our  recovery  and  salvation  is  the  restora- 
tion Avhich  we  obtain  through  Christ,  who  on  this  account  is 
called  the  second  Adam ; because  he  restores  us  to  true  and 
perfect  integrity.  For  although  Paul,  opposing  the  quickening 
Spirit  received  by  the  faithful  from  Christ,  to  the  living  soul  in 


(a)  Matt.  xxii.  30 


176  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I 

which  Adam  was  created,  (b)  celebrates  the  degree  of  grace 
displayed  in  regeneration  as  snpeHor  to  that  manifested  in 
creation,  yet  he  contradicts  not  that  other  capital  point,  that 
this  is  the  end  of  regeneration,  that  Christ  may  form  us 
anew  in  the  image  of  God.  Therefore  he  elsewhere  informs 
us,  that  the  new  man  is  renewed  in  knowledge  after  the 
image  of  him  that  created  him.”  (c)  With  which  corresponds 
the  following  exhortation  — Put  on  the  new  man,  which  after 
God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.”  (d)  Now, 
we  may  see  what  Paul  comprehends  in  this  renovation.  In 
the  first  place,  he  mentions  knowledge,  and  in  the  next  place, 
sincere  righteousness  and  holiness ; whence  ^e  infer,  that  in 
the  beginning  the  image  of  God  was  conspicuous  in  the  light 
of  the  mind,  in  the  rectitude  of  the  heart,  and  in  the  soundness 
of  all  the  parts  of  our  nature.  For  though  I grant  that  the 
forms  of  expression  are  synecdochical,  signifying  the  whole 
by  a part,  yet  this  is  an  axiom  which  cannot  be  overturned, 
that  what  holds  the  principal  place  in  the  renovation  of  the 
Divine  image,  must  also  have  held  the  same  place  in  the  crea- 
tion of  it  at  first.  To  the  same  purpose  is  another  passage  of 
the  Apostle,  that  ‘‘we,  with  open  face  beholding  the  glory  of 
Christ,  are  changed  into  the  same  image.”  (e)  We  see,  now, 
how  Christ  is  the  most  perfect  image  of  God,  to  which  being 
conformed,  we  are  so  restored  that  we  bear  the  Divine  image 
in  true  piety,  righteousness,  purity,  and  understanding.  This 
position  being  established,  the  imagination  of  Osiander,  about 
the  figure  of  the  body,  immediately  vanishes  of  itself.  The 
passage  where  Paul  calls  the  man  “ the  image  and  glory  of 
God,”  (/)  to  the  exclusion  of  the  woman  from  that  degree  of 
honour,  appears  from  the  context  to  be  confined  to  political 
subordination.  But  that  the  image  which  has  been  mentioned 
comprehended  whatever  relates  to  spiritual  and  eternal  life,  has 
now,  I think,  been  sufficiently  proved.  John  confirms  the 
same  in  other  words,  by  asserting  that  “ the  life  ” which  was 
from  the  beginning  in  the  eternal  Word  of  God,  “was  the  light 
of  men.”  (g)  For  as  he  intended  to  praise  the  singular  favour 
of  God  which  exalts  man  above  all  the  other  animals ; to  sep- 
arate him  from  the  common  number,  because  he  has  attained 
no  vulgar  life,  but  a life  connected  Avith  the  light  of  intelli- 
gence and  reason,  — he  at  the  same  time  shoAvs  hoAV  he  Avas 
made  after  the  image  of  God.  Therefore,  since  the  image  of 
God  is  the  uncorrupted  excellence  of  human  nature,  Avhich 
shone  in  Adam  before  his  defection,  but  Avas  afterAvards  so  cor- 
rupted, and  almost  obliterated,  that  nothing  remains  from  the 
ruin  but  Avhat  is  confused,  mutilated,  and  defiled,  — it  is  iioav 

(b)  1 Cor,  XV.  45.  (d)  Eph.  iv.  24.  (/)  1 Cor.  xi.  7. 

(c)  Col.  iii.  10.  2 Cor.  iii.  18.  (^)  John  i.  4. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


177 


CHAP.  XV.] 

partly  visible  in  the  elect,  inasmuch  as  they  are  regenerated  by 
the  Spirit,  but  it  will  obtain  its  full  glory  in  heaven.  But  that 
we  may  know  the  parts  of  which  it  consists,  it  is  necessary  to 
treat  of  the  faculties  of  the  soul.  For  that  speculation  of  Au- 
gustine is  far  from  being  solid,  that  the  soul  is  a mirror  of  the 
Trinity,  because  it  contains  understanding,  will,  and  memory. 
Nor  is  there  any  probability  in  the  opinion  which  places  the 
similitude  of  God  in  the  dominion  committed  to  man ; as 
though  he  resembled  God  only  in  this  character,  that  he  was 
constituted  heir  and  possessor  of  all  things,  whereas  it  must 
properly  be  sought  in  him,  not  without  him ; it  is  an  internal 
excellence  of  the  soul. 

V.  But,  before  I proceed  any  further,  it  is  necessary  to  com- 
bat the  Manichaean  error,  which  Servetus  has  attempted  to 
revive  and  propagate  in  the  present  age.  Because  God  is  said 
to  have  breathed  into  man  the  breath  of  life,  (/i)  they  supposed 
that  the  soul  was  an  em.anation  from  the  substance  of  God ; as 
though  some  portion  of  the  infinite  Deity  had  been  conveyed 
into  man.  But  it  may  be  easily  and  briefly  shown  how  many 
shameful  and  gross  absurdities  are  the  necessary  consequences 
of  this  diabolical  error.  For  if  the  soul  of  man  be  an  emana- 
tion from  the  essence  of  God,  it  will  follow  that  the  Divine 
nature  is  not  only  mutable  and  subject  to  passions,  but  also  to 
ignorance,  desires,  and  vices  of  every  kind.  Nothing  is  more 
inconstant  than  man,  because  his  soul  is  agitated  and  variously 
distracted  by  contrary  motions  ; he  frequently  mistakes  through 
ignorance ; he  is  vanquished  by  some  of  the  smallest  tempta- 
tions ; we  know  that  the  soul  is  the  receptacle  of  every  kind 
of  impurity  ; — all  which  we  must  ascribe  to  the  Divine  nature, 
if  we  believe  the  soul  to  be  part  of  the  essence  of  God,  or  a 
secret  influx  of  the  Deity.  Who  would  not  dread  such  a mon- 
strous tenet  ? It  is  a certain  truth,  quoted  by  Paul  from  Aratus, 
that  ^^we  are  the  offspring  of  God,”  but  in  quality,  not  in  sub- 
stance ; forasmuch  as  he  has  adorned  us  with  Divine  endow- 
ments. {i)  But  to  divide  the  essence  of  the  Creator,  that  every 
creature  may  possess  a part  of  it,  indicates  extreme  madness. 
It  must  therefore  be  concluded  beyond  all  doubt,  notwithstand- 
ing the  Divine  image  is  impressed  on  the  souls  of  men,  that 
they  were  no  less  created  than  the  angels.  And  creation  is 
not  a transfusion,  but  an  origination  of  existence  from  nothing. 
Nor,  because  the  spirit  is  given  by  God,  and  returns  to  him  on 
its  departure  from  the  body,  is  it  immediately  to  be  asserted, 
that  it  was  plucked  off  like  a branch  from  his  essence.  And 
on  this  point  also  Osiander,  while  he  is  elated  with  his  own 
illusions,  has  involved  himself  in  an  impious  error,  not  ac- 


Qi)  Gen.  ii.  7. 
VOL.  I.  23 


(i)  Acts  xvii.  28. 


178  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  t, 

knowledging  the  image  of  God  in  man  without  his  essential 
righteousness,  as  though  God  could  not,  by  the  inconceivabfe 
power  of  his  Spirit,  render  us  conformable  to  himself,  unless 
Christ  were  to  transfuse  himself  substantially  into  us.  How- 
ever some  persons  may  attempt  to  gloss  over  these  delusions, 
they  will  never  so  far  blind  the  eyes  of  sensible  readers,  as  to 
prevent  their  perceiving  that  they  savour  of  the  error  of  the 
ManichcEans.  And  where  Paul  treats  of  the  restoration  of  this 
image,  we  may  readily  conclude  from  his  words,  that  man  was 
conformed  to  God  not  by  an  influx  of  his  substance,  but  by 
the  grace  and  power  of  his  Spirit.  For  he  says  that,  by  be- 
holding the  glory  of  Christ,  we  are  transformed  into  the  same 
image  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord ; {k)  who  certainly  operates 
in  us  not  in  such  a manner  as  to  render  us  consubstantial 
with  God. 

VI.  It  would  be  folly  to  seek  for  a definition  of  the  souL 
from  the  heathen  philosophers,  of  whom  Plato  is  almost  the 
only  one  who  has  plainly  asserted  it  to  be  an  immortal  suj?-  . 
stance.  Others  indeed,  the  disciples  of  Socrates,  hint  at  jt,"^ 
but  with  great  doubts  ; no  one  clearly  teaches  that  of  which 
he  was  not  persuaded  himself.  The  sentiment  of  Plato,  there- 
fore, is  more  correct,  because  he  considers  the  image  of  God  as 
being  in  the  soul.  The  other  sects  so  confine  its  powers  and^ 
faculties  to  the  present  life,  that  they  leave  it  nothing  beyond 
the  body.  But  we  have  before  stated  from  the  Scripture,  that 
it  is  an  incorporeal  substance  ; now  we  shall  add,  that  although 
it  is  not  properly  contained  in  any  place,  yet,  being  put  into 
the  body,  it  inhabits  it  as  its  dwelling,  not  only  to  animate  all 
its  parts,  and  render  the  organs  fit  and  useful  for- their  respec- 
tive operations,  but  also  to  hold  the  supremacy  in  the  govern- 
ment of  human  life  ; and  that  not  only  in  the  concerns  of  the 
terrestrial  life,  but  likewise  to  excite  to  the  worship  of  God. 
Though  this  last  point  is  not  so  evident  in  the  state  of  corrup- 
tion, yet  there  remain  some  relics  of  it  impressed  even  on  our 
very  vices.  For  whence  proceeds  the  great  concern  of  men 
about  their  reputation,  but  from  shame  ? but  whence  proceeds 
shame,  unless  from  a respect  for  virtue  ? The  principle  and 
cause  of  which  is,  that  they  understand  themselves  to  have 
been  born  for  the  cultivation  of  righteousness ; and  in  whicli 
are  included  the  seeds  of  religion.  But  as,  without  controversy, 
man  was  created  to  aspire  to  a heavenly  life,  so  it  is  certain 
that  the  knowledge  of  it  was  impressed  on  his  soul.  And,  in- 
deed, man  would  be  deprived  of  the  principal  use  of  his  under- 
standing, if  he  were  ignorant  of  his  felicity,  the  perfection  of 
which  consists  in  being  united  to  God.  Thus  the  chief  opera- 


(Jt)  2 Cor.  iii.  18. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


179 


CHAP.  XV.] 

tion  of  the  soul  is  to  aspire  after  it ; and,  therefore,  the  more  a 
man  studies  to  approach  to  God,  the  more  he  proves  himself  a 
rational  creature.  Some  maintain  that  in  man  there  are  more 
souls  than  one,  a sensitive  and  a rational  one  ; but  notwithstand- 
ing some  appearance  of  probability  in  what  they  adduce,  yet,  as 
there  is  nothing  solid  in  their  arguments,  we  must  reject  them, 
unless  we  are  fond  of  tormenting  ourselves  with  frivolous  and 
useless  things.  They  say  that  there  is  a great  repugfiancy 
between  the  organic  motions  and  the  rational  part  of  the  soul  ; 
as  though  reason  were  not  also  at  variance  with  itself,  and 
some  of  its  counsels  were  not  in  opposition  to  others,  like  hos- 
tile armies.  But  as  this  confusion  proceeds  from  the  depravity 
of  nature,  it  affords  no  ground  for  concluding  that  there  are 
two  souls,  because  the  faculties  are  not  sufficiently  harmonious 
with  each  other.  But  all  curious  discussion  respecting  the 
faculties  themselves  I leave  to  the  philosophers ; a simple 
definition  will  suffice  us  for  the  edification  of  piety.  I confess, 
indeed,  that  the  things  which  they  teach  are  true,  and  not  only 
entertaining  to  be  known,  but  useful  and  well  digested  by 
them ; nor  do  I prohibit  those  who  are  desirous  of  learning 
from  the  study  of  them.  I admit,  then,  in  the  first  place,  that 
there  are  five  senses,  which  Plato  would  rather  call  organs,  by 
which  all  objects  are  conveyed  into  a common  sensory,  as  into 
a general  repository  ; that  next  follows  the  fancy  or  imagina- 
tion, which  discerns  the  objects  apprehended  by  the  common 
sensory  ; next  reason,  to  which  belongs  universal  judgment ; 
lastly,  the  understanding,  which  steadily  and  quietly  contem- 
plates the  objects  revolved  and  considered  by  reason.  And 
thus  to  the  understanding,  reason,  and  imagination,  the  three 
intellectual  faculties  of  the  soul,  correspond  also  the  three  ap- 
petitive ones  — the  will,  whose  place  it  is  to  choose  those  things 
which  the  understanding  and  reason  propose  to  it ; the  iras- 
cible faculty,  which  embraces  the  things  offered  to  it  by  reason 
and  imagination ; and  the  concupiscible  faculty,  which  ap- 
prehends the  objects  presented  by  the  imagination  and  sensa- 
tion. Though  these  things  are  true,  or  at  least  probable,  yet, 
since  I fear  that  they  will  involve  us  in  their  obscurity  rather 
than  assist  us,  I think  they  ought  to  be  omitted.  If  any  one 
chooses  to  make  a different  distribution  of  the  powers  of  the 
soul,  so  as  to  call  one  appetitive,  which,  though  void  of  reason 
in  itself,  obeys  reason,  if  it  be  under  the  guidance  of  any  other 
faculty ; and  to  call  another  intellective,  which  is  itself  a par- 
taker of  reason ; I shall  not  much  oppose  it.  Nor  have  I any 
wish  to  combat  the  sentiment  of  Aristotle,  that  there  are  three 
principles  of  action  — sense,  intellect,  and  appetite.  But  let  us 
rather  choose  a division  placed  within  the  comprehension  of 
all,  and  which  certainly  cannot  be  sought  in  the  philosophers. 


180 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

For  when  they  wish  to  speak  with  the  greatest  simplicity, 
they  divide  the  soul  into  appetite  and  intellect,  and  make  both 
these  twofold.  The  latter,  they  say,  is  sometimes  contempla- 
tive, being  content  merely  with  knowledge,  and  having  no 
tendency  to  action,  — wliich  Cicero  thinks  is  designated  by  the 
word  higenium^ — and  sometimes  practical,  variously  influen- 
cing the  will  with  the  apprehension  of  good  or  evil.  This  di- 
vision comprehends  the  science  of  living  in  a just  and  virtuous 
manner.  The  latter,  that  is,  appetite,  they  divide  into  will  and 
concupiscence;  they  call  it  “will,”  whenever  appetite  obeys 
reason ; but  when,  shaking  off  the  yoke  of  reason,  it  runs  into 
intemperance,  they  give  it  the  name  of  “ concupiscence.” 
Thus  they  imagine  that  man  is  always  possessed  of  reason 
sufficient  for  the  proper  government  of  himself. 

VII.  We  are  constrained  to  depart  a little  from  this  mode  of 
instruction,  because  the  philosophers,  being  ignorant  of  the  cor- 
ruption of  nature  proceeding  from  the  punishment  of  the  fall, 
improperly  confound  two  very  different  states  of  mankind. 
'Let  us,  therefore,  submit  the  following  division  — that  the  human 
soul  has  two  faculties  which  relate  to  our  present  design,  the 
understanding  and  the  will.  Now,  let  it  be  the  office  of  the 
understanding  to  discriminate  between  objects,  as  they  shall 
respectively  appear  deserving  of  approbation  or  disapprobation ; 
but  of  the  will,  to  choose  and  follow  what  the  understanding 
shall  have  pronounced  to  be. good;  to  abhor  and  avoid  what  it 
shall  have  condemned.  Here  let  us  not  stay  to  discuss  those 
subtleties  of  Aristotle,  that  the  mind  has  no  motion  of  itself, 
but  that  it  is  moved  by  the  choice,  which  he  also  calls  the  ap- 
petitive intellect.  Without  perplexing  ourselves  Avith  unneces- 
sary questions,  it  should  be  sufficient  for  us  to  know  that  the 
understanding  is,  as  it  were,  the  guide  and  governor  of  the  soul ; 
that  the  Avill  always  respects  its  authority,  and  waits  for  its 
judgment  in  its  desires.  For  which  reason  Aristotle  himself 
truly  observed,  that  avoidance  and  pursuit  in  the  appetite,  bear 
a resemblance  to  affirmation  and  negation  in  the  mind.  Hoav 
certain  the  government  of  the  understanding  is  in  the  direction 
of  the  will,  we  shall  see  in  another  part  of  this  work.  Here 
we  only  intend  to  show  that  no  poAver  can  be  found  in  the 
soul,  Avhich  may  not  properly  be  referred  to  one  or  the  other  of 
those  tAvo  members.  But  in  this  manner  Ave  comprehend  the 
sense  in  the  understanding,  Avhich  some  distinguish  thus  : sense, 
they  say,  inclines  to  pleasure,  Avhereas  the  understanding  fol- 
loAvs  Avhat  is  good ; that  thence  it  happens  that  the  appetite  of 
sense  becomes  concupiscence  and  lust,  and  the  affection  of  the 
understanding  becomes  Avill.  But  instead  of  the  Avord  “ appe- 
tite,” Avhich  they  prefer,  I use  the  Avord  “ Avill,”  Avhich  is  more 
common. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


181 


CHAP.  XV.] 

VIII.  God  has  furnished  the  soul  of  man,  therefore,  with  a 
mind  capable  of  discerning  good  from  evil,  and  just  from  un- 
just ; and  of  discovering,  by  the  light  of  reason,  what  ought  to 
be  pursued  or  avoided ; whence  the  philosophers  called  this  di- 
recting faculty  TO  -^jys.aovjxov,  the  principal  or  governing  part.  To 
this  he  has  annexed  the  will,  on  which  depends  the  choice. 
The  primitive  condition  of  man  was  ennobled  with  those  em- 
inent faculties ; he  possessed  reason,  understanding,  prudence, 
and  judgment,  not  only  for  the  government  of  his  life  on  earth, 
but  to  enable  him  to  ascend  even  to  God  and  eternal  felicity. 
To  these  was  added  choice,  to  direct  the  appetites,  and  regu- 
late all  the  organic  motions  ; so  that  the  will  should  be  entirely 
conformed  to  the  government  of  reason.  In  this  integrity  man 
was  endued  with  free  will,  by  which,  if  he  had  chosen,  he 
might  have  obtained  eternal  life.  For  here  it  would  be  un- 
reasonable to  introduce  the  question  respecting  the  secret  pre- 
destination of  God,  because  we  are  not  discussing  what  might 
possibly  have  happened  or  not,  but  what  was  the  real  nature  of 
man.  Adam,  therefore,  could  have  stood  if  he  would,  since  he 
fell  merely  by  his  own  will  ; but  because  his  will  was  flexible 
to  either  side,  and  he  was  not  endued  with  constancy  to  perse- 
vere, therefore  he  so  easily  fell.  Yet  his  choice  of  good  and 
evil  was  free ; and  not  only  so,  but  his  mind  and  will  were 
possessed  of  consummate  rectitude,  and  all  his  organic  parts 
were  rightly  disposed  to  obedience,  till,  destroying  himself,  he 
corrupted  all  his  excellencies.  Hence  proceeded  the  darkness 
which  overspread  the  minds  of  the  philosophers,  because  they 
sought  for  a complete  edifice  among  ruins,  and  for  beautiful 
order  in  the  midst  of  confusion.  They  held  this  principle, 
that  man  would  not  be  a rational  animal,  unless  he  were  endued 
with  a free  choice  of  good  or  evil ; they  conceived  also  that 
otherwise  all  difference  between  virtue  and  vice  would  be  de- 
stroyed, unless  man  regulated  his  life  according  to  his  own  in- 
clination. Thus  far  it  had  been  well,  if  there  liad  been  no 
change  in  man,  of  which  as  they  were  ignorant,  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  if  they  confound  heaven  and  earth  together.  But 
those  who  profess  themselves  to  be  disciples  of  Christ,  and  yet 
seek  for  free  will  in  man,  now  lost  and  overwhelmed  in  spiritual 
ruin,  in  striking  out  a middle  path  between  the  opinions  of  the 
philosophers  and  the  doctrine  of  heaven,  are  evidently  deceived, 
so  that  they  touch  neither  heaven  nor  earth.  But  these  things 
will  be  better  introduced  in  the  proper  place.  At  present  be  it 
only  remembered,  that  man,  at  his  first  creation,  was  very  difier- 
ent  from  all  his  posterity,  who,  deriving  tlieir  original  from  him 
in  his  corrupted  state,  have  contracted  an  hereditary  defilement. 
For  all' the  parts  of  his  soul  were  formed  with  the  utmost  rec- 
titude ; he  enjoyed  soundness  of  mind,  and  a will  free  to  the 


182  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1. 

choice  of  good.  If  any  object,  that  he  was  placed  in  a dan- 
gerous  situation  on  account  of  the  imbecility  of  this  faculty,  I 
reply,  that  the  station  in  which  he  was  placed  was  sufficient  to 
deprive  him  of  all  excuse.  For  it  would  have  been  unreason- 
able that  God  should  be  confined  to  this  condition,  to  make 
man  so  as  to  be  altogether  incapable  either  of  choosing  or  of 
committing  any  sin.  It  is  true  that  such  a nature  would  have 
been  more  excellent ; but  to  expostulate  with  God  as  though  he 
had  been  under  any  obligation  to  bestow  this  upon  man,  were 
unreasonable  and  unjust  in  the  extreme ; since  it  was  at  his 
choice  to  bestow  as  little  as  he  pleased.  But  why  he  did  not 
sustain  him  with  the  power  of  perseverance,  remains  concealed 
in  his  mind ; but  it  is  our  duty  to  restrain  our  investigations 
within  the  limits  of  sobriety.  He  had  received  the  power,  in- 
deed, if  he  chose  to  exert  it ; but  he  had  not  the  will  to  use  that 
power ; for  the  consequence  of  this  will  would  have  been  per- 
severance. Yet  there  is  no  excuse  for  him  ; he  received  so 
much,  that  he  Avas  the  voluntary  procurer  of  his  oAvn  destruc- 
tion ; but  God  was  under  no  necessity  to  give  him  any  other 
than  an  indifferent  and  mutable  will,  that  from  his  fall  he  might 
educe  matter  for  his  own  glory. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

god’s  preservation  and  support  of  the  world  by  his  power, 

AND  HIS  government  OF  EVERY  PART  OF  IT  BY  HIS  PROVI- 
DENCE. 

To  represent  God  as  a Creator  only  for  a moment,  Avho  en- 
tirely finished  all  his  work  at  once,  were  frigid  and  jejune  ; 
and  in  this  it  behoves  us  especially  to  differ  from  the  heathen, 
that  the  presence  of  the  Divine  power  may  appear  to  us  no  less 
in  the  perpetual  state  of  the  world  than  in  its  first  origin.  For 
although  the  minds  even  of  impious  men,  by  the  mere  con- 
templation of  earth  and  heaven,  are  constrained  to  rise  to  the 
Creator,  yet  faith  has  a way  peculiar  to  itself  to  assign  to  God 
the  Avhole  praise  of  creation.  To  which  purpose  is  that  asser- 
tion of  an  Apostle  before  cited,  that  it  is  only  “ through  faith 
that  Ave  understand  the  Avorlds  Avere  framed  by  the  Avord  of 
God;”(/)  because,,  unless  Ave  proceed  to  his  proAudence,  Ave 
have  no  correct  conception  of  the  meaning  of  this  article,  “that 


(/)  Hebrews  xi.  3. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


18J 


CHAP.  XVI.] 

God  is  the  Creator  ; ” however  we  may  appear  to  comprehend  it 
ill  our  minds,  and  to  confess  it  with  our  tongues.  The  carnal 
sense,  when  it  has  once  viewed  the  power  of  God  in  the  crea- 
tion, stops  there ; and  when  it  proceeds  the  furthest,  it  only 
examines  and  considers  the  wisdom,  and  power,  and  goodness, 
of  the  Author  in  producing  such  a work,  which  spontaneously 
present  themselves  to  the  view  even  of  those  who  are  unwill- 
ing to  observe  them.  In  the  next  place,  it  conceives  of  some 
general  operation  of  God  in  preserving  and  governing  it,  on 
which  the  power  of  motion  depends.  Lastly,  it  supposes  that 
the  vigour  originally  infused  by  God  into  all  things  is  sufficient 
for  their  sustentation.  But  faith  ought  to  penetrate  further. 
When  it  has  learned  that  he  is  the  Creator  of  all  things,  it 
should  immediately  conclude  that  he  is  also  their  perpetual 
governor  and  preserver ; and  that  not  by  a certain  universal 
motion,  actuating  the  whole  machine  of  the  world,  and  all  its 
respective  parts,  but  by  a particular  providence  sustaining, 
nourishing,  and  providing  for  every  thing  which  he  has 
made,  (m)  Thus  David,  having  briefly  premised  that  the 
world  was  made  by  God,  immediately  descends  to  the  continual 
course  of  his  providence : “ By  the  word  of  the  Lord  were  the 
heavens  made  ; and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  his 
mouth.”  (n)  He  afterwards  adds,  The  Lord  beholdeth  all 
the  sons  of  men ; ” (o)  and  subjoins  more  to  the  same  purpose. 
For  though  all  men  argue  not  so  skilfully,  yet,  since  it  would 
not  be  credible  that  God  was  concerned  about  human  aflairs, 
if  he  were  not  the  Maker  of  the  world,  and  no  one  seriously 
believes  that  the  world  was  made  by  God,  who  is  not  per- 
suaded that  he  takes  care  of  his  own  works,  it  is  not  without 
reason  that  David  conducts  us  by  a most  excellent  series  from 
one  to  the  other.  In  general,  indeed,  both  philosophers  teach, 
and  the  minds  of  men  conceive,  that  all  the  parts  of  the  world 
are  quickened  by  the  secret  inspiration  of  God.  But  they  go 
not  so  far  as  David,  who  is  followed  by  all  the  pious,  when  he 
says,  “ These  all  wait  upon  thee  ; that  thou  mayest  give  them 
their  meat  in  due  season.  That  thou  givest  them,  they 
gather ; thou  openest  thine  hand,  they  are  filled  with  good. 
Thou  hidest  thy  face,  they  are  troubled  ; thou  takest  away 
their  breath,  they  die,  and  return  to  their  dust.  Thou  sendest 
forth  thy  Spirit,  they  are  created ; and  thou  renewest  the  face 
of  the  earth.”  (jt?)  Though  they  subscribe  to  the  assertion  of 
Paul,  that  in  God  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being,”  [q) 
yet  they  are  very  far  from  a serious  sense  of  his  favour, 
celebrated  by  the  Apostle  ; because  they  have  no  apprehension 

(m)  Matt.  vi.  26  ; x.  20.  (n)  Psalm  xxxiii.  6.  (o)  Psalm  xxxiii.  13. 

(p)  Psalm  civ.  27 — 30.  {q)  Acts  xvii.  28. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


184 


[book  I. 


of  the  special  care  of  God,  from  which  alone  his  -paternal 
favour  is  known. 

11.  For  the  clearer  manifestation  of  this  difference,  it  must 
be  observed  that  the  providence  of  God,  as  it  is  taught  in 
Scripture,  is  opposed  to  fortune  and  fortuitous  accidents.  Now, 
since  it  has  been  the  common  persuasion  in  all  ages,  and  is  also 
in  the  present  day  almost  the  universal  opinion,  that  all  things 
happen  fortuitously,  it  is  certain  that  every  correct  sentiment 
concerning  providence  is  not  only  obscured,  but  almost  buried 
in  oblivion  by  this  erroneous  notion.  If  any  one  falls  into  the 
liands  of  robbers,  or  meets  with  wild  beasts ; if  by  a sudden 
storm  he  is  shipwrecked  on  the  ocean  ; if  he  is  killed  by  the 
fall  of  a house  or  a tree  ; if  another,  wandering  through  deserts, 
finds  relief  for  his  penury,  or,  after  having  been  tossed  about 
by  the  waves,  reaches  the  port,  and  escapes,  as  it  were,  but  a 
hair’s-breadth  from  death,  — carnal  reason  will  ascribe  all  these 
occurrences,  both  prosperous  and  adverse,  to  fortune.  But 
whoever  has  been  taught  from  the  mouth  of  Christ,  that  the 
hairs  of  his  head  are  all  numbered,  (r)  will  seek  further  for  a 
cause,  and  conclude  that  all  events  are  governed  by  the  secret 
counsel  of  God.  And  respecting  things  inanimate,  it  must  be 
admitted,  that,  though  they  are  all  naturally  endued  with  their 
peculiar  properties,  yet  they  exert  not  their  power,  any  further 
than  as  they  are  directed  by  the  present  hand  of  God.  They 
are,  therefore,  no  other  than  instruments  into  which  God  in- 
fuses as  much  efficacy  as  he  pleases,  bending  and  turning  them 
to  any  actions,  according  to  his  will.  There  is  no  power 
among  all  the  creatures  more  wonderful  or  illustrious,  .than 
that  of  the  sun.  For,  besides  his  illumination  of  the  whole 
world  by  his  splendour,  how  astonishing  it  is  that  he  cherislu  s 
and  enlivens  all  animals  with  his  heat  ; with  his  rays  inspires 
fecundity  into  the  earth  ; from  the  seeds,  genially  warmed  in 
her  bosom,  produces  a green  herbage,  which,  being  supported 
by  fresh  nourishment,  he  increases  and  strengthens  till  it  rises 
into  stalks ; feeds  them  with  perpetual  exhalations,  till  they 
grow  into  blossoms,  and  from  blossoms  to  fruit,  which  he  then 
by  his  influences  brings  to  maturity ; that  trees,  likewise,  and 
vines,  by  his  genial  warmth,  first  put  forth  leaves,  then  blos- 
soms, and  from  the  blossoms  produce  their  fruit  ! But  the 
Lord,  to  reserve  the  praise  of  all  these  things  entirely  to  him- 
self, was  pleased  that  the  light  should  exist,  and  the  earth 
abound  in  every  kind  of  herbs  and  fruits,  before  he  created  the 
sun.  A pious  man,  therefore,  will  not  make  the  sun  either  a 
principal  or  necessary  cause  of  those  things  which  existed  be- 
fore the  creation  of  the  sun,  but  only  an  instrument  which  God 


(r)  Matt.  X.  30. 


CHAP.  XVI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  185 

uses,  because  it  is  his  pleasure  so  to  do  ; whereas  he  would 
find  no  more  difficulty  in  acting  by  himself  without  that 
luminary.  Lastly,  as  we  read  that  the  sun  remained  in  one 
situation  for  two  days  at  the  prayer  of  Joshua,  (s)  and  that  his 
shadow  made  a retrograde  motion  of  ten  degrees  for  the  sake 
of  king  Hezekiah,  (t)  God  has  declared  by  these  few  miracles, 
that  the  daily  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun  is  not  from  a blind 
instinct  of  nature,  but  that  he  himself  governs  his  course,  to 
renew  the  memory  of  his  paternal  favour  towards  us.  Nothing 
is  more  natural  than  the  succession  of  spring  to  winter,  of 
summer  to  spring,  and  of  autumn  to  summer.  But  there  is 
so  great  a diversity  and  inequality  discovered  in  this  series, 
that  it  is  obvious  that  every  year,  month,  and  day,  is  governed 
by  a new  and  particular  providence  of  God. 

III.  And,  indeed,  God  asserts  his  possession  of  omnipotence, 
and  claims  our  acknowledgment  of  this  attribute  ; not  such  as 
is  imagined  by  sophists,  vain,  idle,  and  almost  asleep,  but  vigi- 
lant, efficacious,  operative,  and  engaged  in  continual  action ; 
not  a mere  general  principle  of  confused  motion,  as  if  he  should 
command  a river  to  flow  through  the  channels  once  made  for  it, 
but  a power  constantly  exerted  on  every  distinct  and ‘particular 
movement.  For  he  is  accounted  omnipotent,  not  because  he  is 
able  to  act,  yet  sits  dov/n  in  idleness,  or  continues  by  a general 
instinct  the  order  of  nature  originally  appointed  by  him ; but 
because  he  governs  heaven  and  earth  by  his  providence,  and 
regulates  all  things  in  such  a manner  that  nothing  happens  but 
according  to  his  counsel.  For  when  it  is  said  in  the  Psalms, 
that  he  does  whatsoever  he  pleases,  (v)  it  denotes  his  certain 
and  deliberate  Avill.  For  it  would  be  quite  insipid  to  expound 
the  words  of  the  Prophet  in  the  philosophical  manner,  that  God 
IS  the  prime  agent,  because  he  is  the. principle  and  cause  of  all 
motion ; whereas  the  faithful  should  rather  encourage  them- 
selves in  adversity  with  this  consolation,  that  they  sufler  no  af- 
fliction, but  by  the  ordination  and  command  of  God,  because 
they  are  under  his  hand.  But  if  the  government  of  God  be 
thus  extended  to  all  his  works,  it  is  a puerile  cavil  to  limit  it 
to  the  influence  and  course  of  nature.  And  they  not  only  de- 
fraud God  of  his  glory,  but  themselves  of  a very  useful  doctrine, 
who  confine  the  Divine  providence  within  such  narrow  bounds, 
as  though  he  permitted  all  things  to  proceed  in  an  uncontrolled 
course,  according  to  a perpetual  law  of  nature ; for  nothing 
would  exceed  the  misery  of  man,  if  he  were  exposed  to  all  the 
motions  of  the  heaven,  air,  earth,  and  waters.  Besides,  this 
notion  would  shamefully  diminish  the  singular  goodness  of  God 
towards  every  individual.  David  exclaims,  that  infants  yet 

(s)  Joshua  X.  13.  (t)  2 Kings  xx.  11.  (v)  Psalm  cxv.  3. 

VOL.  I.  24 


186  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

hanging  on  the  breasts  of  their  mothers  are  sufficiently  elo- 
quent to  celebrate  the  glory  of  Go(i;(i^7)  because,  as  soon  as 
they  are  born,  they  find  aliment  prepared  for  them  by  his  heav- 
enly care.  This,  indeed,  is  generally  true  ; yet  it  cannot  escape 
the  observation  of  our  eyes  and  senses,  being  evidently  proved 
by  experience,  that  some  mothers  have  breasts  full  and  copious, 
but  others  almost  dry ; as  it  pleases  God  to  provide  more  lib- 
erally for  one,  but  more  sparingly  for  another.  But  they  who 
ascribe  just  praise  to  the  Divine  omnipotence,  receive  from  this 
a double  advantage.  In  the  first  place,  he  must  have  ample 
ability  to  bless  them,  who  possesses  heaven  and  earth,  and 
whose  will  all  the  creatures  regard  so  as  to  devote  themselves 
to  his  service.  And,  secondly,  they  may  securely  repose  in  his 
protection,  to  whose  will  are  subject  all  those  evils  which  can 
be  feared  from  any  quarter  ; by  whose  power  Satan  is  restrained, 
with  all  his  furies,  and  all  his  machinations ; on  whose  will  de- 
pends all  that  is  inimical  to  our  safety ; nor  is  there  any  thing 
else  by  which  those  immoderate  and  superstitious  fears,  which 
we  frequently  feel  on  the  sight  of  dangers,  can  be  corrected  or 
appeased.  We  are  superstitiously  timid,  I say,  if,  whenever 
creatures  menace  or  terrify  us,  we  are  frightened,  as  though 
they  had  of  themselves  the  power  to  hurt  us,  or  could  fortui- 
tously injure  us ; or  as  if  against  their  injuries  God  were  unable 
to  aflbrd  us  sufficient  aid.  For  example,  the  Prophet  forbids 
the  children  of  God  to  fear  the  stars  and  signs  of  heaven,  {x)  as 
is  the  custom  of  unbelievers.  He  certainly  condemns  not  every 
kind  of  fear.  But  when  infidels  transfer  the  government  of  the 
world  from  God  to  the  stars,  pretending  that  their  happiness  or 
misery  depends  on  the  decrees  and  presages  of  the  stars,  and  not 
on  the  will  of  God,  the  consequence  is,  that  their  fear  is  with- 
drawn from  him,  whom  alone  they  ought  to  regard,  and  is 
placed  on  stars  and  comets.  Whoever,  then,  desires  to  avoid  this 
infidelity,  let  him  constantly  remember,  that  in  the  creatures 
there  is  no  erratic  power,  or  action,  or  motion  ; but  that  they  are 
so  governed  by  the  secret  counsel  of  God,  that  nothing  can  hap- 
pen but  what  is  subject  to  his  knowledge,  and  decreed  by  his  will. 

IV.  First,  then,  let  the  readers  know  that  what  is  called 
providence  describes  God,  not  as  idly  beholding  from  heaven 
the  transactions  which  happen  in  the  world,  but  as  holding  the 
helm  of  the  universe,  and  regulating  all  events.  Thus  it  be- 
longs no  less  to  his  hands  than  to  his  eyes.  When  Abraham 
said  to  his  son,  “ God  will  provide,”  {y)  he  intended  not  only  to 
assert  his  prescience  of  a future  event,  but  to  leave  the  care  of  a 
thing  unknown  to  the  will  of  him  who  frequently  puts  an  end 
to  circumstances  of  perplexity  and  confusion.  Whence  it  fol- 


{w)  Psalm  viii.  2. 


(x)  Jer.  X.  2. 


(j/)  Gen.  xxii.  8. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


187 


CHAP.  XVI.] 

lows,  that  providence  consists  in  action  ; for  it  is  ignorant  tri- 
fling to  talk  of  mere  prescience.  Not  quite  so  gross  is  the  error 
of  those  who  attribute  to  God  a government,  as  I have  ob- 
served, of  a confused  and  promiscuous  kind ; acknowledging 
that  God  revolves  and  impels  the  machine  of  the  world,  with 
all  its  parts,  by  a general  motion,  without  peculiarly  directing 
the  action  of  each  individual  creature.  Yet  even  this  error  is 
not  to  be  tolerated.  For  they  maintain  that  this  providence, 
which  they  call  universal, , is  no  impediment  either  to  all  the 
creatures  being  actuated  contingently,  or  to  man  turning  him- 
self hither  or  thither  at  the  free  choice  of  his  own  Avill.  And 
they  make  the  following  partition  between  God  and  man ; that 
God  by  his  power  inspires  him  with  motions,  enabling  him  to 
act  according  to  the  tendency  of  the  nature  with  which  he  is 
endued ; but  that  man  governs  his  actions  by  his  own  volun- 
tary choice.  In  short,  they  conceive,  that  the  world,  human 
affairs,  and  men  themselves,  are  governed  by  the  power  of  God, 
but  not  by  his  appointment.  I speak  not  of  the  Epicureans, 
who  have  always  infested  the  world,  who  dream  of  a god  ab- 
sorbed in  sloth  and  inactivity  ; and  of  others  no  less  erroneous, 
who  formerly  pretended  that  the  dominion  of  God  extended 
over  the  middle  region  of  the  air,  but  that  he  left  inferior  things 
to  fortune  ; since  the  mute  creatures  themselves  sufficiently 
exclaim  against  such  evident  stupidity.  My  present  design  is 
to  refute  that  opinion,  which  has  almost  generally  prevailed, 
which,  conceding  to  God  a sort  of  blind  and  uncertain  motion, 
deprives  him  of  the  principal  thing,  which  is  his  directing  and 
disposing,  by  his  incomprehensible  wisdom,  all  things  to  their 
proper  end ; and  thus,  robbing  God  of  the  government  of  the 
world,  it  makes  him  the  ruler  of  it  in  name  only,  and  not  in 
reality.  For,  pray,  what  is  governing,  but  presiding  in  such  a 
manner,  as  to  rule,  by  fixed  decrees,  those  over  whom  you  pre- 
side ? Yet  I reject  not  altogether  what  they  assert  concern- 
ing universal  providence,  provided  they,  on  their  part  ad- 
mit that  God  governs  the  v/orld,  not  merely  because  he  pre- 
serves the  order  of  nature  fixed  by  himself,  but  because  he  ex- 
ercises a peculiar  care  over  every  one  of  his  works.  It  is  true 
that  all  things  are  actuated  by  a secret  instinct  of  nature,  as 
though  they  obeyed  the  eternal  command  of  God,  and  that 
what  God  has  once  appointed,  appears  to  proceed  from  volun- 
tary inclination  in  the  creature-s.  And  to  this  may  be  referred 
tlie  declaration  of  Christ,  that  his  Father  and  himself  had  al- 
ways been  working,  even  from  the  beginning  ](z)  and  the  as- 
sertion of  Paul,  that  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our 
being ; (a)  and  also  what  is  observed  by  the  author  of  the 


(z)  John  V.  17. 


(a)  Acts  xvii.  28. 


188  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

Epis-tle  to  the  Hebrews,  with  a design  to  prove  the  Divinity 
of  Christ,  that  all  things  are  sustained  by  the  word  of  his 
power,  (b)  But  they  act  very  improperly  in  concealing  and  ob- 
scuring, by  this  pretext,  the  doctrine  of  a particular  providence, 
which  is  asserted  in  such  plain  and  clear  testimonies  of  Scrip- 
ture, that  it  is  surprising  how  any  one  could  entertain  a doubt 
concerning  it.  And,  certainly,  they  who  conceal  it  with  this 
veil  which  I have  mentioned,  are  obliged  to  correct  themselves 
by  adding,  that  many  things  happen  through  the  peculiar  care 
of  God ; but  this  they  erroneously  restrict  to  some  particular 
acts.  Wherefore  we  have  to  prove,  that  God  attends  to  the 
government  of  particular  events,  and  that  they  all  proceed  from 
his  determinate  counsel,  in  such  a manner  that  there  cem  be  no 
such  thing  as  fortuitous  contingence. 

V.  If  we  grant  that  the  principle  of  motion  originates  from 
God,  but  that  all  things  are  spontaneously  or  accidentally  carried 
whither  the  bias  of  nature  impels  them,  the  mutual  vicissitudes 
of  day  and  night,  of  winter  and  summer,  will  be  the  work  of 
God,  inasmucli  as  he  has  distributed  to  each  its  respective 
parts,  and  prescribed  to  them  a certain  law ; that  is,  this  would 
be  the  case  if  with  even  tenor  they  always  observed  the  same 
measure,  days  succeeding  to  nights,  months  to  months,  and 
years  to  years.  But  sometimes  excessive  heats  and  drought 
parch  and  burn  the  fruits  of  the  earth  ; sometimes  unseason- 
able rains  injure  the  crops  of  corn,  and  sudden  calamities 
are  occasioned  by  showers  of  hail  and  storms : this  will 
not  be  the  work  of  God ; unless,  perhaps,  as  either  clouds  or 
serene  weather,  or  cold  or  heat,  derive  their  origin  from  the 
opposition  of  the  stars  and  other  natural  causes.  But  this  re- 
presentation leaves  no  room,  for  God  to  display  or  exercise  his 
paternal  favour,  or  his  judgments.  If  they  say  that  God  is 
sufficiently  beneficent  to  man,  because  he  infuses  into  heaven 
and  earth  an  ordinary  power,  by  which  they  supply  him  Avith 
food,  it  is  a very  flimsy  and  profane  notion ; as  though  the  fe- 
cundity of  one  year  were  not  the  singular  benediction  of  God, 
and  as  though  penury  and  famine  were  not  his  malediction  and 
vengeance.  But  as  it  Avould  be  tedious  to  collect  all  the  reasons 
for  rejecting  this  error,  let  us  be  content  with  the  authority  of 
God  himself  In  the  law  and  in  the  prophets  he  frequently  de- 
clares, that  whenever  he  moistens  the  earth  Avith  dew  or  Avith 
rain,  he  affords  a testimony  of  his  favour ; and  that,  on  the  con- 
trary, Avhen,  at  his  command,  heaven  becomes  hard  as  iron, 
Avhen  the  crops  of  corn  are  blasted  and  otherAvise  destroyed, 
and  when  shoAvers  of  hail  and  storms  molest  the  fields,  he  giA^es 
a proof  of  his  certain  and  special  vengeance.  If  Ave  believe  these 
things,  it  is  certain  tliat  not  a drop  of  rain  falls  but  at  the  ex- 


(h)  Heb.  i.  3. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


189 


CHAP.  XVI.] 

press  command  of  God.  David  indeed  praises  the  general  pro- 
vidence of  God,  because  he  giveth  food  to  the  young  ravens 
which  cry;  ”(c)  but  when  God  himself  threatens  animals  with 
famine,  does  he  not  plainly  declare,  that  he  feeds  all  living 
creatures,  sometimes  with  a smaller  allowance,  sometimes 
v/ith  a larger,  as  he  pleases  ? It  is  puerile,  as  I have  already  ob- 
served, to  restrain  this  to  particular  acts ; whereas  Christ  says, 
without  any  exception,  that  not  a sparrow  of  the  least  value 
falls  to  the  ground  without  the  will  of  the  Father,  {d)  Cer- 
tainly, if  the  flight  of  birds  be  directed  by  the  unerring  coun- 
sel of  God,  we  must  be  constrained  to  confess  with  the  Prophet, 
that,  though  ‘‘he  dwelleth  on  high,”  yet  “he  humbleth  himself 
to  behold  the  things  which  are  in  heaven  and  in  the  earth.”  (e) 
VI.  But  as  we  know  that  the  world  was  made  chiefly  for 
the  sake  of  mankind,  we  must  also  observe  this  end  in  the 
government  of  it.  The  Prophet  Jeremiah  exclaims,  “ I know 
that  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself : it  is  not  in  man  that 
walketh  to  direct  his  steps.”  (/) . And  Solomon:  “Man’s 
goings  are  of  the  Lord : how  can  a man  then  understand  his 
own  way  ? ” {g)  Now,  let  them  say  that  man  is  actuated  by 
God  according  to  the  bias  of  his  nature,  but  that  he  directs 
that  influence  according  to  his  own  pleasure.  If  this  could  be 
asserted  with  truth,  man  would  have  the  free  choice  of  his 
own  ways.  That,  perhaps,  they  will  deny,  because  he  can  do 
nothing  independently  of  the  power  of  God.  But  since  it  is 
evident  that  both  the  Prophet  and  Solomon  ascribe  to  God 
choice  and  appointment,  as  well  as  power,  this  by  no  means 
extricates  them  from  the  difficulty.  But  Solomon,  in  another 
place,  beautifully  reproves  this  temerity  of  men,  who  predeter- 
mine-on  an  end  for  themselves,  without  regard  to  God,  as 
though  they  were  not  led  by  his  hand:  “The  preparation  of 
the  heart  in  man,”  says  he,  “ and  the  answer  of  the  tongue,  is 
from  the  Lord.”  (A)  It  is,  indeed,  a ridiculous  madness  for 
miserable  men  to  resolve  on  undertaking  any  work  independ- 
ently of  God,  whilst  they  cannot  even  speak  a word  but 
what  he  chooses.  Moreover,  the  Scripture,  more  fully  to  ex- 
press that  nothing  is  transacted  in  the  world  but  according  to 
his  destination,  shows  that  those  things  are  subject  to  him 
which  appear  most  fortuitous.  For  what  would  you  be  more 
ready  to  attribute  to  chance,  than  when  a limb  broken  off  from 
a tree  kills  a passing  traveller  ? But  very  different  is  the  de- 
cision of  the  Lord,  who  acknowledges  that  he  has  delivered 
him  into  the  hand  of  the  slayer.  (2)  Who,  likewise,  does  not 
leave  lots  to  the  blindness  of  fortune  ? Yet  the  Lord  leav^es 

(c)  Psalm  cxlvii.  9 (c)  Psalm  cxiii.  5,  6.  (g)  Prov.  xx.  24.  (i)  Exod.  xxl.  13. 

(d)  Matt.  X.  29.  (/)  Jer.  x.  23.  (/«)  Prov.  xvi.  1. 


190  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1. 

them  not,  but  claims  the  disposal  of  them  himself.  He  teaches 
us  that  it  is  not  by  any  power  of  their  own  that  lots  are  cast 
into  the  lap (Ar)  and  drawn  out;  but  the  only  thing  which 
could  be  ascribed  to  chance,  he  declares  to  belong  to  himself. 
To  the  same  purpose  is  another  passage  from  Solomon  : “ The 
poor  and  the  deceitful  man  meet  together  : the  Lord  enlighteneth 
the  eyes  of  them  both.”  (/)  For  although  the  poor  and  the  rich 
are  blended  together  in  the  world,  yet,  as  their  respective  con- 
ditions are  assigned  to  them  by  Divine  appointment,  he  sug- 
gests that  God,  who  enlightens  all,  is  not  blind,  and  thus  ex- 
horts the  poor  to  patience  ; because  those  who  are  discontented 
with  their  lot,  are  endeavouring  to  shake  otf  the  burden  im- 
posed on  them  by  God.  Thus  also  another  Prophet  rebukes 
profane  persons,  who  attribute  it  to  human  industry,  or  to  for- 
tune, that  some  men  remain  in  obscurity,  and  others  rise  to 
honours  : Promotion  cometh  neither  from  the  east,  nor  from 
the  west,  nor  from  the  south.  But  God  is  the  Judge  ; he 
putteth  down  one,  and  setteth  up  another.”  (m)  Since  God 
cannot  divest  himself  of  the  office  of  a judge,  hence  he  rea- 
sons, that  it  is  from  the  secret  counsel  of  God,  that  some  rise 
to  promotion,  and  others  remain  in  contempt. 

VII.  Moreover,  particular  events  are  in  general  proofs  of  the 
special  providence  of  God.  God  raised  in  the  desert  a south 
wind,  to  convey  to  the  people  a large  flock  of  birds,  (n)  When 
he  would  have  Jonah  thrown  into  the  sea,  he  sent  forth  a wind 
to  raise  a tempest,  (o)  It  will  be  said  by  them  who  suppose 
God  not  to  hold  the  helm  of  the  world,''  that  this  was  a devia- 
tion from  the  common  course  of  things.  But  the  conclusion 
which  I deduce  from  it  is,  that  no  wind  ever  rises  or  blows 
but  by  the  special  command  of  God.  For  otherwise  it  would 
not  be  true  that  he  makes  the  winds  his  messengers,  and  a 
flame  of  fire  his  ministers,  that  he  makes  the  clouds  his 
chariot,  and  rides  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  (p)  unless  he 
directed  at  his  pleasure  the  course  both  of  the  clouds  and  of 
the  winds,  and  displayed  in  them  the  singular  presence  of  his 
power.  Thus  also  we  are  elsewhere  taught,  that,  whenever 
the  sea  is  blown  into  a tempest  by  the  winds,  those  commo- 
tions prove  the  special  presence  of  God.  “ He  commandeth 
and  raiseth  the  stormy  wind,  which  lifteth  up  the  waves  ” of 
the  sea.  Then  he  maketh  the  storm  a calm,  so  that  the 
waves  thereof  are  still ; (q)  as  in  another  place  he  proclaims, 

that  he  scourged  the  people  with  parching  winds,  (r)  Thus, 
whilst  men  are  naturally  endued  with  a power  of  generation, 
yet  God  will  have  it  acknowledged  as  the  effect  of  his  special 

(k)  Prov.  xvi.  33.  (n)  Exod.  xvi.  13.  Num.  xi.  31.  (<?)  Psalm  cvii.  25,  29. 

(l)  Prov.  xxix.  13.  (o)  Jonah  i.  4.  (r)  Amos  iv.  9.  Hag- 

(m)  Psalm  Ixxv.  6,  7.  (p)  Psalm  civ.  3,  4.  gai  i.  (i — 11. 


CHAP.  XVI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  191' 

favour,  that  he  leaves  some  without  any  posterity,  and  bestows 
children  on  others  ; for  “ the  fruit  of  the  womb  is  his  re- 
ward.” (s)  Therefore  Jacob  said  to  his  wife,  Am  I in  God’s 
stead,  who  hath  withheld  from  thee  the  fruit  of  the  womb  ? ” (^) 
But  to  conclude ; there  is  nothing  more  common  in  nature, 
than  for  us  to  be  nourished  with  bread.  But  the  Spirit  de- 
clares, not  only  that  the  produce  of  the  earth  is  the  special 
gift  of  God,  but  that  men  do  not  live  by  bread  alone;  {v)  be- 
cause they  are  supported  not  by  the  abundance  of  their  food, 
but  by  the  secret  benediction  of  God  ; as,  on  the  contrary,  he 
threatens  that  he  will  break  the  stay  of  bread.”  {w)  Nor, 
indeed,  could  we  otherwise  seriously  offer  a prayer  for  daily 
bread,  if  God  did  not  supply  us  with  food  from  his  fatherly 
hand.  The  Prophet,  therefore,  to  convince  the  faithful  that  in 
feeding  them  God  acts  the  part  of  an  excellent  father  of  a 
family,  informs  us,  that  he  giveth  food  to  all  flesh.”  {x) 
Lastly,  when  we  hear,  on  the  one  hand,  that  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord  are  upon  the  righteous,  and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their 
cry,”  and,  on  the  other,  that  “ the  face  of  the  Lord  is  against 
them  that  do  evil,  to  cut  off  the  remembrance  of  them  from 
the  earth,”  (y)  we  may  be  assured  that  all  creatures,  above 
and  below,  are  ready  for  his  service,  that  he  may  apply  them 
to  any  use  that  he  pleases.  Hence  we  conclude,  not  only  that 
there  is  a general  providence  of  God  over  the  creatures,  to  con- 
tinue the  order  of  nature,  but  that,  by  his  wonderful  counsel, 
they  are  all  directed  to  some  specific  and  proper  end. 

VIII.  Those  who  wish  to  bring  an  odium  on  this  doctrine, 
calumniate  it  as  the  same  with  the  opinion  of  the  Stoics  con- 
cerning fate,  with  which  Augustine  also  was  formerly  re- 
proached. Though  we  are  averse  to  all  contentions  about 
words,  yet  we  admit  not  the  term  fate ; both  because  it  is  of 
that  novel  and  profane  kind  which  Paul  teaches  us  to  avoid, 
and  because  they  endeavour  to  load  the  truth  of  God  with  the 
odium  attached  to  it.  But  that  dogma  is  falsely  and  maliciously 
charged  upon  us.  For  we  do  not,  with  the  Stoics,  imagine  a 
necessity  arising  from  a perpetual  concatenation  and  intricate 
series  of  causes,  contained  in  nature  ; but  we  make  God  the 
Arbiter  and  Governor  of  all  things,  who,  in  his  own  wisdom, 
has,  from  the  remotest  eternity,  decreed  what  he  would  do, 
and  now,  by  his  own  power,  executes  what  he  has  decreed. 
Whence  we  assert,  that  not  only  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  and 
inanimate  creatures,  but  also  the  deliberations  and  volitions  of 
men,  are  so  governed  by  his  providence,  as  to  be  directed  to 
the  end  appointed  by  it.  What  then  ? you  will  say  ; does 

{s)  Psalm  cxxvii.  3.  (r)  Deut.  viii.  3.  (x)  Psalm  cxxxvi.  25. 

{t)  Gen.  XXX.  2.  (w)  Isaiah  hi.  1.  {y)  Psalm  xxxiv.  15,  10. 


192  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  T. 

nothing  happen  fortuitously  or  contingently  ? I answer,  that 
it  was  truly  observed  by  Basil  the  Great,  that  fortune  and 
chance  are  words  of  the  heathen,  with  the  signification  of 
which  the  minds  of  the  pious  ought  not  to  be  occupied.  For 
if  all  success  be  the  benediction  of  God,  and  calamity  and 
adversity  his  malediction,  there  is  no  room  left  in  human 
aflairs  for  fortune  or  chance.  And  we  should  attend  to  this 
declaration  of  Augustine  : “ I am  not  pleased  with  myself,” 
says  he,  for  having,  in  my  treatises  against  the  Academics, 
so  frequently  mentioned  fortune,  although  I have  not  intended 
by  that  word  any  goddess,  but  a fortuitous  occurrence  of  ex- 
ternal things,  either  good  or  evil.  Hence  also  such  words, 
the  use  of  which  no  religion  prohibits,  as  perhaps,  perchance, 
per  adventure,  which,  nevertheless,  must  be  entirely  referred  to 
the  Divine  providence.  And  on  this  I have  not  been  silent, 
remarking  that  perhaps  what  is  commonly  termed  fortune  is 
regulated  by  a secret  order,  and  that  what  we  call  chance  is 
only  that,  with  the  reason  and  cause  of  which  we  are  not  ac- 
quainted. Thus,  indeed,  I have  expressed  myself ; but  I repent 
of  having  mentioned  fortune  in  this  manner,  since  I see  that 
men  are  habituated  to  a very  sinful  custom  : when  they  ought 
to  say,  ‘ This  was  the  will  of  God,’  they  say,  ‘ This  was  the 
will  of  Fortune.’  ” Finally,  he  every  where  maintains,  that 
if  any  thing  be  left  to  fortune,  the  world  revolves  at  random. 
And  though  he  elsewhere  decides,  that  all  things  are  conducted 
partly  by  the  free  will  of  man,  partly  by  the  providence  of 
God,  yet  he  just  after  shows  that  men  are  subject  to  it  and 
governed  by  it,  assuming  as  a principle  that  nothing  could  be 
more  absurd,  than  for  any  thing  to  happen  independently  of  the 
ordination  of  God ; because  it  would  happen  at  random.  By 
this  reasoning  he  excludes  also  any  contingence  dependent  on 
the  human  will ; and  immediately  after  more  expressly  asserts 
that  we  ought  not  to  inquire  for  any  cause  of  the  will  of  God. 
But  in  what  sense  permission  ought  to  be  understood,  when- 
ever it  is  mentioned  by  him,  will  appear  from  one  passage  ; 
where  he  proves  that  the  will  of  God  is  the  supreme  and  first 
cause  of  all  things,  because  nothing  happens  but  by  his  com- 
mand or  permission.  He  certainly  does  not  suppose  God  to 
remain  an  idle  spectator,  determining  to  permit  any  thing  ; 
there  is  an  intervention  of  actual  volition,  if  I may  be  allowed 
the  expression,  which  otherwise  could  never  be  considered  as 
a cause. 

IX.  Yet,  since  the  dulness  of  our  minds  is  very  much  below 
the  sublimity  of  the  Divine  providence,  let  us  endeavour  tc 
assist  them  by  a distinction.  I say,  then,  that,  notwithstanding 
the  ordination  of  all  things  by  the  certain  purpose  and  direction 
of  God,  yet  to  us  they  are  fortuitous  : not  that  we  suppose 


CHAP.  XVI.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


193 


fortune  holds  any  dominion  over  the  world  and  mankind,  and 
whirls  about  all  things  at  random,  for  such  folly  ought  to  be 

far  from  the  breast  of  a Christian  ; but  because  the  order, 

reason,  end,  and  necessity  of  events  are  chiefly  concealed  in  the 
purpose  of  God,  and  not  comprehended  by  the  mind  of  man, 
tliose  things  are  in  some  measure  fortuitous,  which  must  cer- 
tainly happen  according  to  the  Divine  will.  For  they  present 
no  other  appearance,  whether  they  are  considered  in  their  own 
nature,  or  are  estimated  according  to  our  knowledge  and  judg- 
ment. Let  us  suppose,  for  example,  that  a merchant,  having 
entered  a wood  in  the  company  of  honest  men,  imprudently 
wanders  from  his  companions,  and,  pursuing  a wrong  course, 
falls  into  the  hands  of  robbers,  and  is  murdered.  His  death 

was  not  only  foreseen  by  God,  but  also  decreed  by  him.  For 

it  is  said,  not  that  he  has  foreseen  to  what  limits  the  life  of 
every  man  would  extend,  but  that  he  “ hath  appointed  bounds 
which  he  cannot  pass.”  (z)  Yet,  as  far  as  our  minds  are 
capable  of  comprehending,  all  these  circumstances  appear  for- 
tuitous. What  opinion  shall  a Christian  form  on  this  case  ? 
He  will  consider  all  the  circumstances  of  such  a death  as  in  their 
nature  fortuitous  ; yet  he  will  not  doubt  that  the  providence  of 
God  presided,  and  directed  fortune  to  that  end.  The  same  rea- 
soning will  apply  to  future  contingencies.  All  future  things 
being  uncertain  to  us,  we  hold  them  in  suspense,  as  though  they 
might  happen  either  one  way  or  another.  Yet  this  remains  a 
fixed  principle  in  our  hearts,  that  there  will  be  no  event  which 
God  has  not  ordained.  In  this  sense  the  word  chance  is  fre- 
quently repeated  in  the  book  of  Ecclesiastes  ; because,  on  the 
first  view,  men  penetrate  not  to  the  first  cause,  which  lies 
deeply  concealed.  And  yet  the  doctrine  of  the  Scripture  re 
specting  the  secret  providence  of  God,  has  never  been  so  far  ob- 
literated from  the  hearts  of  men,  but  that  some  sparks  of  it 
always  shone  in  the  darkness.  Thus  the  Philistine  sorcerers, 
though  they  fluctuated  in  uncertainty,  ascribed  adverse  accidents 
partly  to  God,  partly  to  fortune.  ‘‘  If  the  ark,”  say  tluig,  goeth 
up  by  that  way,  we  shall  know  that  God  hath  done  us  this  great 
evil ; but  if  not,  it  was  a chance  that  happened  to  us.”  (a)  They 
betrayed  great  folly,  indeed,  after  having  been  deceived  by 
divination,  to  have  recourse  to  fortune  ; yet  at  the  same  time, 
we  see  them  restrained,  so  that  they  cannot  dare  to  supjiose 
the  affliction  which  had  befallen  them  was  fortuitous.  But 
how  God,  by  the  reins  of  his  providence,  directs  all  events 
according  to  his  own  pleasure,  will  appear  by  an  eminent 
example.  At  the  very  same  instant  of  time  when  David  had 
been  overtaken  in  the  wilderness  of  Maon,  behold,  the  Philis- 


VOL.  1. 


(z)  Job  xiv.  5. 

25 


(a)  1 Sam.  vi.  9. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


m 


[book  i 


tines  made  an  irruption  into  the  land,  and  Saul  was  compelled 
to  depart.  If  God,  consulting  the  safety  of  his  servant,  laid 
this  impediment  in  the  way  of  Saul,  then,  surely,  though  the 
Philistines  might  have  taken  up  arms  suddenly,  and  contrary 
to  human  expectation,  yet  we  will  not  say  that  this  happened 
by  chance  ; but  what  to  us  seems  a contingency,  faith  will 
acknowledge  to  have  been  a secret  impulse  of  God.  It  is  not 
always,  indeed,  that  there  appears  a similar  reason  ; but  it  should 
be  considered  as  indubitably  certain,  that  all  the  revolutions 
visible  in  the  world  proceed  from  the  secret  exertion  of  the 
Divine  power.  What  God  decrees,  must  necessarily  come  to 
pass;  yet  it  is  not  by  absolute  or  natural  necessity.  We  find 
a familiar  example  in  respect  to  the  bones  of  Christ.  Since  he 
possessed  a body  like  ours,  no  reasonable  man  will  deny  that 
his  bones  were  capable  of  being  broken  ; yet  that  they  should 
be  broken  was  impossible.  Hence,  again,  we  perceive  that  the 
distinctions  of  relative  and  absolute  necessity,  as  well  as  neces- 
sity of  consequent  and  of  consequence,  were  not  without  rea- 
son invented  in  the  schools  ; since  God  made  the  bones  of 
his  Son  capable  of  being  broken,  which,  however,  he  had  ex- 
empted from  being  actually  broken,  and  thus  prevented,  by 
the  necessity  of  his  purpose,  what  might  naturally  have  come 
to  pass. 


CHAPTER  XVH. 

THE  PROPER  APPLICATION  OF  THIS  DOCTRINE  TO  RENDER  IT 
USEFUL  TO  US. 

As  the  minds  of  men  are  prone  to  vain  subtleties,  there  is 
the  greatest  danger  that  those  who  know  not  the  right  use  of 
this  doctrine  will  embarrass  themselves  with  intricate  perplexi- 
ties.- It  will  therefore  be  necessary  to  touch  in  a brief  manner 
on  the  end  and  design  of  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  the  Divine 
ordination  of  all  things.  And  here  let  it  be  remarked,  in  the 
first  place,  that  the  providence  of  God  is  to  be  considered  as 
well  in  regard  to  futurity,  as  in  reference  to  that  which  is  past ; 
secondly,  that  it  governs  all  things  in  such  a manner  as  to  op- 
erate sometimes  by  the  intervention  of  means,  sometimes  with- 
out means,  and  sametimes  in  opposition  to  all  means ; lastly, 
that  it  tends  to  show  the  cai’e  of  God  for  the  whole  human 
race,  and  especially  his  vigilance  in  the  government  of  the 
Church,  which  he  favours  with  more  particular  attention.  It 
must  also  be  observed,  that,  although  the  paternal  favour  and 
beneficence  of  God,  or  the  severity  of  his  justice,  is  frequently 


CHAP.  XVII. J CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  195 

conspicuous  in  the  whole  course  of  his  providencej  yet  some- 
times the  causes  of  events  are  concealed,  so  that  a suspicion  in- 
trudes itself,  that  the  revolutions  of  human  atfairs  are  conducted 
by  the  blind  impetuosity  of  fortune  ; or  the  flesh  solicits  us  to 
murmur,  as  though  God  amused  himself  with  tossing  men 
about  like  tennis-balls.  It  is  true,  indeed,  if  we  were  ready  to 
learn  with  quiet  and  sober  minds,  that  the  final  issue  suf- 
ficiently proves  the  counsels  of  God  to  be  directed  by  the  best  of 
reasons ; that  he  designs  either  to  teach  his  people  the  exercise 
of  patience,  or  to  correct  their  corrupt  affections  and  subdue 
the  licentiousness  of  their  appetites,  or  to  constrain  them  to  the 
practice  of  self-denial,  or  to  arouse  them  from  their  indolence  ] 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  to  abase  the  proud,  to  disappoint  the 
cunning  of  the  wicked,  and  to  confound  their  machinations. 
Yet,  however  the  causes  may  be  concealed  from  us,  or  escape 
our  observation,  we  must  admit  it  as  a certain  truth,  that  they 
are  hidden  with  him ; and  must  therefore  exclaim  with  David, 
“ Many,  O Lord  my  God,  are  thy  wonderful  works  which  thou 
hast  done,  and  thy  thoughts  which  are  to  iis-ward : they  can- 
not be  reckoned  up  in  order  unto  thee  : if  I would  declare  and 
speak  of  them,  they  are  more  than  can  be  numbered.”  {b)  For, 
though  our  miseries  ought  always  to  remind  us  of  our  sins, 
that  the  punishment  itself  may  urge  us  to  repentance,  yet  we 
see  that  Christ  ascribes  more  sovereignty  to  the  secret  purpose 
of  the  Father  in  afflicting  men,  than  to  require  him  to  punish 
every  individual  according  to  his  demerits.  For  concerning 
him  who  was  born  blind,  he  says,  Neither  hath  this  man 
sinned,  nor  his  parents ; but  that  the  works  of  God  should  be 
made  manifest  in  him.”  (c)  For  here  sense  murmurs,  when 
calamity  precedes  the  very  birth,  as  though  it  were  a detraction 
from  the  Divine  clemency  thus  to  afflict  the  innocent.  But 
Christ  declares  that  the  glory  of  his  Father  is  manifested  in 
this  instance,  provided  our  eyes  are  clear  to  behold  it.  But  we 
must  proceed  with  modesty,  cautious  that  we  call  not  God  to 
an  account  at  our  tribunal ; but  that  we  entertain  such  rever- 
ence for  his  secret  judgments,  as  to  esteem  his  will  the  most 
righteous  cause  of  every  thing  that  he  does.  When  thick 
clouds  obscure  the  heavens,  and  a violent  tempest  arises,  be- 
cause a gloomy  mist  is  before  our  eyes,  and  thunder  strikes  our 
ears,  and  terror  stupefies  all  our  faculties,  all  things  seem  to  us 
to  be  blended  in  confusion ; yet  during  the  whole  time  the 
heavens  remain  in  the  same  quiet  serenity.  So  it  must  be 
concluded,  that  while  the  turbulent  state  of  the  world  deprives 
us  of  our  judgment,  God,  by  the  pure  light  of  his  own  right- 
eousness and  wisdom,  regulates  all  those  commotions  in  the 
most  exact  order,  and  directs  them  to  their  proper  end.  4nd 


(b)  Psalm  xi.  5. 


(c)  John  ix.  3. 


196 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  I. 

certainly  the  madness  of  many  in  this  respect  is  monstrous, 
who  dare  to  arraign  the  works  of  God,  to  scrutinize  his  secret 
counsels,  and  even  to  pass  a precipitate  sentence  on  things  un- 
known, with  greater  freedom  than  on  the  actions  of  mortal 
men.  For  what  is  more  preposterous  than  towards  our  equals 
to  observe  such  modesty,  as  rather  to  suspend  our  judgment 
than  to  incur  the  imputation  of  temerity,  but  impudently  to 
insult  the  mysterious  judgments  of  God,  which  we  ought  to 
hold  in  admiration  and  reverence  ? 

11.  None,  therefore,  will  attain  just  and  profitable  views  of 
the  providence  of  God,  but  he  who  considers  that  he  has  to  do 
with  his  Maker  and  the  Creator  of  the  world,  and  submits 
himself  to  fear  and  reverence  with  all  becoming  humility. 
Hence  it  happens  that  so  many  worthless  characters  in  the 
present  day  virulently  oppose  this  doctrine,  because  they  will 
admit  nothing  to  be  lawful  for  God,  but  what  agrees  with  the 
dictates  of  their  own  reason.  They  revile  us  with  the  utmost 
possible  impudence,  because,  not  content  with  the  precepts  of 
the  law,  which  comprehend  the  will  of  God,  we  say  that  the 
world  is  governed  also  by  his  secret  counsels ; as  though,  indeed, 
what  we  assert  were  only  an  invention  of  our  own  brain,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit  did  not  every  where  plainly  announce  the 
same,  and  repeat  it  in  innumerable  forms  of  expression.  But 
as  they  are  restrained  by  some  degree  of  shame  from  daring  to 
discharge  their  blasphemies  against  heaven,  in  order  to  indulge 
their  extravagance  with  greater  freedom,  they  pretend  that  they 
are  contending  with  us.  But  unless  they  admit,  that  whatever 
comes  to  pass  in  the  world  is  governed  by  the  incomprehen- 
sible counsel  of  God,  let  them  answer,  to  what  purpose  is  it 
said  in  the  Scripture  that  his  ^-judgments  are  a great  deep  ” ? [d) 
For  since  Moses  proclaims,  that  the  will  of  God  is  not  to  be 
sought  far  ofi’,  in  the  clouds  or  in  the  deep,  (e)  because  it  is  fa- 
miliarly explained  in  the  law,  it  follows  that  there  is  another 
secret  will,  which  is  compared  to  a profound  abyss;  concerning 
which  Paul  also  says,  “ O the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the 
wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  ; how  unsearchable  are  his 
judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out  ! For  who  hath 
known  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  or  who  hath  been  his  coun- 
sellor ? ” (/)  It  is  true,  that  the  law  and  the  Gospel  contain 
mysteries  which  far  transcend  our  capacities ; but  since  God 
illuminates  the  minds  of  his  people  with  the  spirit  of  under- 
standing, to  apprehend  these  mysteries  which  he  has  conde- 
scended to  reveal  in  his  word,  there  we  have  now  no  abyss, 
but  a way  in  which  we  may  safely  walk,  and  a lamp  for  the 
direction  of  our  feet,  the  light  of  life,  and  the  school  of  certain 
aii^  evident  truth.  But  his  admirable  method  of  governing 

{d)  Psalm  xxxvi.  6.  (f)  Deut.  xxx.  12 — 14.  Rom.  x.  6,  7. 

(/)  Rom.  xi.  33,  34. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


197 


CHAP.  XVII.] 

the  world  is  justly  called  a great  deep,”  because,  while  it  is 
concealed  from  our  view,  it  ought  to  be  the  object  of  our  pro- 
found adoration.  Moses  has  beautifully  expressed  both  in  a 
few  words.  ‘‘  The  secret  things,”  says  he,  ‘‘  belong  unto  the 
Lord  our  God ; but  those  things  which  are  revealed  belong 
unto  us  and  to  our  children.”  (y)  We  see  how  he  enjoins  us, 
not  only  to  devote  our  attention  to  meditations  on  the  law  of 
God,  but  to  look  up  with  reverence  to  his  mysterious  provi- 
dence. This  sublime  doctrine  is  declared  in  the  book  of  Job, 
for  the  purpose  of  humbling  our  minds.  For  the  author  con- 
cludes a general  view  of  the  machine  of  the  world,  and  a 
magnificent  dissertation  on  the  works  of  God,  in  these  words : 
“ Lo,  these  are  parts  of  his  ways ; but  how  little  a portion  is 
heard  of  him  ! ” {h)  For  which  reason,  in  another  place  lie 
distinguishes  between  the  wisdom  which  resides  in  God,  and 
the  method  of  attaining  wisdom  which  he  has  prescribed  to 
men.  For,  after  discoursing  concerning  the  secrets  of  nature, 
he  says,  that  wisdom  is  known  only  to  God,  and  “ is  hid  from 
the  eyes  of  all  living.”  But  a little  after  he  subjoins,  that  it  is 
published  in  order  to  be  investigated,  because  it  is  said  to  men, 
‘^Behold  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is  wisdom.”  (i)  To  the 
same  purpose  is  this  observation  of  Augustine  : “ Because  we 
know  not  all  that  God  does  concerning  us  by  an  excellent 
order  we  act  according  to  the  law  in  a good  will  only,  but  in 
other  inspects  are  actuated  according  to  it;  because  his  provi- 
dence is  an  immutable  law.”  Therefore,  since  God  claims  a 
power  unknown  to  us  of  governing  the  world,  let  this  be  to  us 
the  law  of  sobriety  and  modesty,  to  acquiesce  in  his  supreme 
dominion,  to  account  his  will  the  only  rule  of  righteousness, 
and  mist  righteous  cause  of  all  things.  Not,  indeed,  that  ab- 
solute will  which  is  the  subject  of  the  declamation  of  sophists, 
impiously  and  profanely  separating  his  justice  from  his  power, 
but  that  providence  which  governs  all  things,  from  which 
originates  nothing  but  what  is  right,  although  the  reasons  of  it 
may  be  concealed  from  us. 

III.  Those  who  have  learned  this  modesty,  will  neither 
murmui  against  God  on  account  of  past  adversities,  nor  charge 
him  with  the  guilt  of  their  crimes,  like  Agamemnon,  in  Homer, 
who  says,  ‘‘  The  blame  belongs  not  to  me,  but  to  Jupiter  and 
Fate.”  Nor  will  they,  as  if  hurried  away  by  the  Fates,  under 
the  influence  of  despair,  put  an  end  to  their  own  lives,  like  the 
young  man  whom  Plautus  introduces  as  saying,  The  condi- 
tion of  our  affairs  is  inconstant ; men  are  governed  by  the 
caprice  of  the  Fates  ; I will  betake  myself  to  a precipice,  and 
there  destroy  my  life  and  every  thing  at  once.”  Nor  will  they 

(v)  Deut.  xxix.29.  (Jt)  Job  xxvi.  14.  (i)  Job  xxviii.  21,  23. 


198  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I, 

excuse  their  flagitious  actions  by  ascribing  them  to  God,  after 
the  example  of  another  young  man  introduced  by  the  same 
poet,  who  says,  God  was  the  cause  : I believe  it  was  the  Di- 
vine will.  For  had  it  not  been  so,  1 know  it  would  not  have 
happened.”  But  they  will  rather  search  the  Scripture,  to  learn 
what  is  pleasing  to  God,  that  by  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit 
they  may  strive  to  attain  it ; and  at  the  same  time,  being  pre- 
pared to  follow  God  whithersoever  he  calls  them,  they  will 
exhibit  proofs  in  their  conduct  that  nothing  is  more  useful  than 
a knowledge  of  this  doctrine.  Some  profane  men  foolishly 
raise  such  a tumult  with  their  absurdities,  as  almost,  according 
to  a common  expression,  to  confound  heaven  and  earth  together. 
They  argue  in  this  manner  : If  God  has  fixed  the  moment  of 
our  death,  we  cannot  avoid  it ; therefore  all  caution  against  it 
will  be  but  lost  labour.  One  man  dares  not  venture  himself  in 
a way  which  he  hears  is  dangerous,  lest  he  should  be  assassin- 
ated by  robbers ; another  sends  for  physicians,  and  wearies 
himself  with  medicines,  to  preserve  his  life  ; another  abstains 
from  the  grosser  kinds  of  food,  lest  he  should  injure  his  vale- 
tudinary constitution  ; another  dreads  to  inhabit  a ruinous 
house  ; and  men  in  general  exert  all  their  faculties  in  devising 
and  executing  methods  by  which  they  may  attain  the  object 
of  their  desires.  Now,  either  all  these  things  are  vain  remedies 
employed  to  correct  the  will  of  God,  or  life  and  death,  health 
and  disease,  peace  and  war,  and  other  things  which,  according 
to  their  desires  or  aversions,  men  industriously  study  to  obtain 
or  to  avoid,  are  not  determined  by  his  certain  decree.  More- 
over they  conclude,  that  the  prayers  of  the  faithful  are  not  only 
superfluous,  but  perverse,  which  contain  petitions  that  the  Lord 
will  provide  for  those  things  which  he  has  already  decreed 
from  eternity.  In  short,  they  supersede  all  deliberations  re- 
specting futurity,  as  opposed  to  the  providence  of  God,  who, 
without  consulting  men,  has  decreed  whatever  he  pleased. 
And  what  has  already  happened  they  impute  to  the  Divine 
providence  in  such  a manner  as  to  overlook  the  person,  who  is 
known  to  have  committed  any  particular  act.  Has  an  assassin 
murdered  a worthy  citizen  ? they  say  he  has  executed  the 
counsel  of  God.  Has  any  one  been  guilty  of  theft  or  fornica- 
tion ? because  he  has  done  what  was  foreseen  and  ordained  by 
the  Lord,  he  is  the  minister  of  his  providence.  Has  a son, 
neglecting  all  remedies,  carelessly  waited  the  death  of  his 
father  ? it  was  impossible  for  him  to  resist  God,  who  had  de- 
creed this  event  from  eternity.  Thus  by  these  persons  all 
crimes  are  denominated  virtues,  because  they  are  subservient 
to  the  ordination  of  God. 

IV.  But  in  reference  to  future  things,  Solomon  easily  recon- 
ciles the  deliberations  of  men  with  the  providence  of  God. 


CHAP.  XVII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


199 


For  as  he  ridicules  the  folly  of  those  who  presumptuously  un- 
dertake any  thing  without  the  Lord,  as  though  they  were  not 
subject  to  his  government,  so  in  another  place  he  says,  “A 
man’s  heart  deviseth  his  way ; but  the  Lord  directeth  his 
steps ; {k)  signifying  that  the  eternal  decrees  of  God  form  no 
impediment  to  our  providing  for  ourselves,  and  disposing  all 
our  concerns  in  subservience  to  his  will.  The  reason  of  this 
is  manifest.  For  he  who  has  fixed  the  limits  of  our  life,  has 
also  intrusted  us  with  the  care  of  it ; has  furnished  us  with 
means  and  supplies  for  its  preservation  ; has  also  made  us 
provident  of  dangers  ; and,  that  they  may  not  oppress  us  un- 
awares, has  furnished  us  with  cautions  and  remedies.  Now,  it 
is  evident  what  is  our  duty.  If  God  has  committed  to  us  the 
preservation  of  our  life,  we  should  preserve  it ; if  he  offers 
supplies,  Ave  should  use  them  ; if  he  forewarns  us  of  dangers, 
we  should  not  rashly  run  into  them  ; if  he  furnishes  remedies, 
we  ought  not  to  neglect  them.  But  it  will  be  objected,  no 
danger  can  hurt,  unless  it  has  been  ordained  that  it  shall  hurt 
us,  and  then  no  remedies  can  avert  it.  But  what  if  dangers 
are  therefore  not  fatal,  because  God  has  assigned  you  remedies 
to  repulse  and  overcome  them  ? Examine  whether  your  rea- 
soning agrees  with  the  order  of  the  Divine  providence.  You 
conclude  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  guard  against  danger,  because, 
if  it  be  not  fatal,  we  shall  escape  it  without  caution  ; but,  on 
the  contrary,  the  Lord  enjoins  you  to  use  caution,  because  he 
intends  it  not  to  be  fatal  to  you.  These  madmen  overlook 
what  is  obvious  to  every  observer  — that  the  arts  of  deliberation 
and  caution  in  men  proceed  from  the  inspiration  of  God,  and 
that  they  subserve  the  designs  of  his  providence  in  the  preser- 
vation of  their  own  lives  ; as,  on  the  contrary,  by  neglect  a*nd 
slothfulness,  they  procure  to  themselves  the  evils  which  he 
has  appointed  for  them.  For  how  does  it  happen,  that  a pru- 
dent man,  consulting  his  own  welfare,  averts  from  himself  im- 
pending evils,  and  a fool  is  ruined  by  his  inconsiderate  temerity, 
unless  folly  and  prudence  are  in  both  cases  instruments  of  the 
Divine  dispensation  ? Therefore  it  has  pleased  God  to  con- 
ceal from  us  all  future  events,  that  we  may  meet  them  as 
doubtful  contingencies,  and  not  cease  to  oppose  to  them  the 
remedies  with  which  we  are  provided,  till  they  shall  have  been 
surmounted,  or  shall  have  overcome  all  our  diligence.  There- 
fore I have  before  suggested,  that  the  providence  of  God  ought 
not  always  to  be  contemplated  abstractedly  by  itself,  but  in 
connection  Avith  the  means  which  he  employs. 

y.  The  same  persons  inconsiderately  and  erroneously  ascribe 
all  past  ev(mts  to  the  absolute  providence  of  God.  For  since 
all  things  which  come  to  pass  are  dependent  upon  it,  therefore, 

{k)  Prov.  xvi.  9. 


200  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

say  they,  neither  thefts,  nor  adulteries,  nor  homicides,  are  per- 
petrated without  the  intervention  of  the  Divine  will.  Why, 
therefore,  they  ask,  shall  a thief  be  punished  for  having  pil- 
laged him  whom  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  chastise  with 
poverty  ? Why  shall  a homicide  be  punished  for  having  slain 
him  whose  life  the  Lord  had  terminated  ? If  all  such  charac- 
ters are  subservient  to  the  Divine  will,  why  shall  they  be 
punished  ? But  I deny  that  they  serve  the  will  of  God.  For 
we  cannot  say,  that  he  who  is  influenced  by  a wicked  heart, 
acts  in  obedience  to  the  commands  of  God,  while  he  is  only 
gratifying  his  own  malignant  passions.  That  man  obeys  God, 
who,  being  instructed  in  his  will,  hastens  whither  God  calls 
him.  Where  can  we  learn  his  will,  but  in  his  word  ? There- 
fore in  our  actions  we  ought  to  regard  the  will  of  God,  which 
is  declared  in  his  word.  God  only  requires  of  us  conformity 
to  his  precepts.  If  we  do  any  thing  contrary  to  them,  it  is  not 
obedience,  but  contumacy  and  transgression.  But  it  is  said,  if 
he  would  not  permit  it,  we  should  not  do  it.  This  I grant. 
But  do  we  perform  evil  actions  with  the  design  of  pleasing 
him  ? He  gives  us  no  such  command.  We  precipitate  our- 
selves into  them,  not  considering  what  is  his  will,  but  inflamed 
with  the  violence  of  our  passions,  so  that  we  deliberately  strive 
to  oppose  him.  In  this  manner  even  by  criminal  actions  we 
subserve  his  righteous  ordination  ; because,  in  the  infinite  great- 
ness of  his  wisdom,  he  well  knows  how  to  use  evil  instruments 
for  the  accomplishment  of  good  purposes.  Now,  observe  the 
absurdity  of  their  reasoning  : they  wish  the  authors  of  crimes 
to  escape  with  impunity,  because  crimes  are  not  perpetrated 
but  by  the  ordination  of  God.  I admit  more  than  this  ; even 
that  thieves,  and  homicides,  and  other  malefactors,  are  instru- 
ments of  Divine  providence,  whom  the  Lord  uses  for  the  exe- 
cution of  the  judgments  which  he  has  appointed.  But  I deny 
that  this  ought  to  afford  any  excuse  for  their  crimes.  For  wull 
they  either  implicate  God  in  the  same  iniquity  with  them- 
selves, or  cover  their  depravity  with  his  righteousness  ? They 
can  do  neither.  They  are  prevented  from  exculpating  them- 
selves, by  the  reproofs  of  their  own  consciences  ; and  they  can 
lay  no  blame  upon  God,  for  they  find  in  themselves  nothing 
but  evil,  and  in  him  only  a legitimate  use  of  their  wickedness. 
But  it  is  alleged  that  he  operates  by  their  means.  And  whence, 
I ask,  proceeds  the  fetid  smell  of  a carcass,  Avhich  has  been 
putrefied  and  disclosed  by  the  heat  of  the  sun  ? It  is  visible  to 
all  that  it  is  excited  by  the  solar  rays;  yet  no  person  on  this 
account  attributes  to  those  rays  an  offensive  smell.  . So,  when 
the  matter  and  guilt  of  evil  resides  in  a bad  man,  why  should 
God  be  supposed  to  contract  any  defilement,  if  he  uses  his 
service  according  to  his  own  pleasure  ? Let  us  dismiss  this 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


CHAP.  XVII.  1 


201 


petulance,  therefore,  which  may  rail  against  the  justice  of  God 
from  a distance,  but  can  never  reach  that  Divine  attribute. 

VI.  But  these  cavils,  or  rather  extravagancies  of  frenzy,  will 
easily  be  dispelled  by  the  pious  and  holy  contemplation  of 
providence,  which  the  rule  of  piety  dictates  to  us,  so  that  we 
may  derive  from  it  the  greatest  pleasure  and  advantage.  The 
mind  of  a Christian,  therefore,  when  it  is  certainly  persuaded 
that  all  things  happen  by  the  ordination  of  God,  and  that  there 
is  nothing  fortuitously  contingent,  will  always  direct  its  views 
to  him  as  the  supreme  cause  of  all  things,  and  will  also  con- 
sider inferior  causes  in  their  proper  order.  He  will  not  doubt 
that  the  particular  providence  of  God  is  watchful  for  his  pre- 
servation, never  permitting  any  event  which  it  will  not  over- 
rule for  his  advantage  and  safety.  But,  since  he  is  concerned 
in  the  first  place  with  men,  and  in  the  next  place  with  the 
other  creatures,  he  will  assure  himself,  as  to  both,  that  the  pro- 
vidence of  God  reigns  over  all.  With  respect  to  men,  whether 
good  or  evil,  he  will  acknowledge  that  their  deliberations, 
wills,  endeavours,  and  powers,  are  under  his  control,  so  that  it 
is  at  his  option  to  direct  them  whithersoever  he  pleases,  and 
to  restrain  them  as  often  as  he  pleases.  The  vigilance  of  the 
particular  providence  of  God  for  the  safety  of  the  faithful  is 
attested  by  numerous  and  very  remarkable  promises  : Cast 
thy  burden  upon  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  sustain  thee  : he  shall 
never  suffer  the  righteous  to  be  moved.  {1)  He  that  dwelleth 
in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High  shall  abide  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Almighty,  {m)  He  that  toucheth  you,  toucheth 
the  apple  of  his  eye.  We  have  a strong  city  : salvation  will 
God  appoint  for  walls  and  bulwarks,  {n)  Though  a woman 
forget  her  sucking  child,  yet  will  I not  forget  thee.”  (o)  More- 
over, this  is  the  principal  scope  of  the  Biblical  histories,  to  teach 
us  that  the  Lord  so  sedulously  defends  the  ways  of  the  saints, 
that  they  may  not  even  “ dash  their  foot  against  a stone.”  {p) 
Therefore,  as  we  have  a little  before  justly  exploded  the  opinion 
of  those  who  hold  a universal  providence  of  God,  which  de- 
scends not  to  the  care  of  every  creature  in  particular,  so  it  is 
principally  necessary  and  useful  to  contemplate  this  special 
care  towards  ourselves.  For  this  reason,  Christ,  after  having 
asserted  that  not  the  meanest  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground  without 
the  will  of  the  Father,  (q)  immediately  makes  the  following 
application  — that  the  more  we  exceed  the  value  of  sparrows, 
the  greater  care  we  should  consider  God  as  exercising  over  us  ; 
and  he  carries  this  to  such  an  extent,  that  we  may  be  confident 
that  the  hairs  of  onr  head  are  numbered.  What  more  can  we 


(/)  Psalm  Iv.  22.  1 Peter  v.  7.  (n)  Zech.  ii.  8.  (/>)  Psalm  xci.  1*2. 

(m)  Psalm  xci.  1.  (o)  Isaiah  xxvi.  1 ; xlix.  15.  ((j)  Matt.  x.  20, 30. 

VOL.  1.  26 


202 


INSTITUTES' OF  THE 


[book  I. 

desire  for  ourselves,  if  not  a single  hair  can  fall  from  our  head, 
but  according  to  his  will  ? I speak  not  exclusively  of  the  hu- 
man race  ; but  since  God  has  chosen  the  Church  for  his  hab- 
itation, there  is  no  doubt  but  he  particularly  displays  his  pater- 
jaal  care  in  the  government  of  it. 

VII.  The  servant  of  God,  encouraged  by  these  promises  and 
examples,  will  add  the  testimonies,  which  inform  us  that  all 
men  are  subject  to  his  power,  either  to  conciliate  their  minds 
in  our  favour,  or  to  restrain  their  malice  from  being  injurious. 
For  it  is  the  Lord  who  gives  us  favour,  not  only  with  our 
friends,  but  also  in  the  eyes  of  the  Egyptians ; (r)  and  he 
knows  how  to  subdue,  by  various  methods,  the  fury  of  our 
enemies.  Sometimes  he  deprives  them  of  understanding,  so 
that  they  can  form  no  sober  or  prudent  plans  ; as  he  sent  Satan 
to  fill  the  mouths  of  all  the  prophets  with  falsehood,  in  order  to 
deceive  Ahab  : (s)  he  infatuated  Rehoboam  by  the  counsel  of 
the  young  men,  that  through  his  own  folly  he  might  be  spoiled 
of  his  kingdom,  (t)  Sometimes,  when  he  grants  them  under- 
standing, he  so  terrifies  and  dispirits  them,  that  they  can 
neither  determine  nor  undertake  what  they  have  conceived. 
Sometimes,  also,  when  he  has  permitted  them  to  attempt  what 
their  rage  and  passion  prompted,  he  opportunely  breaks  their 
impetuosity,  not  suffering  them  to  proceed  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  their  designs.  Thus  he  prematurely  defeated  the  coun- 
sel of  Ahithophel,  which  would  have  been  fatal  to  David,  (n) 
Thus,  also,  he  takes  care  to  govern  all  creatures  for  the  benefit 
and  safety  of  his  people,  even  the  devil  himself,  who,  we  see, 
dared  not  to  attempt  any  thing  against  Job,  without  his  per- 
mission and  command,  (v)  The  necessary  consequences  of 
this  knowledge  are,  gratitude  in  prosperity,  patience  in  ad- 
versity, and  a wonderful  security  respecting  the  future.  Every 
prosperous  and  pleasing  event,  therefore,  the  pious  man  will 
ascribe  entirely  to  God,  whether  his  beneficence  be  received 
through  the  ministry  of  men,  or  by  the  assistance  of  inanimate 
creatures.  For  this  will  be  the  reflection  of  his  mind  : ‘‘  It  is 
certainly  the  Lord  that  has  inclined  their  hearts  to  favour  me, 
that  has  united  them  to  me  to  be  the  instruments  of  his  benignity 
towards  me.”  In  an  abundance  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  he  will 
consider,  that  it  is  the  Lord  who  regards  the  heaven,  that  the 
heaven  may  regard  the  earth,  that  the  earth,  also,  may  regard  its 
own  productions : in  other  things  he  will  not  doubt  that  it  is  the 
Divine  benediction  alone  which  is  the  cause  of  all  prosperity  ; 
nor  will  he  bear  to  be  ungrateful  after  so  many  admonitions. 

VIII.  If  any  adversity  befall  him,  in  this  case,  also,  he  will 

(r)  Exod.  iii.  21.  (5)  1 Kings  xxii,  22.  (0  1 Kings  xii.  10 — 15. 

(u)  2 Sain.  xvii.  7,  14.  (r)  Job  i.  12. 


CHAP.  XVII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  203 

immediately  lift  up  his  heart  to  God,  whose  hand  is  most 
capable  of  impressing  us  with  patience  and  placid  moderation 
of  mind.  If  Joseph  had  dwelt  on  a review  of  the  perfidy  of 
his  brethren,  he  never  could  have  recovered  his  fraternal  af- 
fection for  them.  But  as  he  turned  his  mind  to  the  Lord,  he 
forgot  their  injuries,  and  was  so  inclined  to  mildness  and  clem- 
ency, as  even  voluntarily  to  administer  consolation  .to  them, 
saying,  “It  was  not  you  that  sent  me  hither,  but  God  did  send 
me  before  you  to  save  your  lives.  Ye  thought  evil  against 
me  ; but  God  meant  it  unto  good.”  {to)  If  Job  had  regarded 
the  Chaldeans,  by  whom  he  was  molested,  he  had  been  in- 
flamed to  revenge ; but  recognizing  the  event  at  the  same 
time  as  the  work  of  the  Lord,  he  consoled  himself  with  this 
very  beautiful  observation  : “ The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord 
hath  taken  away  ; blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.”  {x) 
Thus  David,  when  assailed  by  Shimei  with  reproachful  lan- 
guage and  with  stones,  if  he  had  confined  his  views  to  man, 
would  have  animated  his  soldiers  to  retaliate  the  injury  ; but 
understanding  that  it  was  not  done  without  the  instigation  of 
the  Lord,  he  rather  appeases  them  : “ Let  him  curse,”  says  he, 
“ because  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  him.  Curse  David.”  {y)  In 
another  place  he  imposes  the  same  restraint  on  the  intemper- 
ance of  his  grief : “ I was  dumb,”  says  he,  “ I opened  not  my 
mouth  ; because  thou  didst  it.”  (z)  If  there  be  no  more  ef- 
ficacious remedy  for  anger  and  impatience,  surely  that  man 
has  made  no  small  proficiency,  who  has  learned  in  this  (.ase  to 
meditate  on  the  Divine  providence,  that  he  may  be  ablti  at  all 
times  to  recall  his  mind  to  this  consideration : “ It  is  the  will 
of  the  Lord,  therefore  it  must  be  endured  ; not  only  because 
resistance  is  unlawful  and  vain,  but  because  he  wills  nothing 
but  what  is  both  just  and  expedient.,.  The  conclusion  of  the 
whole  is  this  — that,  when  we  suffer  injuries  from  men,  forget- 
ting their  malice,  which  would  only  exasperate  our  grief  and 
instigate  our  minds  to  revenge,  we  should  remember  to  ascend 
to  God,  and  learn  to  account  it  a certain  truth,  that  whatever 
our  enemies  have  criminally  committed  against  us,  has  been 
permitted  and  directed  by  his  righteous  dispensation.  To 
restrain  us  from  retaliating  injuries,  Paul  prudently  admonishes 
us  that  our  contention  is  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  with  a 
spiritual  enemy,  the  devil,  (a)  in  order  that  we  may  prepare 
ourselves  for  the  contest.  But  this  admonition  is  the  most 
useful  in  appeasing  all  the  sallies  of  resentment,  that  God  arms 
for  the  conflict  both  the  devil  and  all  wicked  men,  and  sits 
himself  as  the  arbiter  of  the  combat,  to  exercise  our  patience. 

(w)  Gen.  xlv.  7,  8 ; 1.  20.  (z)  Job  i.  2].  (y)  2 Sam.  xvi.  10. 

(z)  Psalm  xxxix.  9.  (a)  Eph.  vi.  12. 


204  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

But  if  the  calamities  and  miseries  which  oppress  us  happen 
without  the  interposition  of  men,  let  us  recollect  the  doctrine 
of  the  law,  that  every  prosperous  event  proceeds  from  the  ben- 
ediction of  God,  but  that  all  adverse  ones  are  his  maledic- 
tions; (b)  and  let  us  tremble  at  that  awful  denunciation,  If 
ye  will  walk  contrary  unto  me,  then  will  I also  walk  contrary 
unto  you  ; ” (c)  language  which  reproves  our  stupidity,  while, 
according  to  the  common  apprehensions  of  the  flesh,  esteeming 
every  event,  both  prosperous  and  adverse,  to  be  fortuitous,  we 
are  neither  animated  to  the  worship  of  God  by  his  benefits, 
nor  stimulated  to  repentance  by  his  corrections.  This  is  the 
reason  of  the  sharp  expostulations  of  Jeremiah  and  of  Amos,  (cl) 
because  the  Jews  supposed  that  both  good  and  evil  events 
came  to  pass  without  any  appointment  of  God.  To  the  same 
purpose  is  this  passage  of  Isaiah  : I form  the  light,  and  create 
darkness : I make  peace,  and  create  evil ; I the  Lord  do  all 
these  things.”  (e) 

IX.  Yet  at  the  same  time  a pious  man  will  not  overlook  in- 
ferior causes.  Nor,  because  he  accounts  those  from  whom  he 
has  received  any  benefit,  the  ministers  of  the  Divine  goodness, 
will  he  therefore  pass  them  by  unnoticed,  as  though  they  de- 
served no  thanks  for  their  kindness  ; but  will  feel,  and  readily 
acknowledge,  his  obligation  to  them,  and  study  to  return  it  as 
ability  and  opportunity  may  permit.  Finally,  he  will  rever- 
ence and  praise  God  as  the  principal  Author  of  benefits  received, 
but  will  honour  men  as  his  ministers ; and  will  understand, 
what,  indeed,  is  the  fact,  that  the  Avill  of  God  has  laid  him 
under  obligations  to  those  persons  by  whose  means  the  Lord 
has  been  pleased  to  communicate  his  benefits.  If  he  suffer 
any  loss  either  through  negligence  or  through  imprudence,  he 
will  conclude  that  it  happened  according  to  the  Divine  will, 
but  will  also  impute  the  blame  of  it  to  himself.  If  any  one 
be  removed  by  disease,  whom,  while  it  was  his  duty  to  take 
care  of  him,  he  has  treated  with  neglect,  — though  he  cannot  be 
ignorant  that  that  person  had  reached  those  limits  which  it 
was  impossible  for  him  to  pass,  yet  he  will  not  make  this  a 
plea  to  extenuate  his  guilt ; but,  because  he  has  not  faithfully 
performed  his  duty  towards  him,  will  consider  him  as  having 
perished  through  his  criminal  negligence.  Much  less,  when 
fraud  and  preconceived  malice  appear  in  the  perpetration  either 
of  murder  or  of  theft,  will  he  excuse  those  enormities  under 
the  pretext  of  the  Divine  providence  : in  the  same  crime  he 
will  distinctly  contemplate  the  righteousness  of  God  and  the 
•.nicpiity  of  man,  as  they  respectively  discover  themselves. 


(h)  Dcut.  xxviii.  1,  tSsc. 
(c)  Lev.  xxvi.  23.  24. 


(d)  Lam.  iii.  37,  38.  Amos  iii.  6. 

(e)  Isaiah  xlv.  7. 


CHAP.  XVII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  205 

But  it  is  principally  in  regard  to  things  future  that  he  will 
direct  his  attention  to  inferior  causes  of  this  kind.  For  he 
will  rank  it  among  the  blessings  of  the  Lord,  not  to  be  des- 
titute of  human  aids  which  he  may  use  for  his  own  safety  ; 
he  will  neither  be  remiss,  therefore,  in  taking  the  advice,  nor 
negligent  in  imploring  the  help,  of  those  whom  he  perceives 
to  be  capable  of  affording  him  assistance  ; but,  considering  all 
the  creatures,  that  can  in  any  respect  be  serviceable  to  him,  as 
so  many  gifts  from  the  Lord,  he  will  use  them  as  the  legiti- 
mate instruments  of  the  Divine  providence.  And  as  he  is  un- 
certain respecting  the  issue  of  his  undertakings,  except  that  he 
knows  that  the  Lord  will  in  all  things  provide  for  his  good,  he 
studiously  aims  at  what,  according  to  the  best  judgment  he 
can  form,  will  be  for  his  advantage.  Nor,  in  conducting  his 
deliberations,  will  he  be  carried  away  by  his  own  opinion,  but 
will  recommend  and  resign  himself  to  the  wisdom  of  God,  that 
he  may  be  directed  by  its  guidance  to  the  right  end.  But  he 
will  not  place  his  confidence  in  external  helps  to  such  a degree 
as,  if  possessed  of  them,  securely  to  rely  on  them,  or,  if  destitute 
of  them,  to  tremble  with  despair.  For  his  mind  will  always 
be  fixed  solely  on  the  Divine  providence,  nor  will  he  suffer 
himself  to  be  seduced  from  a steady  contemplation  of  it,  by 
any  consideration  of  present  things.  Thus  Joab,  though  he 
acknowledges  the  event  of  battle  to  depend  on  the  will  and 
the  power  of  God,  yet  surrenders  not  himself  to  inactivity,  but 
sedulously  executes  all  the  duties  of  his  office,  and  leaves  the 
event  to  the  Divine  decision.  Let  us  play  the  men,’^  says 
he,  for  our  people,  and  for  the  cities  of  our  God  ; and  the 
Lord  do  that  which  seemeth  him  good.”  (/)  This  knowledge 
will  divest  us  of  temerity  and  false  confidence,  and  excite  us 
to  continual  invocations  of  God  ; it  will  also  support  our  njinds 
with  a good  hope,  that  without  hesitation  we  may  securely 
and  magnanimously  despise  all  the  dangers  which  surround  us. 

X.  Herein  is  discovered  the  inestimable  felicity  of  the  pious 
mind.  Human  life  is  beset  by  innumerable  evils,  and  threat- 
ened with  a thousand  deaths.  Not  to  go  beyond  ourselves,  — 
since  our  body  is  the  receptacle  of  a thousand  diseases,  and 
even  contains  and  fosters  the  causes  of  diseases,  a man  must 
unavoidably  carry  about  with  him  destruction  in  unnumbered 
forms,  and  protract  a life  which  is,  as  it  were,  involved  in  death. 
For  what  else  can  you  say  of  it,  when  neither  cold  nor  heat 
in  any  considerable  degree  can  be  endured  without  danger  ? 
Now,  whithersoever  you  turn,  all  the  objects  around  you  are 
not  only  unworthy  of  your  confidence,  but  almost  openly 
menace  you,  and  seem  to  threaten  immediate  death.  Embark 
in  a ship ; there  is  but  a single  step  between  you  and  death. 


(/)  2 Sam.  X.  12 


206  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1. 

Mount  a horse  ; the  slipping  of  one  foot  endangers  your  life. 
Walk  through  the  streets  of  a city  ; you  are  liable  to  as  many 
daggers  as  tliere  are  tiles  on  the  roofs.  If  there  be  a sharp 
weapon  in  your  hand,  or  that  of  your  friend,  the  mischief  is 
manifest.  All  the  ferocious  animals  you  see  are  armed  for 
your  destruction.  If  you  endeavour  to  shut  yourself  in  a gar- 
den surrounded  with  a good  fence,  and  exhibiting  nothing  but 
what  is  delightful,  even  there  sometimes  lurks  a serpent. 
Your  house,  perpetually  liable  to  fire,  menaces  you  by  day 
with  poverty,  and  by  night  with  falling  on  your  head.  Your 
land,  exposed  to  hail,  frost,  drought,  and  various  tempests, 
threatens  you  with  sterility,  and  with  its  attendant,  famine. 
I omit  poison,  treachery,  robbery,  and  open  violence,  which 
partly  beset  us  at  home,  and  partly  pursue  us  abroad.  Amidst 
these  difficulties,  must  not  man  be  most  miserable,  who  is 
half  dead  while  he  lives,  and  is  dispirited  and  alarmed  as 
though  he  had  a sword  perpetually  applied  to  his  neck  ? You 
Avill  say  that  these  things  happen  seldom,  or  certainly  not 
always,  nor  to  every  man,  but  never  all  at  once.  I grant  it  ; 
but  as  we  are  admonished  by  the  examples  of  others,  that  it  is 
possible  for  them  to  happen  also  to  us,  and  that  we  have  no 
more  claim  to  exemption  from  them  than  others,  we  must  un- 
avoidably dread  them  as  events  that  we  may  expect.  What 
can  you  imagine  more  calamitous  than  such  a dread  ? Besides, 
it  is  an  insult  to  God  to  say  that  he  has  exposed  man,  the 
noblest  of  his  creatures,  to  the  blindness  and  temerity  of  for- 
tune. But  here  I intend  to  speak  only  of  the  misery  which 
man  must  feel,  if  he  be  subject  to  the  dominion  of  fortune. 

XL  On  the  contrary,  when  this  light  of  Divine  providence 
has  once  shined  on  a pious  man,  he  is  relieved  and  delivered 
not  only  from  the  extreme  anxiety  and  dread  with  which  he 
was  previously  oppressed,  but  also  from  all  care.  For,  as  he 
justly  dreads  fortune,  so  he  ventures  securely  to  commit  him- 
self to  God.  This,  I say,  is  his  consolation,  to  apprehend 
that  his  heavenly  Father  restrains  all  things  by  his  power, 
governs  all  things  by  his  will,  and  regulates  all  things  by  his 
wisdom,  in  such  a manner,  that  nothing  can  happen  but  by 
his  appointment ; moreover,  that  God  has  taken  him  under  his 
protection,  and  committed  him  to  the  care  of  angels,  so  that 
he  can  sustain  no  injury  from  water,  or  fire,  or  sword,  any 
further  than  the  Divine  Governor  may  be  pleased  to  permit. 
For  thus  sings  the  Psalmist  : Surely  he  shall  deliver  thee 
from  the  snare  of  the  fowler,  and  from  the  noisome  pestilence. 
He  shall  cover  thee  with  his  feathers,  and  under  his  wings 
shalt  thou  trust  : his  truth  shall  be  thy  shield  and  buckler. 
Thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night ; nor  for  the 
arrow  that  tiieth  by  day  ; nor  for  the  pestilence  that  walketh 


CHAP.  XVII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  207 

in  darkness  ; nor  for  the  destruction  that  wasteth  at  noon- 
day.” (^)  Hence  also  proceeds  that  confidence  of  glorying 
in  the  saints  : The  Lord  is  on  my  side  ; I will  not  fear  what 
man  can  do  unto  me.  The  Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life  ; 
of  whom  shall  I be  afraid?  Though  a host  should  encamp 
against  me  — though  I walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  I will  fear  no  evil.”  {h)  How  is  it  that  their  se- 
curity remains  unshaken,  while  the  world  appears  to  be  re- 
volving at  random,  but  because  they  know  that  the  Lord  is 
universally  operative,  and  confide  in  his  operations  as  ben- 
eficial to  them  ? Now,  when  their  safety  is  attacked,  either  by 
the  devil  or  by  wicked  men,  if  they  were  not  supported  by  the 
recollection  and  contemplation  of  providence,  they  must  neces- 
sarily and  immediately  faint.  But  when  they  recollect,  that 
the  devil  and  the  whole  army  of  the  wicked  are  in  every 
respect  so  restrained  by  the  Divine  power,  that  they  can 
neither  conceive  of  any  hostility  against  us,  nor,  after  having 
conceived  it,  form  a plan  for  its  accomplishment,  nor  even 
move  a finger  towards  the  execution  of  such  plan,  any  further 
than  he  has  permitted,  and  even  commanded  them  ; and  that 
they  are  not  only  bound  by  his  chains,  but  also  compelled  to 
do  him  service,  — they  have  an  abundant  source  of  consolation. 
For  as  it  belongs  to  the  Lord  to  arm  their  fury,  and  to  direct 
it  to  whatever  objects  he  pleases,  so  it  also  belongs  to  him  to 
fix  its  limits,  that  they  may  not  enjoy  an  unbounded  triumph 
according  to  their  own  wills.  Established  in  this  persuasion, 
Paul  determined  his  journey  in  one  place  by  the  permission  of 
God,  which  in  another  he  had  declared  was  prevented  by 
Satan,  [i)  If  he  had  only  said  that  Satan  was  the  obstacle,  he 
would  have  appeared  to  attribute  too  much  power  to  him,  as 
though  he  were  able  to  subvert  the  purposes  of  God  ; but 
when  he  states  God  to  be  the  arbiter,  on  whose  permission  all 
journeys  depend,  he  at  the  same  time  shows,  that  Satan,  with 
all  his  machinations,  can  effect  nothing  but  by  his  permission. 
For  the  same  reason,  David,  on  account  of  the  various  and  con- 
stant vicissitudes  of  life,  betakes  himself  to  this  asylum  : “ My 
times  are  in  thy  hand.”  {j)  He  might  have  mentioned  either 
the  course  of  life,  or  time,  in  the  singular  number  ; but  by  the 
word  times  he  intended  to  express,  that,  however  unstable  the 
condition  of  men  may  be,  all  the  vicissitudes  which  take  place 
are  under  the  government  of  God.  For  which  reason  Rezin 
and  the  king  of  Israel,  when,  after  the  junction  of  their  forces 
for  the  destruction  of  Judah,  they  resembled  firebrands  kin- 
dled to  consume  and  ruin  the  land,  are  called  by  the  Prophet 

{g)  Psalm  xci.  3 — 6.  (i)  1 Cor.  xvi.  7.  1 Thes.  ii.  18 

(/t)  Psalm  cxviii.  6;  xxvii.  1,3;  xxiii.  4.  (j)  Psalm  xxxi.  15. 


208  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I, 

‘‘smoking  firebrands,”  (/v)  which  can  do  nothing  but  emit  a 
^little  smoke.  Thus  Pharaoh,  when  his  riches,  his  strength, 
and  tlie  multitude  of  his  forces,  rendered  him  formidable  to  all, 
is  himself  compared  to  a sea-monster,  and  his  forces  to  fishes.  (/) 
Therefore  God  denounces  that  he  will  take  both  the  captain 
and  his  army  with  his  hook,  and  draw  them  whither  he 
pleases.  Finally,  to  dwell  no  longer  on  this  part  of  the  sub- 
ject, you  will  easily  perceive,  on  examination,  that  ignorance 
of  providence  is  the  greatest  of  miseries,  but  that  the  know- 
ledge of  it  is  attended  with  the  highest  felicity. 

XII.  On  the  doctrine  of  Divine  providence,  as  far  as  it  may 
conduce  to  the  solid  instruction  and  consolation  of  the  faithful, 
(for  to  satisfy  a vain  curiosity  is  neither  possible  nor  desirable,) 
enough  would  now  have  been  said,  were  it  not  for  a dif- 
ficulty arising  from  a few  passages,  which  apparently  imply,  in 
opposition  to  what  has  been  stated,  that  the  counsel  of  God  is 
not  firm  and  stable,  but  liable  to  change  according  to  the  sit- 
uation of  sublunary  affairs.  In  the  first  place,  there  are  several 
instances  in  which  repentance  is  attributed  to  God  ; as,  that 
he  repented  of  having  created  man,  (m)  and  of  having  exalted 
Saul  to  the  kingdom  ; (?^)  and  that  he  will  repent  of  the  evil 
which  he  had  determined  to  inflict  on  his  people,  as  soon  as 
he  shall  have  perceived  their  conversion,  (o)  In  the  next 
place,  we  read  of  the  abrogation  of  some  of  his  decrees.  By 
•Jonah  he  declared  to  the  Ninevites,  (p)  that,  after  the  lapse  of 
forty  days,  Nineveh  should  be  destroyed ; but  their  penitence 
afterwards  obtained  from  him  a more  merciful  sentence.  By 
the  mouth  of  Isaiah  he  denounced  death  to  Hezekiah ; (q) 
which  the  prayers  and  tears  of  that  monarch  moved  him  to 
defer,  (r)  Hence  many  persons  argue,  that  God  has  not  fixed 
the  affairs  of  men  by  an  eternal  decree  ; but  that  every  year, 
day,  and  hour,  he  decrees  one  thing  or  another,  according  to 
the  respective  merits  of  each  individual,  or  to  his  own  ideas  of 
equity  and  justice.  With  regard  to  repentance,  we  must  not 
admit  that  it  can  happen  to  God,  any  more  than  ignorance,  or 
error,  or  impotence.  For  if  no  man  knowingly  and  willingly 
lays  himself  under  the  necessity  of  repentance,  we  cannot  at- 
tribute repentance  to  God,  without  saying  either  that  he  is 
ignorant  of  the  future,  or  that  he  cannot  avoid  it,  or  that  he 
precipitately  and  inconsiderately  adopts  a resolution,  of  which 
lie  immediately  repents.  But  that  is  so  far  from  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  in  the  very  mention  of  repentance, 
lie  denies  that  it  can  belong  to  God,  because  “ he  is  not  a man, 
that  he  should  repent.”  (s)  And  it  must  be  remarked,  that 

(k)  Isaiah  vii.  4.  (w)  1 Sam.  xv.  11.  (?)  Isaiah  xxxviii.  1,  5. 

(/)  Ezek.  xxix.  3,  4.  (o)  Jer.  xviii.  8.  (r)  2 Kings  xx.  1,  5. 

(m)  Gen.  vi.  6.  (/>)  Jonah  iii.  4,  10.  (s)  1 Sam.  xv.  29. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


209 


CHAP.  XVII.] 

both  these  points  are  so  connected  in  the  same  chapter,  that  a 
comparison  fully  reconciles  the  apparent  inconsistency.  Where 
it  is  said  that  God  repented  of  having  created  Saul  king,  the 
change  declared  to  have  taken  place  is  figurative.  It  is  al- 
most immediately  added,  that  “ The  strength  of  Israel  will 
not  lie  nor  repent ; for  he  is  not  a man,  that  he  should  re- 
pent ;”(^)  in  which,  without  any  figure,  his  immutability  is 
plainly  asserted.  It  is  certain,  therefore,  that  the  ordination 
of  God  in  the  administration  of  human  affairs,  is  perpetual,  and 
superior  to  all  repentance.  And  to  place  his  constancy  beyond 
all  doubt,  even  his  adversaries  have  been  constrained  to  attest 
it.  For  Balaam,  notwithstanding  his  reluctance,  was  obliged 
to  break  out  into  the  following  exclamation  : God  is  not  a 
man,  that  he  should  lie  ; neither  the  son  of  man,  that  he  should 
repent  : hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it  ? or  hath  he  spoken, 
and  shall  he  not  make  it  good  ? ” (2^) 

XIII.  How,  then,  it  will  be  inquired,  is  the  term  re'pentance 
to  be  understood,  when  attributed  to  God?  I reply,  in  the 
same  manner  as  all  the  other  forms  of  expression,  which  de- 
scribe God  to  us  after  the  manner  of  men.  For,  since  our  in- 
firmity cannot  reach  his  sublimity,  the  description  of  him 
which  is  given  to  us,  in  order  that  we  may  understand  it, 
must  be  lowered  to  the  level  of  our  capacity.  His  method  of 
lowering  it,  is  to  represent  himself  to  us,  not  as  he  is  in  him- 
self, but  according  to  our  perception  of  him.  Though  he  is 
free  from  all  perturbation  of  mind,  he  declares  that  he  is  angry 
with  sinners,  (v)  As,  therefore,  when  we  hear  that  God  is  angry, 
we  ought  not  to  imagine  any  commotion  in  him,  but  rather  to 
consider  this  expression  as  borrowed  from  our  perception,  be- 
cause God  carries  the  appearance  of  one  who  is  very  angry, 
whenever  he  executes  judgment, — so  neither  by  the  term  re- 
peiitance  ought  we  to  understand  any  thing  but  a change  of  ac- 
tions ; because  men  are  accustomed  to  express  their  dissatisfac- 
tion with  themselves  by  changing  their  actions.  Since  every 
change  among  men,  therefore,  is  a correction  of  that  which  dis- 
pleases them,  and  correction  proceeds  from  repentance,  there- 
fore the  term  repentance  is  used  to  signify  that  God  makes  a 
change  in  his  works.  Yet,  at  the  same  time,  there  is  no  altera- 
tion in  his  counsel  or  his  will,  nor  any  change  in  his  affections ; 
but  how  sudden  soever  the  variation  may  appear  to  the  eyes  of 
men,  he  perpetually  and  regularly  prosecutes  what  he  has  fore- 
seen, approved,  and  decreed  from  eternity. 

XIV.  Nor  does  the  Sacred  History,  when  it  records  the  re- 
mission of  the  destruction  which  had  just  been  denounced  against 
the  Ninevites,  and  the  prolongation  of  the  life  of  Hezekiah 

it)  1 Sam.  XV.  29. 

VOL.  I.  27 


(m)  Numb,  xxiii.  19. 


(0)  Psalm  vii.  11. 


210  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

after  he  had  been  threatened  with  death,  prove  that  there  was 
any  abrogation  of  the  Divine  decrees.  Persons  who  thus  un- 
derstand it,  are  deceived  in  their  ideas  of  the  threatenings ; 
which,  though  expressed  in  the  form  of  simple  declarations, 
yet,  as  the  event  shows,  contain  in  them  a tacit  condition.  For 
why  did  God  send  Jonah  to  the  Ninevites,  to  predict  the  ruin 
of  their  city  ? Why  did  he,  by  the  mouth  of  Isaiah,  warn  Hez- 
ekiah  of  death  ? He  could  have  destroyed  both  them  and 
him,  without  previously  announcing  their  end.  He  had  some 
other  object  in  view,  therefore,  than  to  forewarn  them  of  their 
death,  and  to  give  them  a distant  prospect  of  its  approach.  And 
that  was  not  to  destroy  them,  but  to  reform  them,  that  they 
might  not  be  destroyed.  Therefore  the  prediction  of  Jonah, 
that  after  forty  days  Nineveh  should  fall,  was  uttered  to  pre- 
vent its  fall.  Hezekiah  was  deprived  of  the  hope  of  a longer 
life,  in  order  that  he  might  obtain  a prolongation  of  it  in  an- 
swer to  his  prayers.  Now,  who  does  not  see,  that  the  Lord,  by 
such  denunciations  as  these,  intended  to  arouse  to  repentance 
the  persons  whom  he  thus  alarmed,  that  they  might  escape  the 
judgment  which  their  sins  had  deserved?  If  this  be  admitted, 
the  nature  of  the  circumstances  leads  to  the  conclusion,  that  we 
must  understand  a tacit  condition  implied  in  the  simple  de- 
nunciation. This  is  also  confirmed  by  similar  examples.  The 
Lord,  reprehending  king  Abimelech  for  having  deprived  Abraham 
of  his  wife,  uses  these  words : — Behold,  thou  art  but  a dead 
man,  for  the  woman  which  thou  hast  taken ; for  she  is  a man’s 
wife.”  But  after  Abimelech  has  excused  himself,  the  Lord 
speaks  in  this  manner:  ^‘Restore  the  man  his  wife ; for  he  is  a 
prophet,  and  he  shall  pray  for  thee,  and  thou  shalt  live ; and  if 
thou  restore  her  not,  know  thou  that  thou  shalt  surely  die,  thou, 
and  all  that  are  thine.”  {w)  You  see  how,  by  the  first  declaration, 
God  terrifies  his  mind,  to  dispose  him  to  make  satisfaction ; but 
in  the  next,  he  makes  an  explicit  declaration  of  his  will.  Since 
other  passages  are  to  be  explained  in  a similar  manner,  you 
must  not  infer  that  there  is  any  abrogation  of  a prior  purpose  of 
the  Lord,  because  he  may  have  annulled  some  former  declara- 
tions. For  God  rather  prepares  the  way  for  his  eternal  ordina- 
tion, when,  by  a denunciation  of  punishment,  he  calls  to  repent- 
ance those  whom  he  designs  to  spare,  than  makes  any  varia- 
tion in  his  will,  or  even  in  his  declarations,  except  that  he  does 
not  syllabically  express  what,  nevertheless,  is  easily  understood. 
For  that  assertion  of  Isaiah  must  remain  true  : The  Lord  of 
hosts  hath  purposed,  and  who  shall  disannul  it  ? and  his  hand 
is  stretched  out,  and  who  shall  turn  it  back  ? ” (or) 


{w)  Gen.  XX.  3,  7. 


(i)  Isaiah  xiv.  27. 


CHAP.  XVIII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


211 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

GOD  USES  THE  AGENCY  OF  THE  IMPIOUS,  AND  INCLINES  THEIR 

MINDS  TO  EXECUTE  HIS  JUDGMENTS,  YET  WITHOUT  THE  LEAST 

STAIN  OF  HIS  PERFECT  PURITY. 

A QUESTION  of  greater  difficulty  arises  from  other  passages, 
where  God  is  said  to  incline  or  draw,  according  to  his  own 
pleasiue,  Satan  himself  and  all  the  reprobate.  For  the  carnal 
understanding  scarcely  comprehends  how  he,  acting  by  their 
means,  contracts  no  defilement  from  their  criminality,  and, 
even  in  operations  common  to  himself  and  them,  is  free  from 
every  fault,  and  yet  righteously  condemns  those  whose  ministry 
he  uses.  Hence  was  invented  the  distinction  between  doing  and 
permitting  ; because  to  many  persons  this  has  appeared  an  in- 
explicable difficidty,  that  Satan  and  all  the  impious  are  subject  to 
the  power  and  government  of  God,  so  that  he  directs  their  malice 
to  whatever  end  he  pleases,  and  uses  their  crimes  for  the  ex- 
ecution of  his  judgments.  The  modesty  of  those  who  are 
alarmed  at  the  appearance  of  absurdity,  might  perhaps  be  ex- 
cusable, if  they  did  not  attempt  to  vindicate  the  Divine  justice 
from  all  accusation  by  a pretence  utterly  destitute  of  any  foun- 
dation in  truth  They  consider  it  absurd  that  a man  should 
be  blinded  by  the  will  and  command  of  God,  and  afterwards 
be  punished  for  his  blindness.  They  therefore  evade  the  dif- 
ficulty, by  alleging  that  it  happens  only  by  the  permission,  and 
not  by  the  will  of  God ; but  God  himself,  by  the  most  un- 
equivocal declarations,  rejects  this  subterfuge.  That  men, 
however,  can  effect  nothing  but  by  the  secret  will  of  God,  and 
can  deliberate  on  nothing  but  what  he  has  previously  decreed, 
and  determines  by  his  secret  direction,  is  proved  by  express 
and  innumerable  testimonies.  What  we  have  before  cited 
from  the  Psalmist,  that  God  hath  done  whatsoever  he  hath 
pleased,”  (y)  undoubtedly  pertains  to  all  the  actions  of  men. 
If  God  be  the  certain  arbiter  of  war  and  peace,  as  is  there  af- 
firmed, and  that  without  any  exception,  who  will  venture  to 
assert,  that  he  remains  ignorant  and  unconcerned  respecting 
men,  while  they  are  actuated  by  the  blind  influence  of  chance  ? 
But  this  subject  will  be  better  elucidated  by  particular  ex- 
amples. From  the  first  chapter  of  Job  we  know  that  Satan 
presents  himself  before  God  to  receive  his  commands,  as  well 
as  the  angels,  who  yield  a spontaneous  obedience.  It  is,  indeed, 


(?/)  Psalm  cxv.  3. 


212  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  i. 

in  a different  manner,  and  for  a different  end ; yet  he  cannot 
attempt  any  thing  but  by  the  Divine  will.  Although  he  seems 
to  obtain  only  a bare  permission  to  afflict  that  holy  man,  yet, 
since  this  sentence  is  true,  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord 
hath  taken  away,”  (;2;)  we  conclude  that  God  was  the  author 
of  that  trial,  of  which  Satan  and  mischievous  robbers  and 
assassins  were  the  immediate  agents.  Satan  endeavours  to 
drive  him  by  desperation  into  madness.  The  Sabeans,  in  a 
predatory  incursion,  cruelly  and  wickedly  seize  upon  property 
not  their  own.  Job  acknowledges  that  he  was  stripped  of  all 
his  wealth,  and  reduced  to  poverty,  because  such  was  the  will 
of  God.  Therefore,  whatever  is  attempted  by  men,  or  by 
Satan  himself,  God  still  holds  the  helm,  to  direct  all  their  at- 
tempts to  the  execution  of  his  judgments.  God  intends  the 
deception  of  that  perfidious  king  Ahab  ; the  devil  offers  his 
service  for  that  purpose ; he  is  sent  with  a positive  commission 
to  be  a lying  spirit  in  the  mouth  of  all  the  prophets,  {a)  If 
the  blinding  and  infatuation  of  Ahab  be  a Divine  judgment,  the 
pretence  of  bare  permission  disappears.  For  it  would  be  ridic- 
ulous for  a judge  merely  to  permit,  without  decreeing  what 
should  be  done,  and  commanding  his  offlcers  to  execute  it. 
The  Jews  designed  to  destroy  Christ ; Pilate  and  his  soldiers 
complied  with  their  outrageous  violence ; yet  the  disciples,  in 
a solemn  prayer,  confess  that  all  the  impious  did  nothing  but 
what  the  hand  and  the  counsel  of  God  determined  before  to 
be  done;” (6)  agreeably  to  what  Peter  had  already  preached, 
that  he  was  “delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  fore- 
knowledge of  God,”  that  he  might  be  “crucified  and  slain.”  (c) 
As  though  he  had  said  that  God,  who  saw  every  thing  from 
the  beginning,  with  a clear  knowledge  and  determined  will, 
appointed  what  the  Jews  executed ; as  he  mentions  in  another 
place  : “ Those  things  which  God  before  had  showed  by  the 
mouth  of  all  his  prophets,  that  Christ  should  suffer,  he  hath  so 
fulfilled.”  (tZ)  Absalom,  defiling  his  father’s  bed  with  incest, 
perpetrated  a detestable  crime  ; yet  God  pronounces  that  this 
was  his  work ; for  his  words  are,  “ Thou  didst  it  secretly ; 
but  I will  do  this  thing  before  all  Israel,  and  before  the 
sun.”(e)  Whatever  cruelty  the  Chaldeans  exercised  in  Judea, 
Jeremiah  pronounces  to  be  the  work  of  God ; (/)  for  which 
reason  Nebuchadnezzar  is  called  the  servant  of  God.  God 
frequently  proclaims,  that  the  impious  are  excited  to  war  by 
his  hissing,  by  the  sound  of  his  trumpet,  by  his  influence,  and 
by  his  command : he  calls  the  Assyrian  the  rod  of  his  anger, 
and  the  staff  which  he  moves  with  his  hand.  The  destruction 

(z)  Job  i.  21.  (a)  1 Kings  xxii.  20 — 23.  (h)  Acts  iv.  28.  (c)  Acts  ii.  23 

{d)  Acts  iii.  18.  (e)  2 Sam.  xii.  12;  xvi.  22.  (/)  Jer.  1.  25. 


CHAP.  XVIII. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


213 


of  the  holy  city  and  the  ruin  of  the  temple  he  calls  his  own 
work,  {g)  David,  not  murmuring  against  God,  but  acknow- 
ledging him  to  be  a righteous  Judge,  confesses  the  maledictions 
of  Shimei  to  proceed  from  his  command.  The  Lord,”  says 
he,  “hath  said  unto  him.  Curse.” (/i)  It  often  occurs  in  the 
Sacred  History,  that  whatever  comes  to  pass  proceeds  from  the 
Lord;  as  the  defection  of  the  ten  tribes,  (i)  the  death  of  the 
sons  of  Eli,  (J)and  many  events  of  a similar  kind.  Those  who 
‘are  but  moderately  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures  will  perceive 
that,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  out  of  a great  number  of  testi- 
monies, I have  produced  only  a few  ; which,  nevertheless,  abun- 
dantly evince  how  nugatory  and  insipid  it  is,  instead  of  the 
providence  of  God,  to  substitute  a bare  permission ; as  though 
God  were  sitting  in  a watchtower,  expecting  fortuitous 
events,  and  so  his  decisions  were  dependent  on  the  will  of 
men. 

II.  With  respect  to  his  secret  influences,  the  declaration  of 
Solomon  concerning  the  heart  of  a king,  that  it  is  inclined 
hither  or  thither  according  to  the  Divine  will,  (k)  certainly  ex- 
tends to  the  whole  human  race,  and  is  as  much  as  though  he 
had  said,  that  whatever  conceptions  we  form  in  our  minds, 
they  are  directed  by  the  secret  inspiration  of  God.  And  cer- 
tainly, if  he  did  not  operate  internally  on  the  human  mind, 
there  would  be  no  propriety  in  asserting,  that  he  causes  “ the 
wisdom  of  the  wise  to  perish,  and  the  understanding  of  the 
prudent  to  be  hid  ; that  he  poureth  contempt  upon  princes, 
and  causeth  them  to  wander  in  the  wilderness,  where  there 
is  no  way.”  (1)  And  to  this  alludes,  what  we  frequently  read, 
that  men  are  timorous,  as  their  hearts  are  possessed  with  his 
fear,  (m)  Thus  David  departed  from  the  camp  of  Saul,  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  any  one  ; “ because  a deep  sleep  from 
the  Lord  was  fallen  upon  them  all.”  (?^)  But  nothing  can  be 
desired  more  explicit  than  his  frequent  declarations,  that  he 
blinds  the  minds  of  men,  strikes  them  with  giddiness,  inebriates 
them  with  the  spirit  of  slumber,  fills  them  with  infatuation, 
and  hardens  their  hearts,  (o)  These  passages  also  many  per- 
sons refer  to  permission,  as  though,  in  abandoning  the  repro- 
bate, God  permitted  them  to  be  blinded  by  Satan.  But  that 
solution  is  too  frivolous,  since  the  Holy  Spirit  expressly  de- 
clares that  their  blindness  and  infatuation  are  inflicted  by  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God.  He  is  said  to  have  caused  the 
obduracy  of  Pharaoh’s  heart,  and  also  to  have  aggravated  and 
confirmed  it.  Some  elude  the  force  of  these  expressions  with 

(g)  Isaiah  v.  26 ; x.  5 ; xix.  25.  (h)  2 Sam.  xvi.  10.  (i)  1 Kings  xi.  31 

(j)  1 Sam.  ii.  34.  (k)  Prov.  xxi.  1. 

(1)  Isaiah  xxix.  14.  Psalm  evii.  40.  Ezek.  vii.  26.  (m.)  Lev.  xxvi.  36. 

{n)  1 Sam.  xxvi.  12.  (o)  Rom.  i.  28;  xi.  8.  Exod.  viii.  15. 


214  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

a foolish  cavil  — that,  since  Pharaoh  himself  is  elsewhere  said 
to  have  hardened  his  own  heart,  his  own  Avill  is  stated  as  the 
cause  of  his  obduracy  ,*  as  though  these  two  things  were  at 
all  incompatible  with  each  other,  that  man  should  be  actuated 
by  God,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  be  active  himself.  But  I 
retort  on  them  their  own  objection  ; for  if  hardening  denotes 
a bare  permission.  Pharaoh  cannot  properly  be  charged  Avith 
being  the  cause  of  his  OAvn  obstinacy.  Noav,  Iioav  Aveak  and 
insipid  Avould  be  such  an  interpretation,  as  though  Pharaoh 
only  permitted  himself  to  be  hardened ! Besides,  the  Scripture 
cuts  off  all  occasion  for  such  cavils.  God  says,  I will  harden 
his  heart.”  ( jo)  So,  also,  Moses  says,  concerning  the  inhabitants 
of  Canaan,  that  they  marched  forth  to  battle,  because  the  Lord 
had  hardened  their  hearts  ; {q)  Avhich  is  likewise  repeated  by 
another  Prophet  — “ He  turned  their  hearts  to  hate  his  peo- 
ple.” (r)  Thus,  also,  in  Isaiah,  he  declares  he  Avill  “send  the 
Assyrian  against  a hypocritical  nation,  and  Avill  give  him  a 
charge  to  take  the  spoil,  and  to  take  the  prey ; ” (s)  not  that 
he  meant  to  teach  impious  and  refractory  men  a voluntary 
obedience,  but  because  he  would  incline  them  to  execute  his 
judgments,  just  as  if  they  had  his  commands  engraven  on  their 
minds.  Hence  it  appears  that  they  Avere  impelled  by  the  pos- 
ith^e  appointment  of  God.  I grant,  indeed,  that  God  often 
actuates  the  reprobate  by  the  interposition  of  Satan ; but  in 
such  a manner  that  Satan  himself  acts  his  part  by  the  Divine 
impulse,  and  proceeds  to  the  extent  of  the  Divine  appointment. 
Saul  Avas  disturbed  by  an  evil  spirit ; but  it  is  said  to  be  “ from 
the  Lord  ; ” (t)  to  teach  us  that  Saul’s  madness  proceeded  from 
the  righteous  vengeance  of  God.  Satan  is  also  said  to  blind 
“ the  minds  of  them  which  believe  not ; ” (ti)  but  the  strength 
of  the  delusion  proceeds  from  God  himself,  “ that  they  should 
believe  a lie,  who  believe  not  the  truth.”  (v)  According  to 
one  vieAv  of  the  subject,  it  is  said,  “ If  the  prophet  be  deceived 
Avhen  he  hath  spoken  a thing,  I the  Lord  have  deceived  that 
prophet.”  (w)  But,  according  to  another,  God  is  said  himself 
to  “ give  men  over  to  a reprobate  mind,”(:r)  and  to  the  vilest 
lusts  ; because  he  is  the  principal  author  of  his  OAvn  righteous 
vengeance,  and  Satan  is  only  the  dispenser  of  it.  But  as  Ave 
must  discuss  this  subject  again  in  the  second  book,  Avhere  Ave 
shall  treat  of  the  freedom  or  slavery  of  the  human  will,  I think 
I have  now  said,  in  a brief  manner,  as  much  as  the  occasion  re- 
quired. The  Avhole  may  be  summed  up  thus  ; that,  as  the  Avill 
of  God  is  said  to  be  the  cause  of  all  things,  his  providence  is 
established  as  the  governor  in  all  the  counsels  and  Avorks  of 

(p)  Exod.  iv.  21.  (s)  Isaiah  x.  6.  (r)  2 Thess.  ii.  10 — 12 

((/)  Deut.  ii.  30.  Joshua  xi.  20.  (t)  1 Sam.  xvi.  14.  (?r)  Ezek.  xiv.  9. 

(r)  Fsalm  cv.  25.  (u)  2 Cor.  iv.  4.  (x)  Rom.  i.  28. 


CHAP.  XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  215 

men,  so  that  it  not  only  exerts  its  power  in  the  elect,  who  are 
influenced  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  bat  also  compels  the  compliance 
of  the  reprobate. 

HI.  But,  as  I have  hitherto  only  recited  such  things  as  are 
delivered  without  any  obscurity  or  ambiguity  in  the  Scriptures, 
let  persons  who  hesitate  not  to  brand  with  ignominy  those 
oracles  of  heaven,  beware  what  kind  of  opposition  they  make. 
For,  if  they  pretend  ignorance,  with  a desire  to  be  commended 
for  their  modesty,  what  greater  instance  of  pride  can  be  con- 
ceived, than  to  oppose  one  little  word  to  the  authority  of  God  ! 
as,  “It  appears  otherwise  to  me,”  or,  “I  would  rathor  not 
meddle  with  this  subject.”  But  if  they  openly  censure,  what 
will  they  gain  by  their  puny  attempts  against  heaven  ? Their 
petulance,  indeed,  is  no  novelty  ; for  in  all  ages  there  have  been 
impious  and  profane  men,  who  have  virulently  opposed  this 
doctrine.  But  they  shall  feel  the  truth  of  what  the  Spirit 
long  ago  declared  by  the  mouth  of  David,  that  God  “ is  clear 
when  he  judgeth.”  (y)  David  obliquely  hints  at  the  madness 
of  men  who  display  such  excessive  presumption  amidst  their 
insignificance,  as  not  only  to  dispute  against  God,  but  to  arro- 
gate to  themselves  the  power  of  condemning  him.  In  the 
mean  time,  he  briefly  suggests,  that  God  is  unaffected  by  all 
the  blasphemies  which  they  discharge  against  heaven,  but  that 
he  dissipates  the  mists  of  calumny,  and  illustriously  displays 
his  righteousness ; our  faith,  also,  being  founded  on  the  Divine 
word,  (z)  and  therefore,  superior  to  all  the  world,  from  its  exalta- 
tion looks  down  with  contempt  upon  those  mists.  For  their 
first  objection,  that,  if  nothing  happens  but  by  the  will  of  God, 
he  has  in  him  two  contrary  wills,  because  he  decrees  in  his 
secret  counsel  what  he  has  publicly  prohibited  in  his  law,  is 
easily  refuted.  But  before  I reply,  I wish  the  reader  again  to 
be  apprized,  that  this  cavil  is  directed,  not  against  me,  but 
against  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  dictated  to  the  pious  Job  this 
confession,  that  what  had  befallen  him  had  happened  accord- 
ing to  the  Divine  will  : when  he  had  been  plundered  by  ban- 
ditti, he  acknowledged  in  their  injuries  the  righteous  scourge 
of  God.  (a)  What  says  the  Scripture  in  another  case? 
“ They,”  the  sons  of  Eli,  “ hearkened  not  unto  the  voice  of 
their  father,  because  the  Lord  would  slay  them.”  (6)  The 
Psalmist  also  exclaims,  that  “God,”  who  “is  in  the  heavens, 
hath  done  whatsoever  he  hath  pleased.”  (c)  And  now  I have 
sufficiently  proved,  that  God  is  called  the  author  of  all  those 
things,  which,  according  to  the  system  of  these  censors,  hap- 
pen only  by  his  uninfluential  permission.  He  declares  that  he 

(y)  Psalm  li.  4.  (z)  1 John  v.  4.  (a)  Job  i.  21. 

(b)  1 Sara.  ii.  25.  (c)  Psalm  cxv.  3. 


216  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

creates  light  and  darkness,  that  he  forms  good  and  evil,  {d) 
and  that  no  evil  occurs,  which  he  has  not  performed.  Let 
them  say,  then,  whether  he  exercises  his  judgments  voluntarily 
or  involuntarily.  But  as  Moses  suggests,  that  he  who  is  killed 
by  the  fortuitous  fall  of  an  axe,  is  delivered  by  God  to  the 
stroke,  (e)  so  in  the  Acts,  the  whole  church  asserts  that  Herod 
and  Pilate  conspired  to  do  what  the  hand  and  the  counsel  of 
God  had  predetermined.  (/)  And  indeed,  unless  the  cruci- 
fixion of  Christ  was  according  to  the  will  of  God,  what  be- 
comes of  our  redemption  ? Yet  the  will  of  God  is  neither 
repugnant  to  itself,  nor  subject  to  change,  nor  chargeable  with 
pretending  to  dislike  what  it  approves ; but  whilst  in  him  it  is 
uniform  and  simple,  it  wears  to  us  the  appearance  of  variety ; 
because  the  weakness  of  our  understanding  comprehends  not 
how  the  same  thing  may  be  in  different  respects  both  agree- 
able to  his  will,  and  contrary  to  it.  Paul,  after  having  said 
that  the  vocation  of  the  Gentiles  was  a hidden  mystery,  adds, 
that  it  contained  a manifestation  of  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God.  {g)  Now,  because,  through  the  dulness  of  our  capacity, 
the  Divine  wisdom  appears  to  us  rnanifold,  (or  multiform,  as  it 
has  been  translated  by  an  ancient  interpreter,)  shall  we  there- 
fore dream  of  any  vanity  in  God  himself,  as  though  his  coun- 
sels were  mutable,  or  his  thoughts  contradictory  to  each  other  ? 
Rather,  while  we  comprehend  not  how  God  intends  that  to  be 
done,  the  doing  of  which  he  forbids,  let  us  remember  our 
imbecility,  and  at  the  same  time  consider,  that  the  light  which 
he  inhabits,  is  justly  called  inaccessible,  (/i)  because  it  is  over- 
spread with  impenetrable  darkness.  Therefore  all  pious  and 
modest  men  will  easily  acquiesce  in  this  opinion  of  Augustine  : 
“ That  a man  may  sometimes  choose,  with  a good  intention, 
that  which  is  not  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God ; as,  if  a good 
son  wishes  his  father  to  live,  whilst  God  determines  that  he 
shall  die.  It  is  also  possible  for  a man  to  will  with  a bad 
design,  what  God  wills  with  a good  one ; as,  if  a bad  son 
wishes  his  father  to  die,  which  is  also  the  will  of  God.  Now, 
the  former  wishes  what  is  not  agreeable,  the  latter  what  is 
agreeable  to  the  Divine  will.  And  yet  the  filial  affection  of 
the  former  is  more  consonant  to  the  righteous  will  of  God, 
than  the  want  of  natural  affection  in  the  latter,  though  it  ac-v 
cords  with  his  secret  design.  So  great  is  the  difference 
between  what  belongs  to  the  human  will,  and  what  to  the 
Divine,  and  between  the  ends  to  which  the  will  of  every  one 
is  to  be  referred,  for  approbation  or  censure.  For  God  fulfils 
his  righteous  will  by  the  wicked  wills  of  wicked  men.”  This 
writer  riad  just  before  said,  that  the  apostate  angels,  and  all 

(d)  Isaiah  xlv.  7.  Amos  iii.  6.  (c)  Deut.  xix.  5.  (/)  Acts  iv.  23. 

(to)  Ephes.  iii.  9,  10.  {h)  1 Tim.  vi.  1(3. 


CHAP.  XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  217 

the  reprobate,  in  their  defection,  acted,  as  far  as  respected 
themselves,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Divine  will ; but  that 
this  was  not  possible  with  respect  to  the  Divine  omnipotence  ; 
because,  while  they  are  opposing  the  will  of  God,  his  will  is 
accomplished  concerning  them.  Whence  he  exclaims,  The 
works  of  the  Lord  are  great,  prepared  according  to  all  his  deter- 
minations ; ” (i)  so  that,  in  a wonderful  and  inetfable  manner, 
that  is  not  done  without  his  will  which  yet  is  contrary  to  his 
will  ; because  it  would  not  be  done  if  he  did  not  permit  it ; 
and  this  permission  is  not  involuntary,  but  voluntary  ; nor 
would  his  goodness  permit  the  perpetration  of  any  evil,  unless 
his  omnipotence  were  able  even  from  that  evil  to  educe  good.” 

lY.  In  the  same  manner  we  answer,  or  rather  annihilate, 
another  objection  — that,  if  God  not  only  uses  the  agency  of  the 
impious,  but  governs  their  designs  and  affections,  he  is  the 
author  of  all  crimes  ; and  therefore  men  are  undeservedly  con- 
demned, if  they  execute  what  God  has  decreed,  because  they 
obey  his  will.  For  his  will  is  improperly  confounded  with 
his  precept,  between  which  innumerable  examples  evince  the 
difference  to  be  very  great.  For  although,  when  Absalom 
defiled  the  wives  of  his  father,  it  was  the  will  of  God  by  this 
disgrace  to  punish  the  adultery  of  David,  (k)  he  did  not  there- 
fore command  that  abandoned  son  to  commit  incest,  unless 
perhaps  with  respect  to  David,  as  he  speaks  of  the  reproaches 
of  Shimei.  (1)  For  when  he  confesses  Shimei’s  maledictions 
to  proceed  from  the  Divine  command,  he  by  no  means  com- 
mends his  obedience,  as  though  that  impudent  and  worthless 
man  were  fulfilling  a Divine  precept ; but  acknowledging  his 
tongiie  as  the  scourge  of  God,  he  patiently  submits  to  the 
chastisement.  Let  it  be  remembered,  that  whilst  God  by 
means  of  the  impious  fulfils  his  secret  decrees,  they  are  not 
excusable,  as  though  they  were  obedient  to  his  precepts,  which 
they  wantonly  and  intentionally  violate.  The  direction  of  the 
perverse  actions  of  men,  by  the  secret  providence  of  God,  is 
illustriously  exemplified  in  the  election  of  Jeroboam  to  the 
regal  dignity,  (m)  The  temerity  and  infatuation  of  the  people 
in  this  proceeding  are  severely  condemned,  (71)  because  they 
perverted  the  order  established  by  God,  and  perfidiously  re- 
volted from  the  family  of  David  ; and  yet  we  know  that  this 
event  was  agreeable  to  the  Divine  will.  Whence  there  is  an 
appearance  of  contradiction  also  in  the  language  of  Hosea  ; for 
in  one  place  God  complains  that  the  erection  of  that  kingdom 
was  without  his  knowledge  and  against  his  will ; but  in  an- 
other declares  that  he  gave  Jeroboam  to  be  a king  in  his 
anger.  (0)  How  can  these  things  be  reconciled,  that  Jeroboam 

(i)  Psfilm  cxi.  2.  (/)  2 Sam.  xvi.  10.  (n)  Hosea  viii.  4. 

(k)  2 Sam.  xvi.  22.  (m)  1 Kings  xii.  20.  (o)  Hosea  xiii.  1 1 

VOL.  I.  28 


218  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I. 

did  not  reign  by  the  will  of  God,  and  yet  that  God  ap- 
pointed him  to  be  king  ? Why,  thus : because  neither  could 
the  people  revolt  from  the  family  of  David,  without  shaking 
off  the  yoke  which  God  had  imposed  upon  them  ; nor  yet  was 
God  deprived  of  the  liberty  of  thus  punishing  the  ingratitude 
of  Solomon.  We  see,  then,  how  God,  while  he  hates  perfidy, 
yet  righteously  and  with  a different  design  decrees  the  de- 
fection ; whence  also  Jeroboam  is,  beyond  all  expectation, 
constrained  by  the  holy  unction  to  assume  the  regal  office. 
In  the  same  manner,  the  Sacred  History  relates,  that  God 
raised  up  an  enemy,  to  deprive  the  son  of  Solomon  of  part  of 
the  kingdom,  [p)  Let  the  reader  diligently  consider  both 
these  things : because  it  had  pleased  God  that  the  people 
should  be  under  the  government  of  one  king,  their  division 
into  two  parts  was  contrary  to  his  will ; and  yet  from  his  will 
the  schism  first  originated.  For  certainly  since  a Prophet, 
both  by  a prediction  and  by  the  ceremony  of  unction,  excited 
a hope  of  succeeding  to  the  kingdom,  in  the  mind  of  Jero- 
boam, who  before  entertained  not  a thought  of  such  an  event, 
this  could  not  be  done,  either  without  the  knowledge,  or 
against  the  will,  of  God,  who  commanded  it  to  be  done  ; and 
yet  the  rebellion  of  the  people  is  justly  condemned,  because, 
in  opposition  to  the  Divine  will,  they  revolted  from  the  pos- 
terity of  David.  Thus,  also,  it  is  afterwards  subjoined,  that 
‘‘  the  cause  ” of  the  haughty  contempt  of  the  people  manifested 
by  Rehoboam  “ was  of  God,  that  the  Lord  might  perform  his 
word,  which  he  spake  by  the  hand  of  Ahijah  ” his  servant,  {q) 
See  how  the  sacred  union  is  divided,  in  opposition  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  yet  by  his  will  the  ten  tribes  are  alienated  from 
the  son  of  Solomon.  Let  us  add  another  similar  exarnple, 
where,  with  the  consent,  and  even  by  the  assistance  of  the 
people,  the  sons  of  Ahab  are  massacred,  and  all  his  posterity 
exterminated,  (r)  Jehu,  indeed,  truly  observed  that  there 
had  fallen  unto  the  earth  nothing  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,” 
but  that  he  had  “ done  that  which  he  spake  by  his  servant 
Elijah.”  And  yet  he  justly  reprehends  the  citizens  of  Samaria 
for  having  lent  their  assistance.  Are  ye  righteous  ? ” says 
he  ; behold,  I conspired  against  my  master,  and  slew  him  ; 
but  who  slew  all  these?  ” If  I am  not  deceived,  I have  now 
clearly  explained  how  the  same  act  displays  the  criminality  of 
men  and  the  justice  of  God.  And  to  modest  minds  this  an- 
swer of  Augustine  will  always  be  sufficient : Since  God  de- 
livered Christ,  and  Christ  delivered  his  own  body,  and  Judas 
delivered  the  Lord,  wliy,  in  this  delivery,  is  God  righteous  and 
man  guilty  ? Because  in  the  same  act,  they  acted  not  from 

([})  1 Kings  xi.  23.  {q)  1 Kings  xii.  15.  2 Chron,  x.  15. 

(r)  2 Kings  x.  7,  8,  9,  10. 


CHAP.  XVIII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


219 


the  same  cause.”  But  if  any  persons  find  greater  difficulty  in 
what  we  now  assert,  that  there  is  no  consent  between  God 
and  man,  in  cases  where  man  by  his  righteous  influence  com- 
mits unlawful  actions,  let  them  remember  what  is  advanced  by 
Augustine  in  another  place  : Who  can  but  tremble  at  those 
judgments,  when  God  does  even  in  the  hearts  of  the  wicked 
whatsoever  he  pleases,  and  yet  renders  to  them  according  to 
their  demerits  ? ” And  certainly  it  would  no  more  be  right  to 
attribute  to  God  the  blame  of  the  perfidy  of  Judas,  because  he 
decreed  the  delivery  of  his  Son,  and  actually  delivered  him  to 
death,  than  to  transfer  to  Judas  the  praise  of  redemption. 
Therefore  the  same  writer  elsewhere  informs  us,  that  in  this 
scrutiny  God  inquires,  not  what  men  could  have  done,  nor 
what  they  have  done,  but  what  they  intended  to  do,  that  he 
may  take  cognizance  of  their  design  and  their  will.  Let  those 
to  whom  there  appears  any  harshness  in  this  procedure,  con- 
sider a little  how  far  their  obstinacy  is  tolerable,  while  they 
reject  a truth  which  is  attested  by  plain  testimonies  of  Scripture, 
because  it  exceeds  their  comprehension,  and  condemn  the  pub- 
lication of  those  things  which  God,  unless  he  had  known 
that  the  knowledge  of  them  would  be  useful,  would  nev»r  have 
commanded  to  be  taught  by  his  Prophets  and  Apostles.  For 
our  wisdom  ought  to  consist  in  embracing  with  gentle  docility, 
and  without  any  exception,  all  that  is  delivered  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures.  But  those  who  oppose  this  doctrine  with  less 
modesty  and  greater  violence,  since  it  is  evident  that  their  oppo- 
sition is  against  God,  are  unworthy  of  a longer  refutation. 


INSTITUTES 


OF  THE 

CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


BOOK  II. 


ON  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD  THE  REDEEMER  IN  CHRIST, 
WHICH  WAS  REVEALED  FIRST  TO  THE  FATHERS  UNDER 
THE  LAW,  AND  SINCE  TO  US  IN  THE  GOSPEL. 


ARGUMENT. 

The  discussion  of  the  first  part  of  the  Apostolic  Creed,  on  the  know- 
ledge of  God  the  Creator,  being  finished,  is  followed  by  another,  on 
the  knowledge  of  God  the  Redeemer  in  Christ,  which  is  the  subject 
of  this  Second  Book. 

It  treats,  first,  of  the  occasion  of  redemption,  that  is,  the  fall  of  Adam; 
secondly,  of  the  redemption  itself.  The  former  of  these  subjects 
occupies  the  first  five  chapters ; the  remaining  ones  are  assigned  to 
the  latter. 

On  the  occasion  of  redemption,  it  treats,  not  only  of  the  fall  in  general, 
but  also  of  its  effects  in  particular ; that  is,  of  original  sin,  the  sla- 
very of  the  will,  the  universal  corruption  of  human  nature,  the 
operation  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  men — Chap.  I. — IV.,  to  which  is 
subjoined  a refutation  of  the  objections  commonly  adduced  in  de- 
fence of  free  will — Chap.  V. 

The  discourse  on  redemption  may  be  divided  into  five  principal  parts. 
It  shows, 

1.  In  whom  salvation  must  be  sought  by  lost  man,  that  is,  in  Christ — 
Chap.  VI. 

2.  How  Christ  has  been  manifested  to  the  world ; which  has  been  in 


ARGUMENT. 


221 


CHAP.  I.] 

two  ways ; first,  under  the  law  (which  introduces  an  explanation  of 
the  Decalogue,  and  a discussion  of  some  other  things  relative  to  the 
Law) — Chap.  VII.  VIII. ; secondly,  under  the  Gospel,  which  leads 
to  a statement  of  the  similarity  and  difference  of  the  two  Testaments 
—Chap.  IX.— XI. 

3.  What  kind  of  a being  it  was  necessary  for  Christ  to  be,  in  order  to 
his  fulfilment  of  the  office  of  a Mediator ; that  is,  God  and  man  in 
one  person — Chap.  XII. — XIV. 

4.  The  end  of  his  mission  from  the  Father  into  the  world — Chap.  XV., 
which  explains  his  prophetical,  regal,  and  sacerdotal  offices. 

5.  The  methods  or  steps  by  which  he  fulfilled  the  part  of  a Redeemer, 
to  procure  our  salvation — Chap.  XVI. ; which  discusses  the  articles 
relating  to  his  crucifixion,  death,  burial,  descent  into  hell,  resurrec- 
tion, ascension  to  heaven,  session  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
and  the  benefits  arising  from  this  doctrine.  Then  follows  Chap. 
XVII.,  a solution  of  the  question,  Whether  Christ  merited  for  us  the 
grace  of  God  and  salvation. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  FALL  AND  DEFECTION  OF  ADAM  THE  CAUSE  OF  THE  CURSE 
INFLICTED  ON  ALL  MANKIND,  AND  OF  THEIR  DEGENERACY 
FROM  THEIR  PRIMITIVE  CONDITION.  THE  DOCTRINE  OF 
ORIGINAL  SIN. 

There  is  much  reason  in  the  old  adage,  which  so  strongly 
recommends  to  man  the  knowledge  of  himself.  For  if  it  be 
thought  disgraceful  to  be  ignorant  of  whatever  relates  to  the 
conduct  of  human  life,  ignorance  of  ourselves  is  much  more 
shameful,  which  causes  us,  in  deliberating  on  subjects  of  im- 
portance, to  grope  our  way  in  miserable  obscurity,  or  even  in 
total  darkness.  But  in  proportion  to  the  utility  of  this  precept 
ought  to  be  our  caution  not  to  make  a preposterous  use  of  it ; 
as  we  see  some  philosophers  have  done.  For  while  they  ex- 
hort man  to  the  knowledge  of  himself,  the  end  they  propose  is, 
that  he  may  not  remain  ignorant  of  his  own  dignity  and  excel- 
lence : nor  do  they  wish  him  to  contemplate  in  himself  any 
thing  but  what  may  swell  him  with  vain  confidence,  and  in- 
flate him  with  pride.  But  the  knowledge  of  ourselves  consists, 
first,  in  considering  what  was  bestowed  on  us  at  our  creation, 
and  the  favours  we  continually  receive  from  the  Divine  benig-  ) 


222  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

nity,  that  we  may  know  how  great  the  excellence  of  our  nature 
would  have  been,  if  it  had  retained  its  integrity ; yet,  at  the 
same  time,  recollecting  that  we  have  nothing  properly  our  own, 
may  feel  our  precarious  tenure  of  all  that  God  has  conferred  on 
us,  so  as  always  to  place  our  dependence  upon  him.  Secondly, 
we  should  contemplate  our  miserable  condition  since  the  fall  of 
Adam,  the  sense  of  which  tends  to  destroy  all  boasting  and 
confidence,  to  overwhelm  us  with  shame,  and  to  fill  us  with 
real  humility.  For  as  God,  at  the  beginning,  formed  us  after 
his  own  image,  that  he  might  elevate  our  minds  both  to  the 
practice  of  virtue,  and  to  the  contemplation  of  eternal  life, 
so,  to  prevent  the  great  excellence  of  our  species,  which  dis- 
tinguishes us  from  the  brutes,  from  being  buried  in  sottish 
indolence,  it  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  the  design  of  our 
being  endued  with  reason  and  intelligence  is,  that,  leading  a 
holy  and  virtuous  life,  we  may  aspire  to  the  mark  set  be- 
fore us  of  a blessed  immortality.  But  we  cannot  think  upon 
that  primeval  dignity,  without  having  our  attention  imme- 
diately called  to  the  melancholy  spectacle  of  our  disgrace 
and  ignominy,  since  in  the  person  of  the  first  man  we  are 
fallen  from  our  original  condition.  Hence  arise  disappro- 
bation and  abhorrence  of  ourselves,  and  real  humility ; and 
we  are  inflamed  with  fresh  ardour  to  seek  after  God,  to  re- 
cover in  him  those  excellences  of  which  we  find  ourselves 
utterly  destitute. 

II.  This  is  what  the  truth  of  God  directs  us  to  seek  in 
the  examination  of  ourselves : it  requires  a knowledge  that 
will  abstract  us  from  all  confidence  in  our  own  ability,  de- 
prive us  of  every  cause  of  boasting,  and  reduce  us  to  sub- 
mission. We  must  observe  this  rule,  if  we  wish  to  reach 
the  proper  point  of  knowledge  and  action.  I am  aware  of 
the  superior  plausibility  of  that  opinion,  which  invites  us  rather 
to  a consideration  of  our  goodness,  than  to  a view  of  our 
miserable  poverty  and  ignominy,  which  ought  to  overwhelm 
us  with  shame.  For  there  is  nothing  more  desired  by  the 
human  mind  than  soothing  flatteries ; and  therefore,  it  listens 
with  extreme  credulity,  to  hear  its  excellences  magnified. 
Wherefore  it  is  the  less  wonderful  that  the  majority  of  mankind 
have  fallen  into  such  a pernicious  error.  For,  an  immoderate 
self-love  being  innate  in  all  men,  they  readily  persuade  them- 
selves that  there  is  nothing  in  them  which  justly  deserves 
to  be  an  object  of  aversion.  Thus,  without  any  extraneous 
support,  this  very  false  opinion,  that  man  has  in  himself 
sufficient  ability  to  insure  his  own  virtue  and  happiness,  ge- 
nerally prevails.  But  if  some  prefer  more  modest  sentiments, 
though  they  concede  something  to  God,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  appearance  of  arrogating  every  thing  to  themselves,  yet 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


CHAP.  I.J 


223 


tney  make  such  a distribution,  that  the  principal  cause  of 
boasting  and  confidence  always  remains  with  them.  If  they 
hear  any  discourse  that  flatters  the  pride  already  operating 
spontaneously  in  their  hearts,  nothing  can  gratify  them  more. 
Therefore  every  one  who  in  his  preaching  has  kindly  ex- 
tolled the  excellence  of  human  nature,  has  received  great  ap- 
plause from  almost  all  ages.  But  such  a commendation  of 
human  excellence  as  teaches  man  to  be  satisfied  with  him- 
self, only  enamours  him  of  his  own  amiableness,  and  thus 
produces  an  illusion  which  involves  those  who  assent  to  it 
in  most  dreadful  perdition.  For  to  what  purpose  is  it  for  us, 
relying  on  every  vain  confidence,  to  deliberate,  to  determine, 
and  to  attempt  things  which  we  think  tend  to  our  advantage, 
and  in  our  first  etforts,  to  find  ourselves  destitute  of  sound 
understanding  and  true  virtue,  yet  securely  to  proceed,  till 
we  fall  into  destruction  ? But  this  must  be  the  fate  of  all  who 
confide  in  the  efficacy  of  their  own  virtue.  Whosoever,  there- 
fore, attends  to  such  teachers  as  amuse  us  with  a mere  exhibi- 
tion of  our  virtues,  will  make  no  progress  in  the  knowledge  of 
himself,  but  will  be  absorbed  in  the  most  pernicious  ignorance. 

III.  Therefore,  whilst  the  truth  of  God  agrees  in  this  point 
with  the  common  consent  of  all  mankind,  that  the  second 
branch  of  wisdom  consists  in  the  knowledge  of  ourselves,  yet 
with  respect  to  the  knowledge  itself  there  is  no  small  disagree- 
ment. For,  according  to  carnal  apprehension,  a man  is  thought 
to  be  well  acquainted  with  himself,  when,  confiding  in  his  own 
understanding  and  integrity,  he  assumes  a presumptuous  bold- 
ness, incites  himself  to  the  duties  of  virtue,  and,  declaring  war 
against  vice,  uses  his  most  strenuous  endeavours  to  adhere  to 
what  is  fair  and  honourable.  But  he,  who  inspects  and  ex- 
amines himself  by  the  rule  of  the  Divine  judgment,  finds  noth- 
ing that  can  raise  his  mind  to  a genuine  confidence  ; and  the 
more  fully  he  has  examined  himself,  the  greater  is  his  dejec- 
tion ; till,  entirely  discarding  all  confidence,  he  leaves  himself 
no  ability  for  the  proper  conduct  of  his  life.  Yet  it  is  not 
the  will  of  God  that  we  should  forget  the  primitive  dignity 
conferred  by  him  on  our  father  Adam,  which  ought  justly  to 
awaken  us  to  the  pursuit  of  righteousness  and  goodness.  For 
we  cannot  reflect  on  our  original  condition,  and  on  the  end  of 
our  creation,  without  being  excited  to  meditate  on  immortality, 
and  to  aspire  after  the  kingdom  of  God.  But  this  reflection  is 
so  far  from  elating  us  with  pride,  that  it  rather  produces  hu- 
mility. For  what  is  that  original  condition  ? That  from 
which  we  are  fallen.  What  is  that  end  of  our  creation  ? 
That  from  which  we  are  wholly  departed ; so  that  we  should 
lament  the  miseries  of  our  present  state,  and  in  the  midst  of 
our  lamentation,  aspire  after  the  dignity  which  we  have  lost. 


224  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  IJ. 

Now,  when  we  say  that  man  should  behold  w himself  nothing 
that  might  elate  him  with  pride,  we  mean  that  there  is  nothing 
in  him  in  the  confidence  of  which  he  ought  to  be  proud. 
I Wherefore  we  may  divide  the  knowledge  man  ought  to  have 
/ of  himself  into  these  two  parts.  First,  he  should  consider  the 
' end  of  his  being  created  and  endued  with  such  estimable  gifts ; 
a reflection  which  may  excite  him  to  the  consideration  of  Di- 
vine worship,  and  of  a future  life.  Secondly,  he  should  exa- 
mine his  own  ability,  or  rather  his  want  of  ability,  the  view  of 
which  may  confound  and  almost  annihilate  him.  The  former 
consideration  is  adapted  to  acquaint  him  with  his  duty,  the  lat- 
ter with  his  power  to  perform  it.  We  shall  treat  of  them  both 
I in  regular  order. 

IV.  But,  since  it  could  not  have  been  a trivial  offence,  but 
must  have  been  a detestable  crime,  that  was  so  severely  pu- 
,,  nished  by  God,  we  must  consider  the  nature  of  Adam’s  sin, 
which  kindled  the  dreadful  flame  of  Divine  wrath  against  the 
: whole  human  race.  The  vulgar  opinion  concerning  the  intem- 
perance of  gluttony  is  quite  puerile ; as  though  the  sum  and 
substance  of  all  virtues  consisted  in  an  abstinence  from  one 
particular  kind  of  fruit,  when  there  were  diffused  on  every  side 
all  the  delights  which  could  possibly  be  desired,  and  the  happy 
fecundity  of  the  earth  afforded  an  abundance  and  variety  of 
dainties.  We  must  therefore  look  further,  because  the  prohibi- 
tion of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  was  a test  of  obe- 
dience, that  Adam  might  prove  his  willing  submission  to  the  Di- 
vine government.  And  the  name  itself  shows  that  the  precept 
was  given  for  no  other  purpose  than  that  he  might  be  content- 
ed with  his  condition,  and  not  aim  with  criminal  cupidity  at 
any  higher.  But  the  promise  which  authorized  him  to  expect 
eternal  life,  as  long  as  he  should  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  dreadful  denunciation  of  death,  as  soon  as 
he  should  taste  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  were 
calculated  for  the  probation  and  exercise  of  his  faith.  Hence 
it  is  easy  to  infer  by  what  means  Adam  provoked  the  wrath 
of  God  against  him.  Augustine,  indeed,  properly  observes,  that 
pride  was  the  first  of  all  evils ; because,  if  ambition  had  not 
elated  man  beyond  what  was  lawful  and  right,  he  might  have 
continued  in  his  honourable  situation.  But  we  may  obtain  a 
more  complete  definition  from  the  nature  of  the  temptation  as 
described  by  Moses.  For  as  the  woman,  by  the  subtlety  of 
the  serpent,  was  seduced  to  discredit  the  word  of  God,  it  is 
evident  that  the  fall  commenced  in  disobedience.  This  is  also 
confirmed  by  Paul,  who  states  that  all  men  were  ruined  by  the 
disobedience  of  one.  (s)  But  it  is  also  to  be  observed,  that 
when  the  first  man  rebelled  against  the  government  of  God,  he 


(s)  Rom.  V.  19. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


225 


CHAP.  I.] 

not  only  was  ensnared  by  the  allurements  of  Satan,  but  despised 
the  truth,  and  turned  aside  to  falsehood.  And  there  certainly 
can  be  no  reverence  of  God  left,  where  his  word  is  contemned  ; 
for  we  preserve  a sense  of  his  majesty  and  the  purity  of  his  ^ 
worship,  no  longer  than  we  implicitly  attend  to  his  voice.  In-  \ 
fidelity,  therefore,  was  the  root  of  that  defection.  But  hence  ^ 
sprang  ambition,  pride,  and  ingralitude,  since  Adam,  by  covet-  \ 
ing  more  than  was  granted,  offered  an  indignity  to  the  Divine 
goodness,  which  had  so  greatly  enriched  him.  Now,  it  was 
monstrous  impiety,  that  a son  bf  the  earth  should  not  be  satis- 
fied with  being  made  after  the  similitude  of  God,  unless  he 
could  also  be  equal  to  him.  If  apostasy,  which  consists  in  re- 
volting from  the  government  of  the  Creator,  and  petulantly  re- 
jecting his  authority,  be  a base  and  execrable  crime,  it  is  a vain 
attempt  to  extenuate  the  sin  of  Adam.  Though  the  transgres- 
sion of  our  first  parents  was  not  simple  apostasy  ; they  were  also 
guilty  of  vile  reproaches  against  God,  in  consenting  to  the  ca- 
lumnies of  Satan,  who  accused  God  of  falsehood,  envy,  and 
malignity.  Finally,  infidelity  opened  the  gate  to  ambition,  and 
ambition  produced  obstinacy,  so  that  they  cast  off  the  fear  of 
God,  and  precipitated  themselves  whithersoever  they  were  led  by 
their  lawless  desires.  With  propriety,  therefore,  Bernard  teaches 
that  the  gate  of  salvation  is  opened  to  us,  when  in  the  present 
day  we  receive  the  Gospel  with  our  ears,  as  death  was  once  ad- 
mitted at  the  same  doors  when  they  lay  open  to  Satan.  For  i 
Adam  had  never  dared  to  resist  the  authority  of  God,  if  he  had  \ 
not  discredited  his  word.  This  was  certainly  the  best  check 
for  a due  regulation  of  all  the  affections,  that  the  chief  good 
consists  in  the  practice  of  righteousness,  in  obedience  to  the 
commands  of  God ; and  that  the  ultimate  end  of  a happy  life  is 
to  be  beloved  by  him.  Being  seduced,  therefore,  by  the  blas- 
phemies of  the  devil,  he  did  all  that  was  in  his  power  towards 
a total  annihilation  of  the  glory  of  God. 

Y.  As  the  spiritual  life  of  Adam  consisted  in  a union  to  his  | 
Maker,  so  an  alienation  from  him  was  the  death  of  his  soul.  Nor  is 
it  surprising  that  he  ruined  his  posterity  by  his  defection,  which 
has  perverted  the  whole  order  of  nature  in  heaven  and  earth. 

The  creatures  groan,”  says  Paul,  “ being  made  subject  to  vani- 
ty, not  willingly.”  (t)  If  the  cause  be  inquired,  it  is  undoubtedly 
that  they  sustain  part  of  the  punishment  due  to  the  demerits  of 
man,  for  whose  use  they  were  created.  And  his  guilt  being  the 
origin  of  that  curse  which  extends  to  every  part  of  the  world,  it  is 
reasonable  to  conclude  its  propagation  to  all  his  offspring.  There- 
fore, when  the  Divine  image  in  him  was  obliterated,  and  he  was 
punished  with  the  loss  of  wisdom,  strength,  sanctity,  truth,  and 


(t)  Rom.  viii.  20,  22. 


VOL.  I. 


29 


226  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  il. 

righteousness,  with  which  he  had  been  adorned,  but  which  were 
succeeded  by  the  dreadful  pests  of  ignorance,  impotence,  impuri- 
ty, vanity,  and  iniquity,  he  suffered  not  alone,  but  involved  all  his 
posterity  with  him,  and  plunged  them  into  the  same  miseries. 
This  is  that  hereditary  corruption  which  the  fathers  called  origi- 
7ial  sin  ; meaning  by  sin,  the  depravation  of  a nature  previously 
good  and  pure  ,*  on  which  subject  they  had  much  contention, 
nothing  being  more  remote  from  natural  reason,  than  that  all 
should  be  criminated  on  account  of  the  guilt  of  one,  and  thus 
his  sin  become  common ; which  seems  to  have  been  the  rea- 
son why  the  most  ancient  doctors  of  the  Church  did  but  obscure- 
ly glance  at  this  point,  or  at  least  explained  it  with  less  perspi- 
cuity than  it  required.  Yet  this  timidity  could  not  prevent 
Pelagius  from  arising,  who  profanely  pretended,  that  the  sin  of 
Adam  only  ruined  himself,  and  did  not  injure  his  descendants. 
By  concealing  the  disease  with  this  delusion,  Satan  attempted 
to  render  it  incurable.  But  when  it  was  evinced  by  the  plain 
testimony  of  the  Scripture,  that  sin  was  communicated  from 
the  first  man  to  all  his  posterity,  he  sophistically  urged  that  it 
was  communicated  by  imitation,  not  by  propagation.  There- 
fore good  men,  and  beyond  all  others  Augustine,  have  laboured 
to  demonstrate  that  we  are  not  corrupted  by  any  adventitious 
means,  but  that  we  derive  an  innate  depravity  from  our  very 
birth.  The  denial  of  this  was  an  instance  of  consummate  im- 
pudence. But  the  temerity  of  the  Pelagians  and  Celestians 
will  not  appear  surprising  to  him  who  perceives  from  the  wri- 
tings of  Augustine,  what  a want  of  modesty  they  discover  in 
every  thing  else.  There  is  certainly  no  ambiguity  in  the  con- 
fession of  David,  that  he  was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin 
his  mother  conceived  him.  (v)  He  is  not  there  exposing  the 
sins  of  his  mother  or  of  his  father ; but  to  enhance  his  com- 
mendations of  the  Divine  goodness  towards  him,  he  commences 
the  confession  of  his  depravity  from  the  time  of  his  conception. 
As  it  is  evident  that  this  was  not  peculiar  to  David,  it  is  fairly 
concluded,  that  his  case  exemplifies  the  common  condition  of 
mankind.  Every  descendant,  therefore,  from  the  impure  source, 
is  born  infected  with  the  contagion  of  sin ; and  even  before  we 
behold  the  light  of  life,  we  are  in  the  sight  of  God  defiled  and 
polluted.  For  “ who  can  bring  a clean  thing  out  of  an  un- 
clean ? ” The  book  of  Job  tells  us,  Not  one.”  (w) 

VI.  We  have  heard  that  the  impurity  of  the  parents  is  so 
transmitted  to  the  children,  that  all,  Avithout  a single  exception, 
are  polluted  as  soon  as  they  exist.  But  we  shall  not  find  the 
origin  of  this  pollution,  unless  we  ascend  to  the  first  parent  of 
us  all,  as  to  the  fountain  Avhich  sends  forth  all  the  streams. 


(»)  Psalm  li.  5. 


(tc)  Job  xiv.  4. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


227 


CHAP.  I.] 

Thus  it  is  certain  that  Adam  was  not  only  the  progenitor,  but 
as  it  were  the  root  of  mankind,  and  therefore  that  all  the  race 
were  necessarily  vitiated  in  his  corruption.  The  Apostle  ex- 
plains this  by  a comparison  between  him  and  Christ : As,” 
says  he,  “ by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin, 
and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned,”  (x) 
so,  by  the  grace  of  Christ,  righteousness  and  life  have  been 
restored  to  us.  What  cavil  will  the  Pelagians  raise  here  ? 
That  the  sin  of  Adam  was  propagated  by  imitation  ? Do  we 
then  receive  no  other  advantage  from  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
than  the  proposal  of  an  example  for  our  imitation  ? Who  can 
bear  such  blasphemy  ? But  if  it  cannot  be  controverted  that 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  ours  by  communication,  and  life 
as  its  consequence,  it  is  equally  evident  that  both  were  lost  in 
Adam,  in  the  same  manner  in  which  they  were  recovered  in 
Christ,  and  that  sin  and  death  were  introduced  by  Adam,  in  the 
same  manner  in  which  they  are  abolished  by  Christ.  There  is 
no  obscurity  in  the  declaration  that  many  are  made  righteous 
by  the  obedience  of  Christ,  (y)  as  they  had  been  made  sinners 
by  the  disobedience  of  Adam.  And,  therefore,  between  these 
two  persons  there  is  this  relation,  that  the  one  ruined  us  by  in- 
volving us  in  his  destruction,  the  other  by  his  grace  has  restored 
us  to  salvation.  Any  more  prolix  or  tedious  proof  of  a truth 
supported  by  such  clear  evidence  must,  I think,  be  unnecessary. 
Thus  also  in  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  with  a view  to 
confirm  the  pious  in  a confidence  of  the  resurrection,  he  shows, 
that  the  life  which  had  been  lost  in  Adam,  was  recovered  in 
Christ,  (z)  He,  who  pronounces  that  we  were  all  dead  in 
Adam,  does  also  at  the  same  time  plainly  declare,  that  we  were 
impliiiated  in  the  guilt  of  his  sin.  For  no  condemnation  could 
reach  those  who  were  perfectly  clear  from  all  charge  of  iniquity. 
Blit  his  meaning  cannot  be  better  understood  than  from  the  re- 
lation of  the  other  member  of  the  sentence,  where  he  informs 
us  that  the  hope  of  life  is  restored  in  Christ.  But  that  is  well 
known  to  be  accomplished,  only  when  Christ,  by  a wonderful 
communication,  transfuses  into  us  the  virtue  of  his  righteous- 
ness ; as  it  is  elsewhere  said,  ‘‘  The  Spirit  is  life,  because  of 
righteousness.”  (a)  No  other  explanation  therefore  can  be 
given  of  our  being  said  to  be  dead  in  Adam,  than  that  his  trans- 
gression not  only  procured  misery  and  ruin  for  himself,  but  also 
precipitated  our  nature  into  similar  destruction.  And  that  not 
by  his  personal  guilt  as  an  indiiridual,  which  pertains  not  to  us, 
but  because  he  infected  all  his  descendants  with  the  corruption 
into  which  he  had  fallen.  Otherwise  there  would  be  no  truth  in 
the  assertion  of  Paul,  that  all  are  by  nature  children  of  wrath,  [b] 

(z)  Rom.  V.  12.  (y)  Rom.  v.  19.  (z)  1 Cor.  xv.  22. 

(a)  Rom.  viii.  10.  (b)  Ephes.  ii.  3. 


228  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1 

if  they  had  not  been  already  under  the  curse  even  before 
their  birth.  Now,  it  is  easily  inferred  that  our  nature  is  there 
characterized,  not  as  it  was  created  by  God,  but  as  it  was  vitia- 
ted in  Adam ; because  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  make  God 
the  author  of  death.  Adam,  therefore,  corrupted  himself  in  such 
a maimer,  that  the  contagion  has  been  communicated  from  him 
. to  all  his  otfspring.  And  Christ  himself,  the  heavenly  Judge, 
declares,  in  the  most  imecpiivocal  terms,  that  all  are  born  in  a 
state  of  pravity  and  corruption,  when  he  teaches,  that what- 
soever is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,”  (c)  and  that,  therefore,  the 
gate  of  life  is  closed  against  all  who  have  not  been  regenerated. 

VII.  Nor,  to  enable  us  to  understand  this  subject,  have  we 
any  need  to  enter  on  that  tedious  dispute,  with  which  the 
fathers  were  not  a little  perplexed,  whether  the  soul  of  a son 
proceeds  by  derivation  or  transmission  from  the  soul  of  the  fa- 
ther, because  the  soul  is  the  principal  seat  of  the  pollution.  We 
ought  to  be  satisfied  with  this,  that  the  Lord  deposited  with 
Adam  the  endowments  he  chose  to  confer  on  the  human  nature  ; 
and  therefore  that  when  he  lost  the  favours  he  had  received,  he 
lost  them  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  us  all.  Who  will  be 
solicitous  about  a transmission  of  the  soul,  when  he  hears  that 
Adam  received  the  ornaments  that  he  lost,  no  less  for  us  than 
for  himself?  that  they  were  given,  not  to  one  man  only,  but  to 
tlie  whole  human  nature  ? There  is  nothing  absurd  therefore, 
if,  in  consequence  of  his  being  spoiled  of  his  dignities,  that 
nature  be  destitute  and  poor ; if,  in  consequence  of  his  be- 
ing polluted  with  sin,  the  whole  nature  be  infected  with  the 
; contagion.  From  a putrefied  root,  therefore,  have  sprung  putrid 
I branches,  which  have  transmitted  their  putrescence  to  remoter 
. ramifications.  For  the  children  were  so  vitiated  in  their  parent, 
that  they  became  contagious  to  their  descendants : there  was  in 
Adam  such  a spring  of  corruption,  that  it  is  transfused  from 
parents  to  children  in  a perpetual  stream.  But  the  cause  of  the 
contagion  is  not  in  the  substance  of  the  body  or  of  the  soul  ; 
but  because  it  was  ordained  by  God,  that  the  gifts  which  he 
conferred  on  the  first  man  should  by  him  be  preserved  or  lost 
both  for  himself  and  for  all  his  posterity.  But  the  cavil  of  the 
Pelagians,  that  it  is  improbable  that  children  should  derive  cor- 
ruption from  pious  parents,  whereas  they  ought  rather  to  be 
sanctified  by  their  purity,  is  easily  refuted.  For  they  descend 
from  their  carnal  generation,  not  from  their  spiritual  generation. 
Therefore,  as  Augustine  says, Neither  the  guilty  unbeliever, 
nor  the  justified  believer,  generates  innocent,  but  guilty  children, 
because  the  generation  of  both  is  from  corrupted  nature.”  If 
they  in  some  measure  participate  of  the  sanctity  of  their  parents, 
that  is  the  peculiar  benediction  of  the  people  of  God,  which  su- 


(c)  John  iii.  5,  6. 


CHAP,  l.J 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


229 


persedes  not  the  first  and  universal  curse  previously  denounced 
on  the  human  nature.  For  their  guilt  is  from  naturej  but  their 
sanctification  from  supernatural  grace. 

Vni.  To  remove  all  uncertainty  and  misunderstanding  on  [ 
this  subject,  let  us  define  original  sin.  It  is  not  my  intention 
to  discuss  all  the  definitions  given  by  writers ; I shall  only  pro- 
duce one,  which  I think  perfectly  consistent  with  the  truth. 
Original  sin,  therefore,  appears  to  be  an  hereditary  pravity  and  \ 
corruption  of  our  nature,  diffused  through  all  the  parts  of  the  ^ 
soul,  rendering  us  obnoxious  to  the  Divine  wrath,  and  pro- 
ducing in  us  those  works  which  the  Scripture  calls  works  of 
the  flesh.”  (d)  And  this  is  indeed  what  Paul  frequently  deno- 
minates sm.  The  works  which  proceed  thence,  such  as  adul- 
teries, fornications,  thefts,  hatreds,  murders,  revellings,  he  calls 
in  the  same  manner  ‘Truits  of  sin;”  although  they  are  also 
called  sins  ” in  many  passages  of  Scripture,  and  even  by  him- 
self. These  two  things  therefore  should  be  distinctly  observed  : 
first,  that  our  nature  being  so  totally  vitiated  and  depraved,  we 
are,  on  account  of  this  very  corruption,  considered  as  convicted 
and  justly  condemned  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  whom  nothing  is 
acceptable  but  righteousness,  innocence,  and  purity.  And  this 
liableness  to  punishment  arises  not  from  the  delinquency  of 
another ; for  when  it  is  said  that  the  sin  of  Adam  renders  us 
obnoxious  to  the  Divine  judgment,  it  is  not  to  be  understood 
as  if  we,  though  innocent,  were  undeservedly  loaded  with  the 
guilt  of  his  sin ; but,  because  we  are  all  subject  to  a curse,  in 
consequence  of  his  transgression,  he  is  therefore  said  to  have 
involved  us  in  guilt.  Nevertheless  we  derive  from  him,  not 
only  the  punishment,  but  also  the  pollution  to  which  the  pu- 
nishment is  justly  due.  Wherefore  Augustine,  though  he  fre- 
quently calls  it  the  sin  of  another,  the  more  clearly  to  indicate 
its  transmission  to  us  by  propagation,  yet,  at  the  same  time, 
also  asserts  it  properly  to  belong  to  every  individual.  And  the 
Apostle  himself  expressly  declares,  that  death  has  therefore 
passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned ; ” (e)  that  is,  have 
been  involved  in  original  sin,  and  defiled  with  its  blemishes. 
And  therefore  infants  themselves,  as  they  bring  their  condem- 
nation into  the  world  with  them,  are  rendered  obnoxious  to 
punishment  by  their  own  sinfulness,  not  by  the  sinfulness  of 
another.  For  though  they  have  not  yet  produced  the  fruits  of 
their  iniquity,  yet  they  have  the  seed  of  it  within  them ; even 
their  whole  nature  is  as  it  were  a seed  of  sin,  and  therefore 
cannot  but  be  odious  and  abominable  to  God.  Whence  it  fol- 
lows, that  it  is  properly  accounted  sin  in  the  sight  of  God,  be- 
cause there  could  be  no  guilt  without  crime.  The  other  thing 


(d)  Gal  V 19. 


(c)  Rom,  V.  12. 


230 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 


to  be  remarked  is,  that  this  depravity  never  ceases  in  us,  but  is 
perpetually  producing  new  fruits,  those  works  of  the  flesh, 
Avhich  we  have  before  described,  like  the  emission  of  flame  and 
sparks  from  a heated  furnace,  or  like  the  streams  of  water  from 
a never  failing  spring.  Wherefore  tho^e  who  have  defined  ori- 
ginal sin  as  a privation  of  the  original  righteousness,  which  we 
ought  to  possess,  though  they  comprise  the  whole  of  the  sub- 
ject, yet  have  not  used  language  sufficiently  expressive  of  its 
operation  and  influence.  For  our  nature  is  not  only  destitute 
of  all  good,  but  is  so  fertile  in  all  evils  that  it  cannot  remain  in- 
active. Those  who  have  called  it  conciipisce7ice  have  used  an 
expression  not  improper,  if  it  were  only  added,  which  is  far 
from  being  conceded  by  most  persons,  that  every  thing  in  man, 
the  understanding  and  will,  the  soul  and  body,  is  polluted  and 
engrossed  by  this  concupiscence  ; or,  to  express  it  more  briefly, 
that  man  is  of  himself  nothing  else  but  concupiscence. 

IX.  Wherefore  I have  asserted  that  sin  has  possessed  all  the 
powers  of  the  soul,  since  Adam  departed  from  the  fountain  of 
righteousness.  For  man  has  not  only  been  ensnared  by  the 
inferior  appetites,  but  abominable  impiety  has  seized  the  very 
citadel  of  his  mind,  and  pride  has  penetrated  into  the  inmost 
recesses  of  his  heart ; so  that  it  is  weak  and  foolish  to  restrict 
the  corruption  which  has  proceeded  thence,  to  Avhat  are  called 
the  sensual  affections,  or  to  call  it  an  incentive  which  allures, 
excites,  and  attracts  to  sin,  only  what  they  style  the  sensual 
part.  In  this  the  grossest  ignorance  has  been  discovered  by 
Peter  Lombard,  who,  when  investigating  the  seat  of  it,  says  that 
it  is  in  the  flesh,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  (/)  not  in- 
deed exclusively,  but  because  it  principally  appears  in  the  flesh  ; 
as  though  Paul  designated  only  a part  of  the  soul,  and  not  the 
whole  of  our  nature,  which  is  opposed  to  supernatural  grace. 
Now,  Paul  removes  every  doubt  by  informing  us  that  the  cor- 
ruption resides  not  in  one  part  only,  but  that  there  is  nothing 
pure  and  uncontaminated  by  its  mortal  infection.  For,  when 
arguing  respecting  corrupt  nature,  he  not  only  condemns  the  in- 
ordinate motions  of  the  appetites,  but  principally  insists  on  the 
blindness  of  the  mind,  and  the  depravity  of  the  heart ; [g)  and 
the  third  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans  is  nothing  but  a 
description  of  original  sin.  This  appears  more  evident  from 
our  renovation.  For  the  Spirit,”  which  is  opposed  to  the  old 
man  ” and  “ the  flesh,”  not  only  denotes  the  grace,  which  cor- 
rects the  inferior  or  sensual  part  of  the  soul,  but  comprehends 
a complete  reformation  of  all  its  powers.  And  therefore  Paul 
not  only  enjoins  us  to  mortify  our  sensual  appetites,  but  ex- 
horts us  to  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  mind ; (/i ) and  in 


(/)  Rom,  vii.  18. 


{g)  Ephes.  iv.  17, 13. 


{h)  Ephes.  iv.  23. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


231 


CHAP.  I.] 

another  place  he  directs  us  to  be  transformed  by  the  renewing 
of  our  mind,  {i)  Whence  it  follows,  that  that  part,  which  prin- 
cipally displays  the  excellence  and  dignity  of  the  soul,  is  not 
only  wounded,  hut  so  corrupted,  that  it  requires  not  merely  to 
be  healed,  but  to  receive  a new  nature.  How  far  sin  occupies 
both  the  mind  and  the  heart,  we  shall  presently  see.  My  inten- 
tion here  was  only  to  hint,  in  a brief  way,  that  man  is  so  total- 
ly overwhelmed,  as  with  a deluge,  that  no  part  is  free  from  sin  ; 
and  therefore  that  whatever  proceeds  from  him  is  accounted  sin  ; 
as  Paul  says  that  all  the  affections  or  thoughts  of  the  flesh 
are  enmity  against  God,  and  therefore  death,  [k) 

X.  Now,  let  us  dismiss  those  who  dare  to  charge  God  with 
their  corruptions,  because  we  say  that  men  are  naturally  cor- 
rupt. They  err  in  seeking  for  the  work  of  God  in  their  own 
pollution,  whereas  they  should  rather  seek  it  in  the  nature  of 
Adam  while  yet  innocent  and  uncorrupted.  Our  perdition 
therefore  proceeds  from  the  sinfulness  of  our  flesh,  not  from 
God ; it  being  only  a consequence  of  our  degenerating  from 
our  primitive  condition.  And  let  no  one  murmur  that  God 
might  have  made  a better  provision  for  our  safety,  by  prevent- 
ing the  fall  of  Adam.  For  such  an  objection  ought  to  be 
abominated,  as  too  presumptuously  curious,  by  all  pious  minds  ; 
and  it  also  belongs  to  the  mystery  of  predestination,  which 
shall  afterwards  be  treated  in  its  proper  place.  Wherefore  let 
us  remember,  that  our  ruin  must  be  imputed  to  the  corruption  of 
our  nature,  that  we  may  not  bring  an  accusation  against  God 
himself,  the  author  of  nature.  That  this  fatal  wound  is  inherent 
in  our  nature,  is  indeed  a truth  ; but  it  is  an  important  question, 
whether  it  was  in  it  originally,  or  was  derived  from  any  extrane- 
ous cause.  But  it  is  evident  that  it  was  occasioned  by  sin. 
We  have  therefore  no  reason  to  complain,  but  of  ourselves  ; 
which  in  the  Scripture  is  distinctly  remarked.  For  the  Preach- 
er says,  This  only  have  I found,  that  God  hath  made  man 
upright;  but  they  have  sought  out  many  inventions.”  (/)  It 
is  clear  that  the  misery  of  man  must  be  ascribed  solely  to  him- 
self, since  he  was  favoured  with  rectitude  by  the  Divine  good- 
ness, but  has  lapsed  into  vanity  through  his  own  folly. 

XL  We  say,  therefore,  that  man  is  corrupted  by  a natural  de- 
pravity, but  which  did  not  originate  from  nature.  We  deny  that 
it  proceeded  from  nature,  to  signify  that  it  is  rather  an  adventi- 
tious quality  or  accident,  than  a substantial  property  originally 
innate.  Yet  we  call  it  natural,  that  no  one  may  suppose  it  to 
be  contracted  by  every  individual  from  corrupt  habit,  whereas 
it  prevails  over  all  by  hereditary  right.  Nor  is  this  representa- 
tion of  ours  without  authority.  For  the  same  reason  the 


(i)  Rom.  xii.  2. 


(/c)  Rom.  viii.  6,  7. 


(Z)  Eccles.  vii.  20. 


232  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

Apostle  says,  that  we  are  all  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  {m) 
How  could  God,  who  is  pleased  with  all  his  meanest  works,  be 
angry  with  the  noblest  of  all  his  creatures  ? But  he  is  angry 
rather  with  the  corruption  of  his  work,  than  with  his  work  it- 
self. Therefore,  if,  on  account  of  the  corruption  of  human  na- 
ture, man  be  justly  said  to  be  naturally  abominable  to  God,  he 
may  also  be  truly  said  to  be  naturally  depraved  and  corrupt  ; 
as  Augustine,  in  consequence  of  the  corruption  of  nature,  hesi- 
tates not  to  call  those  sins  natural,  which  necessarily  predomi- 
nate in  our  flesh,  where  they  are  not  prevented  by  the  grace  of 
God.  Thus  vanishes  the  foolish  and  nugatory  system  of 
the  Manichaeans,  who,  having  imagined  in  man  a substantial 
wickedness,  presumed  to  invent  for  him  a new  creator,  that 
they  might  not  appear  to  assign  the  cause  and  origin  of  evil  to 
a righteous  God. 


CHAPTER  11. 

MAN,  IN  HIS  PRESENT  STATE,  DESPOILED  OF  FREEDOM  OF  WILL, 
AND  SUBJECTED  TO  A MISERABLE  SLAVERY. 

Since  we  have  seen  that  the  domination  of  sin,  from  the  time 
of  its  subjugation  of  the  first  man,  not  only  extends  over  the 
whole  race,  but  also  exclusively  possesses  every  soul,  it  now  re- 
mains to  be  more  closejy  investigated,  whether  we  are  despoiled 
of  all  freedom,  and,  if  any  particle  of  it  yet  remain,  how  far  its 
power  extends.  But,  that  we  may  the  more  easily  discover  the 
truth  *of  this  question,  I will  first  set  up  by  the  way  a mark,  by 
which  our  whole  course  must  be  regulated.  The  best  method 
of  guarding  against  error  is  to  consider  the  dangers  Avhich 
threaten  us  on  every  side.  For  when  man  is  declared  to  be 
destitute  of  all  rectitude,  he  immediately  makes  it  an  occasion  of 
slothfulness ; and  because  he  is  said  to  have  no  power  of  him- 
self for  the  pursuit  of  righteousness,  he  totally  neglects  it,  as 
though  it  did  not  at  all  concern  him.  On  the  other  hand,  he 
cannot  arrogate  any  thing  to  himself,  be  it  ever  so  little,  with- 
out God  being  robbed  of  his  honour,  and  himself  being  endan- 
gered by  presumptuous  temerity.  Therefore,  to  avoid  striking 
on  either  of  these  rocks,  this  will  be  the  course  to  be  pursued  — 
that  man,  being  taught  that  he  has  nothing  good  left  in  liis 
possession,  and  being  surrounded  on  every  side  with  the  most 


{m)  Ephes.  ii.  3. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  233 

miserable  necessity,  should,  nevertheless,  be  instructed  to  aspire 
to  the  good  of  which  he  is  destitute,  and  to  the  liberty  of  which  he 
is  deprived ; and  should  be  roused  from  indolence  with  more  ear- 
nestness, than  if  he  Avere  supposed  to  be  possessed  of  the  greatest 
strength.  The  necessity  of  the  latter  is  obvious  to  every  one. 
The  former,  I perceive,  is  doubted  by  more  than  it  ought  to  be. 
For  this  being  placed  beyond  all  controversy,  that  man  must  not 
be  deprived  of  any  thing  that  properly  belongs  to  him,  it  ought 
also  to  be  manifest  how  important  it  is  that  he  should  be  pre- 
vented from  false  boasting.  For  if  he  was  not  even  then  per- 
mitted to  glory  in  himself,  when  by  the  Divine  beneficence  he 
was  decorated  with  the  noblest  ornaments,  how  much  ought  he 
now  to  be  humbled,  when,  on  account  of  his  ingratitude,  he  has 
been  hurled  from  the  summit  of  glory  to  the  abyss  of  ignominy  ! 
At  that  time,  I say,  when  he  was  exalted  to  the  most  honoura- 
ble eminence,  the  Scripture  attributes  nothing  to  him,  but  that 
he  was  created  after  the  image  of  God  ; which  certainly  implies 
that  his  happiness  consisted  not  in  any  goodness  of  his  own, 
but  in  a participation  of  God.  What,  then,  remains  for  him  now, 
deprived  of  all  glory,  but  that  he  acknoAvledge  God,  to  Avhose 
beneficence  he  could  not  be  thankful,  when  he  abounded  in  the 
riches  of  his  favour  ? and  that  he  now,  at  least,  by  a confession 
of  his  poverty,  glorify  him,  Avhom  he  glorified  not  by  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  his  blessings  ? It  is  also  no  less  conducive  to 
our  'Uterests  than  to  the  Divine  glory,  that  all  the  praise  of 
wisdom  and  strength  be  taken  away  from  us ; so  that  they  join 
sacrilege  to  our  fall,  who  ascribe  to  us  any  thing  more  than 
truly  belongs  to  us.  For  what  else  is  the  consequence,  Avhen 
we  are  taught  to  contend  in  our  own  strength,  but  that  Ave  are 
lifted  into  the  air  on  a reed,  Avhich  being  soon  broken,  Ave  fall 
to  the  ground.  Though  our  strength  is  placed  in  too  favoura- 
ble a point  of  vieAV,  Avhen  it  is  compared  to  a reed.  For  it  is 
nothing  but  smoke,  Avhatever  vain  men  have  imagined  and 
pretend  concerning  it.  Wherefore  it  is  not  Avithout  reason,  that 
that  remarkable  sentence  is  so  frequently  repeated  by  Augustine, 
that  free  Avill  is  rather  overthrown  than  established  even  by  its 
OAvn  advocates.  It  Avas  necessary  to  premise  these  things  for 
the  sake  of  some,  Avho,  Avhen  they  hear  that  human  poAver  is 
completely  subverted  in  order  that  the  poAver  of  God  may  be 
established  in  man,  inveterately  hate  this  whole  argument,  as 
dangerous  and  unprofitable  ; Avhich  yet  appears  to  be  highly 
useful  to  us,  and  essential  to  true  religion. 

II.  As  Ave  have  just  before  said  that  the  faculties  of  the 
soul  consist  in  the  mind  and  the  heart,  let  us  noAv  consider  the 
ability  of  each.  The  philosophers,  indeed,  with  general  con- 
sent, pretend,  that  in  the  mind  presides  Reason,  Avhich  like  a’ 
^amp  illuminates  Avith  its  counsels,  and  like  a queen  governs 
VOL.  I.  30 


234  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

the  will ; for  that  it  is  so  irradiated  with  Divine  light  as  to  be 
able  to  give  the  best  counsels,  and  endued  with  such  vigour  as 
to  be  qualified  to  govern  in  the  most  excellent  manner ; that 
Senue,  on  the  contrary,  is  torpid  and  afflicted  with  weakness  of 
sight,  so  that  it  always  creeps  on  the  ground,  and  is  absorbed 
in  the  grossest  objects,  nor  ever  elevates  itself  to  a view  of  the 
truth  ; that  Appetite,  if  it  can  submit  to  the  obedience  of  reason, 
and  resist  the  attractions  of  sense,  is  inclined  to  the  practice  of 
virtues,  travels  the  path  of  rectitude,  and  is  formed  into  will ; 
but  that,  if  it  be  devoted  to  the  servitude  of  sense,  it  is  thereby 
so  corrupted  and  depraved  as  to  degenerate  into  lust.  And  as, 
according  to  their  opinion,  there  reside  in  the  soul  those  facul- 
ties which  I have  before  mentioned,  understanding,  sense,  and 
appetite,  or  will,  — which  appellation  is  now  more  commonly 
used,  — they  assert  that  the  understanding  is  endued  with  reason, 
that  most  excellent  guide  to  a good  and  a happy  life,  provided  it 
only  maintains  itself  in  its  own  excellence,  and  exerts  its  innate 
power  ; but  that  the  inferior  affection  of  the  soul,  which  is  called 
sense,  and  by  which  it  is  seduced  into  error,  is  of  such  a nature 
that  it  may  be  tamed  and  gradually  conquered  by  the  rod  of 
reason.  They  place  the  will  in  the  middle  station  between 
reason  and  sense,  as  perfectly  at  liberty,  whether  it  chooses  to 
obey  reason,  or  to  submit  to  the  violence  of  sense. 

III.  Sometimes,  indeed,  being  convinced  by  the  testimony 
of  experience,  they  admit  how  extremely  difficult  it  is  for  a 
man  to  establish  within  him  the  kingdom  of  reason ; while  he 
is  exposed  at  one  time  to  the  solicitations  of  alluring  pleasures, 
at  another  to  the  delusions  of  pretended  blessings,  and  at  others 
to  the  violent  agitations  of  immoderate  passions,  compared  by 
Plato  to  so  many  cords  dragging  him  in  various  directions. 
For  which  reason  Cicero  says  that  the  sparks  kindled  by  na- 
ture are  soon  extinguished  by  corrupt  opinions  and  evil  man- 
ners. But  when  such  maladies  have  once  taken  possession  of 
the  human  mind,  they  acknowledge  their  progress  to  be  too 
violent  to  be  easily  restrained ; nor  do  they  hesitate  to  compare 
them  to  fierce  horses,  who,  having  rejected  reason,  like  horses 
that  have  thrown  off  the  charioteer,  indulge  themselves  in  every 
extravagance,  without  the  least  restraint.  But  they  consider  it 
as  beyond  all  controversy,  that  virtue  and  vice  are  in  our  own 
power ; for  if  it  be  at  our  election,  they  say,  to  do  this  or  that, 
therefore  it  must  also  be,  to  abstain  from  doing  it.  And,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  we  are  free  to  abstain  from  it,  we  must  also  be 
free  to  do  it.  But  we  appear  freely  and  voluntarily  to  do  those 
things  which  we  do,  and  to  abstain  from  those  things  from 
which  we  abstain ; therefore,  if  we  do  any  good  action,  when 
we  please  we  may  omit  it ; if  we  perpetrate  any  evil,  that  also 
we  may  avoid.  Moreover,  some  of  them  have  advanced  to  such 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  235 

a degree  of  presumption,  as  to  boast,  that  we  are  indebted  to 
the  gods  for  our  life,  but  for  a virtuous  and  religious  one  to 
ourselves ; whence  also  that  assertion  of  Cicero,  in  the  person 
of  Cotta,  that,  since  every  man  accpiires  virtue  for  himself,  none 
of  the  wise  men  have  ever  thanked  God  for  it.  ^^For,”  says 
he,  ‘Gve  are  praised  foi;  virtue,  and  in  virtue  we  glory;  which 
would  not  be  the  case,  if  it  were  a gift  of  God,  and  did  not 
originate  from  ourselves.”  And  a little  after : This  is  the 
judgment  of  all  men,  that  fortune  must  be  asked  of  God,  but 
that  wisdom  must  be  derived  from  ourselves.”  This,  then,  is 
the  substance  of  the  opinion  of  all  the  philosophers,  that  the 
reason  of  the  human  understanding  is  sufficient  for  its  proper 
government ; that  the  will,  being  subject  to  it,  is  indeed  solicit- 
ed ])y  sense  to  evil  objects,  but,  as  it  has  a free  choice,  there 
can  be  no  impediment  to  its  following  reason  as  its  guide  in  all 
things.  • 

IV.  Among  the  ecclesiastical  writers,  though  there  has  not 
been  one  who  would  not  acknowledge  both  that  human  reason 
is  grievously  wounded  by  sin,  and  that  the  will  is  very  much 
embarrassed  by  corrupt  alfections,  yet  many  of  them  have  fol- 
lowed the  philosophers  far  beyond  what  is  right.  The  early 
fathers  appear  to  me  to  have  thus  extolled  human  power  from 
a fear  lest,  if  they  openly  confessed  its  impotence,  they  might, 
in  the  first  place,  incur  the  derision  of  the  philosophers,  with 
whom  they  were  then  contending ; and,  in  the  next  place, 
might  administer  to  the  flesh,  of  itself  naturally  too  torpid  to 
all  that  is  good,  a fresh  occasion  of  slothfulness.  To  avoid  de- 
livering any  principle  deemed  absurd  in  the  common  opinion 
of  mankind,  they  made  it  their  study,  therefore,  to  compromise 
between  the  doctrine  of  the  Scripture  and  the  dogmas  of  the 
philosophers.  Yet  it  appears  from  their  language,  that  they 
principally  regarded  the  latter  consideration,  that  they  might 
leave  no  room  for  slothfulness.  Chrysostom  says,  “ Since  God 
has  placed  good  and  evil  things  in  our  power,  he  has  given 
us  freedom  of  choice  ; and  he  constrains  not  the  unwilling,  but 
embraces  the  willing.”  Again  : “ Oftentimes  a bad  man,  if  he 
will,  is  changed  into  a good  one  ; and  a good  one  falls  into  in- 
activity, and  becomes  bad ; because  God  has  given  us  na- 
turally a free  will,  and  imposes  no  necessity  upon  us,  but, 
having  provided  suitable  remedies,  permits  the  event  to  depend 
entirely  on  the  mind  of  the  patient.”  Again  : As  without 
the  assistance  of  Divine  grace  we  can  never  do  any  thing 
aright,  so  unless  we  bring  what  is  our  own,  we  shall  never  be 
able  to  gain  the  favour  of  heaven.”  He  had  before  sa’d,  That 
it  may  not  be  entirely  of  the  Divine  assistance,  it  behoves  us 
also  to  bring  something.”  And  this  is  an  expression  very 
familiar  with  him  : “ Let  us  bring  what  is  ours  ; God  will  sup- 


236  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

ply  the  rest.”  Agreeably  to  which  Jerome  says,  ‘ That  it 
belongs  to  us  to  begin,  and  to  God  to  complete  ; that  it  is  ours 
to  offer  what  we  can,  but  his  to  supply  our  deficiencies.”  In 
these  sentences  you  see  they  certainly  attributed  to  man  more 
than  could  justly  be  attributed  to  him  towards  the  pursuit  of 
virtue  ; because  they  supposed  it  impossible  to  awaken  our 
innate  torpor,  otherwise  than  by  arguing  that  this  alone  con- 
stitutes our  guilt ; but  with  what  great  dexterity  they  did  it,  we 
shall  see  in  the  course  of  our  work.  That  the  passages  which  we 
have  recited  are  exceedingly  erroneous,  will  be  shortly  proved. 
Although  the  Greeks,  beyond  all  others,  and  among  them  parti- 
cularly Chrysostom,  have  exceeded  all  bounds  in  extolling  the 
ability  of  the  human  will,  yet  such  are  the  variations,  fluctua- 
tions, or  obscurities  of  all  the  fathers,  except  Augustine,  on 
this  subject,  that  scarcely  any  thing  certain  can  be  concluded 
from  their  writings.  Therefore  we  shall  nSt  scrupulously  enu- 
merate the  particular  opinions  of  them  all,  but  shall  at  times 
select  from  one  and  another  so  much  as  the  explication  of  the 
argument  shall  appear  to  require.  Succeeding  writers,  being 
every  one  for  himself  ambitious  of  the  praise  of  subtlety  in  the 
defence  of  human  nature,  gradually  and  successively  fell  into 
opinions  more  and  more  erroneous ; till  at  length  man  Avas 
commonly  supposed  to  be  corrupted  only  in  his  sensual  part, 
but  to  have  his  will  in  a great  measure,  and  his  reason  entirely, 
unimpaired.  In  the  mean  time,  it  Avas  proclaimed  by  eA^ery 
tongue,  that  the  natural  talents  in  men  were  corrupted,  but  the 
supernatural  taken  aAvay  — an  expression  of  Augustine,  of  the 
import  of  Avhich  scarcely  one  man  in  a hundred  had  the  slight- 
est idea.  For  myself,  if  I meant  clearly  to  state  Avherein  the 
corruption  of  nature  consists,  I could  easily  content  myself 
Avith  this  language.  But  it  is  of  great  importance  to  examine 
Avith  attention  what  ability  is  retained  by  man  in  his  present 
state,  corrupted  in  all  the  parts  of  his  nature,  and  deprived  of 
supernatural  gifts.  This  subject,  therefore,  has  been  treated  in 
too  philosophical  a manner  by  those  Avho  gloried  in  being  the 
disciples  of  Christ.  For  the  Latins  have  ahvays  retained  the 
term  free  as  though  man  still  remained  in  his  primitive 
integrity.  And  the  Greeks  have  not  been  ashamed  to  use  an 
expression  much  more  arrogant ; for  they  called  it  auTs|ou(riov, 
denoting  that  man  possesses  sovereign  poAver  over  himself. 
Since  all  men,  therefore,  even  the  vulgar,  are  tinctured  Avith 
this  principle,  that  man  is  endued  Avith  free  Avill,  and  some  of 
those  Avho  A\muld  be  thought  intelligent  knoAV  not  Iioaa^  far 
this  freedom  extends,  — let  us  first  examine  the  meaning  of  the 
term,  and  then  let  us  describe,  according  to  the  simplicity  of 
the  Scripture,  the  poAver  Avbich  man  naturally  possesses  to  do 
either  good  or  eAul.  What  free  icill  is,  though  the  expression 


CHAP.  TI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  237 

frequently  occurs  in  all  writers,  few  have  defined.  Yet  Origen 
appears  to  have  advanced  a position  to  which  they  all  assented, 
when  he  calls  it  a power  of  reason  to  discern  good  and  evil,  of 
will  to  choose  either.  Nor  does  Augustine  difler  from  him, 
when  he  teaches  that  it  is  a power  of  reason  and  will,  by 
which  good  is  chosen  when  grace  assists ; and  evil,  when 
grace  is  wanting.  Bernard,  while  he  affects  greater  subtlety, 
has  expressed  himself  with  more  obscurity : he  says,  it  is  a 
consent  on  account  of  the  liberty  of  will,  which  cannot  be  lost, 
and  the  judgment  of  reason,  which  cannot  be  avoided.  The 
definition  of  Anselm  is  not  sufficiently  plain,  who  states  it  to 
be  a power  of  preserving  rectitude  for  its  own  sake.  There- 
fore Peter  Lombard  and  the  schoolmen  have  rather  adopted  the 
definition  of  Augustine,  because  it  was  more  explicit,  and  did 
not  exclude  the  grace  of  God,  without  which  they  perceived 
that  the  will  had  no  power  of  itself.  But  they  also  make  such 
additions  of  their  own,  as  they  conceived  to  be  either  better, 
or  conducive  to  further  explication.  First,  they  agree  that  the 
word  arhitrium,  will  or  choice^  should  rather  be  referred  to  rea- 
son, whose  office  it  is  to  discern  between  good  and  evil ; and 
that  the  epithet  free  belongs  properly  to  the  faculty  of  the  will, 
which  is  capable  of  being  inclined  to  either.  Wherefore,  since 
liberty  belongs  properly  to  the  will,  Thomas  Aquinas  says,  that 
it  would  be  a very  good  definition,  if  free  will  were  called  an 
elective  p 010 er^  which,  being  composed  of  understanding  and  ap- 
petite, inclines  rather  to  appetite.  We  see  where  they  represent 
the  power  of  free  will  to  be  placed  ; that  is,  in  the  reason  and 
will.  It  now  remains  briefly  to  inquire  how  much  they  attri- 
bute respectively  to  each. 

V.  Common  and  external  things,  which  do  not  pertain  to 
the  kingdom  of  God,  they  generally  consider  as  subject  to  the 
free  determination  of  man ; but  true  righteousness  they  refer  to 
the  special  grace  of  God  and  spiritual  regeneration.  With  a 
view  to  support  this  notion,  the  author  of  the  treatise  On  the 
Vocation  of  the  Gentiles  ” enumerates  three  kinds  of  will  — the 
first  a sensitive,  the  second  an  animal,  and  the  third  a spiritual 
one : the  two  former  of  which  he  states  to  be  freely  exercised 
by  us,  and  the  last  to  be  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  us. 
The  truth  or  falsehood  of  this  shall  be  discussed  in  the  proper 
place ; for  my  design  at  present  is  briefly  to  recite  the  opinions 
of  others,  not  to  refute  them.  Hence,  when  writers  treat  of 
free  will,  their  first  inquiry  respects  not  its  ability  in  civil 
or  external  actions,  but  its  power  to  obey  the  Divine  law. 
Though  I confess  the  latter  to  be  the  principal  question,  yet  I 
think  the  other  ought  not  to  be  wholly  neglected ; and  for  this 
opinion  I hope  to  give  a very  good  reason.  But  a distinction 
has  prevailed  in  the  schools,  which  enumerates  three  kinds  of 


238  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

liberty  — the  first,  freedom  from  necessity,  the  second,  freedom 
from  sin,  the  third,' freedom  from  misery;  of  which  the  first  is 
naturally  inherent  in  man,  so  that  nothing  can  ever  deprive 
him  of  it : the  other  two  are  lost  by  sin.  This  distinction  1 
readily  admit,  except  that  it  improperly  confounds  necessity 
with  coaction.  And  the  wide  difference  between  these  things, 
with  the  necessity  of  its  being  considered,  will  appear  in  another 
place. 

VI.  This  being  admitted  will  place  it  beyond  all  doubt,  that 
man  is  not  possessed  of  free  will  for  good  works,  unless  he  be 
assisted  by  grace,  and  that  special  grace  which  is  bestowed  on  the 
elect  alone  in  regeneration.  For  I stop  not  to  notice  those  fana- 
tics, who  pretend  that  grace  is  offered  equally  and  promiscuously 
to  all.  But  it  does  not  yet  appear,  whether  he  is  altogether 
deprived  of  power  to  do  good,  or  whether  he  yet  possesses  some 
power,  though  small  and  feeble  ; which  of  itself  can  do  nothing, 
but  by  the  assistance  of  grace  does  also  perform  its  part.  Lom- 
bard, in  order  to  establish  this  notion,  informs  us  that  two  sorts  of 
grace  are  necessary  to  qualify  us  for  the  performance  of  good 
works.  One  he  calls  operative,  by  which  we  efficaciously  will 
what  is  good ; the  other  cooperative,  which  attends  as  auxi- 
liary to  a good  will.  This  division  I dislike,  because,  while  he 
attributes  an  efficacious  desire  of  what  is  good  to  the  grace  of 
God,  he  insinuates  that  man  has  of  his  own  nature  antecedent, 
though  ineffectual,  desires  after  what  is  good ; as  Bernard  as- 
serts that  a good  will  is  the  work  of  God,  but  yet  allows  that 
man  is  self-impelled  to  desire  such  a good  will.  But  this  is 
very  remote  from  the  meaning  of  Augustine,  from  whom,  how- 
ever, Lombard  would  be  thought  to  have  borrowed  this  division. 
The  second  part  of  it  offends  me  by  its  ambiguity,  which  has 
produced  a very  erroneous  interpretation.  For  they  have  sup- 
posed that  we  cooperate  with  the  second  sort  of  Divine  grace, 
because  we  have  it  in  our  power  either  to  frustrate  the  first 
sort  by  rejecting  it,  or  to  confirm  it  by  our  obedience  to  it. 
The  author  of  the  treatise  On  the  Vocation  of  the  Gentiles  ” 
expresses  it  thus  — that  those  who  have  the  use  of  reason  and 
judgment  are  at  liberty  to  depart  from  grace,  that  they  may  be 
rewarded  for  not  having  departed,  and  that  what  is  impossible 
without  the  cooperation  of  the  Spirit,  may  be  imputed  to  their 
merits,  by  Avhose  will  it  might  have  been  prevented.  These 
two  things  I have  thought  proper  to  notice  as  I proceed,  that 
the  reader  may  perceive  how  much  I dissent  from  the  sounder 
schoolmen.  For  I differ  considerably  more  from  the  later 
sophists,  as  they  have  departed  much  further  from  the  judg- 
ment of  antiquity.  However,  we  understand  from  this  divi- 
sion, in  what  sense  they  have  ascribed  free  will  to  man.  For 
Lombard  at  length  pronounces,  that  we  are  not  therefore  pos- 


CHAP.  II.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


239 


sessed  of  free  will,  because  we  have  an  equal  power  to  do  or 
to  think  either  good  or  evil,  but  only  because  we  are  free  from 
constraint.  And  this  liberty  is  not  diminished,  although  we 
are  corrupt,  and  the  slaves  of  sin,  and  capable  of  doing  nothing 
but  sin. 

VII.  Then  man  will  be  said  to  possess  free  will  in  this 
sense,  not  that  he  has  an  equally  free  election  of  good  and  evil, 
but  because  he  does  evil  voluntarily,  and  not  by  constraint. 
That,  indeed,  is  very  true  ; but  what  end  could  it  answer  to 
decorate  a thing  so  diminutive  with  a title  so  superb  ? Egre- 
gious liberty  indeed,  if  man  be  not  compelled  to  serve  sin,  but 
yet  is  such  a willing  slave,  that  his  will  is  held  in  bondage  by 
the  fetters  of  sin.  I really  abominate  contentions  about  words, 
which  disturb  the  Church  without  producing  any  good  effect ; 
but  I think  that  we  ought  religiously  to  avoid  words  which 
signify  any  absurdity,  particularly  when  they  lead  to  a perni- 
cious error.  How  few  are  there,  pray,  who,  when  they  hear 
free  will  attributed  to  man,  do  not  immediately  conceive,  that 
he  has  the  sovereignty  over  his  own  mind  and  will,  and  is 
able  by  his  innate  power  to  incline  himself  to  whatever  he 
pleases  ? But  it  will  be  said,  all  danger  from  these  expressions 
will  be  removed,  if  the  people  are  carefully  apprized  of  their 
signification.  But,  on  the  contrary,  the  human  mind  is  natu- 
rally so  prone  to  falsehood,  that  it  will  sooner  imbibe  error  from 
one  single  expression,  than  truth  from  a prolix  oration  ; of 
which  we  have  a more  certain  experiment  than  could  be 
wished  in  this  very  word.  For  neglecting  that  explanation  of 
the  fathers,  almost  all  their  successors  have  been  drawn  into  a 
fatal  self-confidence,  by  adhering  to  the  original  and  proper 
signification  of  the  word. 

VIII.  But  if  we  regard  the  authority  of  the  fathers  — though 
they  have  the  term  continually  in  their  mouths,  they  at  the 
same  time  declare  with  what  extent  of  signification  they  use 
it.  First  of  all,  Augustine,  who  hesitates  not  to  call  the  will  a 
slave.  He  expresses  his  displeasure  in  one  place  against  those 
who  deny  free  will  ; but  he  declares  the  principal  reason  for  it, 
when  he  says,  ‘‘  Only  let  no  man  dare  so  to  deny  the  freedom 
of  the  will,  as  to  desire  to  excuse  sin.”  Elsewhere  he  plainly 
confesses,  that  the  human  will  is  not  free  without  the  Spirit, 
since  it  is  subject  to  its  lusts,  by  which  it  is  conquered  and 
bound.  Again : that  when  the  will  was  overcome  by  the 
sin  into  which  it  fell,  nature  began  to  be  destitute  of  liberty. 
Again  : that  man,  having  made  a wrong  use  of  his  free  will,  lost 
both  it  and  himself.  Again  : that  free  will  is  in  a state  of  cap- 
tivity, so  that  it  can  do  nothing  towards  righteousness.  Again  : 
that  the  will  cannot  be  free,  which  has  not  been  liberated  by 
Divine  grace.  Again  : that  the  Divine  justice  is  not  fulfilled, 


240  INSTITUTES  or  THE  [bOOK  II. 

while  the  law  commands,  and  man  acts  from  his  own  strength  ; 
but  when  the  Spirit  assists,  and  the  human  wiU  obeys,  not  as 
being  free,  but  as  liberated  by  God.  And  he  briefly  assigns 
the  cause  of  all  this,  when,  in  another  place,  he  tells  us,  that 
man  at  his  creation  received  great  strength  of  free  will,  but 
lost  it  by  sin.  Therefore,  having  shown  that  free  will  is  the 
result  of  grace,  he  sharply  inveighs  against  those  who  arrogate 
it  to  themselves  without  grace.  “ How,  then,”  says  he,  do 
miserable  men  dare  to  be  proud  of  free  will,  before  they  are 
liberated,  or  of  their  own  strength,  if  they  have  been  liberated  ? ” 
Nor  do  they  consider  that  the  term  free  will  signifies  liberty. 
But  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty.”  (n)  If, 
therefore,  they  are  the  slaves  of  sin,  why  do  they  boast  of  free 
will  ? For  of  whom  a man  is  overcome,  of  the  same  is  he 
brought  in  bondage.”  (o)  But  if  they  have  been  liberated, 
why  do  they  boast  as  of  their  own  work  ? Are  they  so  much 
at  liberty  as  to  refuse  to  be  the  servants  of  him  who  says, 
‘AVithout  me  ye  can  do  nothing”?  {p)  Besides,  in  another 
place,  also,  he  seems  to  discountenance  the  use  of  that  expres- 
sion, when  he  says  that  the  will  is  free,  but  not  liberated  ; free 
from  righteousness,  enslaved  to  sin.  This  sentiment  he  also 
repeats  and  applies  in  another  place,  where  he  maintains  that 
man  is  not  free  from  righteousness,  but  by  the  choice  of  his 
will,  and  that  he  is  not  made  free  from  sin,  but  by  the  grace 
of  the  Saviour.  He  who  declares  that  human  liberty  is  no- 
thing but  an  emancipation  or  manumission  from  righteousness, 
evidently  exposes  it  to  ridicule  as  an  unmeaning  term.  There- 
fore, if  any  man  allows  himself  the  use  of  this  term  without 
any  erroneous  signification,  he  will  not  be  troubled  by  me  on 
that  account : but  because  I think  that  it  cannot  be  retained 
without  great  danger,  and  that,  on  the  contrary,  its  abolition 
would  be  very  beneficial  to  the  Church,  I would  neither  use 
it  myself,  nor  wish  it  to  be  used  by  others  who  may  consult 
my  opinion. 

IX.  Perhaps  I may  be  thought  to  have  raised  a great  pre- 
judice against  myself,  by  confessing  that  all  the  ecclesiastical 
writers,  except  Augustine,  have  treated  this  subject  with  such 
ambiguities  or  variations,  that  nothing  certain  can  be  learned 
from  their  writings.  For  some  will  interpret  this,  as  though  I 
intended  to  deprive  them  of  the  right  of  giving  their  sutfrages, 
because  their  opinions  are  all  adverse  to  mine.  But  I have 
had  no  other  object  in  view  than  simply  and  faithfully  to  con- 
sult the  benefit  of  pious  minds,  who,  if  they  wait  to  discover 
the  sentiments  of  the  fathers  on  this  subject,  will  fluctuate  in 
perpetual  uncertainty.  At  one  time  they  teach  man,  despoiled 


(n)  2 Cor.  iii.  17. 


(o)  2 Peter  ii.  19. 


(^)  John  XV.  5. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


241 


CHAP.  II.] 

of  all  strength  of  free  'will,  to  have  recourse  to  grace  alone  ; at 
another,  they  either  furnish,  or  appear  to  furnish,  him  with  ar- 
mour naturally  his  own.  Yet  that,  amidst  all  this  ambiguity 
of  expression,  esteeming  the  strength  of  man  as  little  or  no- 
thing, they  have  ascribed  the  praise  of  every  thing  that  is  good 
entirely  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  not  difficult  to  prove,  if  I intro- 
duce some  passages  from  them,  in  which  this  sentiment  is  clearly 
maintained.  For  what  is  the  meaning  of  that  assertion  of  Cy- 
prian, so  frequently  celebrated  by  Augustine,  That  we  ought 
to  glory  in  nothing,  because  we  have  nothing  of  our  own ; ” 
but  that  man,  completely  impoverished  in  himself,  should  learn 
to  depend  entirely  on  God  ? What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ob- 
servation of  Augustine  and  Eucherius,  when  they  represent 
Christ  as  the  tree  of  life,  to  whom  whosoever  shall  have 
stretched  forth  his  hand  shall  live ; and  free  will  as  the  tree 
of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  and  say  that  whosoever  for- 
sakes the  grace  of  God  and  tastes  of  it  shall  die  ? What  is  the 
meaning  of  that  assertion  of  Chrysostom,  that  every  man  by 
nature  is  not  only  a sinner,  but  altogether  sin  ? If  we  have  not 
one  good  quality,  if  from  his  head  to  his  feet  man  be  entirely 
sin,  if  it  be  wrong  even  to  try  how  far  the  power  of  the  will 
extends,  — how,  then,  can  it  be  right  to  divide  the  praise  of  a 
good  work  between  God  and  man  ? I could  introduce  many 
such  passages  from  other  fathers ; but  lest  any  one  should 
cavil,  that  I select  only  those  things  which  favour  my  own 
cause,  but  artfully  omit  those  which  oppose  it,  I refrain  from 
such  a recital.  I venture  to  affirm,  however,  that  though  they 
sometimes  too  highly  extol  free  will,  yet  their  design  was  to 
teach  man  to  discard  all  reliance  on  his  own  power,  and  to 
consider  all  his  strength  as  residing  in  God  alone.  I now  pro- 
ceed to  a simple  explication  of  the  truth  in  considering  the 
nature  of  man. 

X.  But  t am  obliged  to  repeat  here,  what  I premised  in  the 
beginning  of  this  chapter  — that  he  who  feels  the  most  conster- 
nation, from  a consciousness  of  his  own  calamity,  poverty, 
nakedness,  and  ignominy,  has  made  the  greatest  proficiency 
in  the  knowledge  of  himself  For  there  is  no  danger  that 
man  will  divest  himself  of  too  much,  provided  he  learns  that 
what  is  wanting  in  him  may  be  recovered  in  God.  But  he 
cannot  assume  to  himself  even  the  least  particle  beyond  his 
just  right,  without  ruining  himself  with  vain  confidence,  and 
incurring  the  guilt  of  enormous  sacrilege,  by  transferring  to 
himself  the  honour  which  belongs  to  God.  And  whenever 
our  minds  are  pestered  with  this  cupidity,  to  desire  to  have 
something  of  our  own,  which  may  reside  in  ourselves  rather 
than  in  God,  we  may  know  that  this  idea  is  suggested  by  the 
same  counsellor,  who  excited  in  our  first  parents  the  desire  of 
VOL.  I.  31 


242  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

resembling  ‘^gods,  knowing  good  and  evil.”  (q)  If  that  term 
be  diabolical,  which  exalts  man  in  his  own  opinion,  let  us  not 
admit  it,  unless  we  wish  to  take  the  counsel  of  an  enemy.  It 
is  pleasant,  indeed,  to  have  so  much  innate  strength  as  to  confide 
in  and  be  satisfied  with  ourselves.  But  from  being  allured 
into  this  vain  confidence,  let  us  be  deterred  by  the  many 
awful  sentences  which  severely  humble  us  to  the  dust ; such 
as  “ Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh 
his  arm.”  (r)  Again  : “ God  delighteth  not  in  the  strength  of 
the  horse  ; he  taketh  not  pleasure  in  the  legs  of  a man.  The 
Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in  those  that  hope 
in  his  mercy.”  (s)  Again  : “ He  giveth  power  to  the  faint  ; 
and  to  them  that  have  no  might  he  increaseth  strength.  Even 
the  youths  shall  faint  and  be  weary,  and  the  young  men  shall 
utterly  fall ; but  they  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew 
their  strength.”  (t)  The  tendency  of  all  which  is  to  prevent 
us  from  depending,  in  the  smallest  degree,  on  our  own 
strength,  if  we  wish  God  to  be  propitious  to  us,  who  ‘‘re- 
sisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  unto  the  humble.”  (v) 
Then  let  us  remember  these  promises ; “I  will  pour  water 
upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground  : ” (iv) 
again ; “ Ho ! every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 

waters : ” (:r)  which  declare,  that  none  are  admitted  to  a 
participation  of  the  blessings  of  God,  but  those  who  are  pi- 
lling away  with  a sense  of  their  own  poverty.  Nor  should  such 
promises  as  this  of  Isaiah  be  overlooked : “ The  sun  shall  be 
no  more  thy  light  by  day  ; neither  for  brightness  shall  the 
moon  give  light  unto  thee ; but  the  Lord  shall  be  unto  thee 
an  everlasting  light.”  (y)  The  Lord  certainly  does  not  deprive 
his  servants  of  the  splendour  of  the  sun  or  of  the  moon ; but 
because  he  will  appear  exclusively  glorious  in  them,  he  calls 
off  their  confidence  to  a great  distance,  even  from  those  things 
which  in  their  opinion  are  the  most  excellent. 

XI.  I have  always,  indeed,  been  exceedingly  pleased  with 
this  observation  of  Chrysostom,  that  humility  is  the  foundation 
of  our  philosophy  ; but  still  more  with  this  of  Augustine  . 
“As  a rhetorician,”  says  he,  “ on  being  interrogated  what  was 
the  first  thing  in  the  rules  of  eloquence,  replied,  ^ Pronuncia- 
tion ; ’ and  on  being  separately  interrogated  what  was  the 
second,  and  what  was  the  third,  gave  the  same  reply ; so, 
should  any  one  interrogate  me  concerning  the  rules  of  the 
Christian  religion,  the  first,  second,  and  third,  I would  always 
reply.  Humility.”  Now,  he  does  not  consider  it  as  humility, 
when  a man,  conscious  to  himself  of  some  little  power,  abstains 


(q) -  Gen.  iii.  5. 

(r)  Jer.  xvii.  5. 

(5)  Psalm  cxlvii.  10 


(t)  Isaiah  xl.  29 — 31. 
(r)  .Tames  iv.  6. 

(w)  Isaiah  xliv.  3. 


(x)  Isaiah  Iv.  1 . 
{y)  Isaiah  lx.  16. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  243 

from  pride  and  haughtiness  ; but  when  he  truljr  feels  his  con* 
dition  to  be  such  that  he  has  no  refuge  but  in  humility,  as  he 
elsewhere  declares.  Let  no  man,”  says  he,  “flatter  himself : 
of  himsell  he  is  a devil  : every  blessing  he  enjoys  is  only  from 
God.  For  what  have  you  that  is  your  own,  but  sin  ? Take 
to  yourself  sin,  which  is  your  own  ; for  righteousness  be- 
longs to  God.”  Again:  “Why  do  men  so  presume  on  the 
ability  of  nature  ? It  is  wounded,  maimed,  distressed,  and  ruined. 
It  needs  a true  confession,  not  a false  defence.”  Again  : 
“ When  every  one  knows,  that  in  himself  he  is  nothing,  and 
that  he  cannot  assist  himself,  the  arms  are  broken  within  him, 
and  the  contentions  are  subsided.”  But  it  is  necessary  that  all 
the  weapons  of  impiety  should  be  broken  in  pieces  and  con- 
sumed, that  you  may  remain  unarmed,  and  have  no  help  in 
yourself.  The  greater  your  weakness  is  in  yourself,  so  much 
the  more  the  Lord  assists  you.  So  in  the  seventieth  Psalm  he 
forbids  us  to  remember  our  own  righteousness,  that  we  may  know 
the  righteousness  of  God  ; and  shows  that  God  so  recommends 
his  grace  to  us,  that  we  may  know  that  we  are  nothing,  and  are 
solely  dependent  on  the  Divine  mercy,  being  of  ourselves  alto- 
gether evil.  Here,  then,  let  us  not  contend  with  God  concerning 
our  right,  as  though  what  is  attributed  to  him  were  deducted 
from  our  welfare.  For  as  our  humility  is  his  exaltation,  so  the 
confession  of  our  humility  has  an  immediate  remedy  in  his 
commiseration.  Now,  I do  not  expect  that  a man  unconvinced 
should  voluntarily  submit,  and,  if  he  has  any  strength,  with- 
draw his  attention  from  it  to  be  reduced  to  true  humility ; but 
I require,  that,  discarding  the  malady  of  self-love  and  love  of 
strife,  which  blinds  him,  and  leads  him  to  entertain  too  high 
an  opinion  of  himself,  he  should  seriously  contemplate  himself 
in  the  faithful  mirror  of  the  Scripture. 

XII.  And,  indeed,  I much  approve  of  that  common  observa- 
tion which  has  been  borrowed  from  Augustine,  that  the  na- 
tural talents  in  man  have  been  corrupted  by  sin,  but  that  of 
the  supernatural  ones  he  has  been  wholly  deprived.  For  by 
the  latter  are  intended,  both  the  light  of  faith  and  righteous- 
ness, which  would  be  sufficient  for  the  attainment  of  a hea- 
venly life  and  eternal  felicity.  Therefore,  when  he  revolted 
from  the  Divine  government,  he  was  at  the  same  time  deprived 
of  those  supernatural  endowments,  which  had  been  given  him 
for  ^he  hope  of  eternal  salvation.  Hence  it  follows,  that  he  is 
exiled  from  the  kingdom  of  God,  in  such  a manner,  that  all 
the  affections  relating  to  the  happy  life  of  the  soul,  are  also 
extinguished  in  him,  till  he  recovers  them  by  the  grace  of  re- 
generation. Such  are  faith,  love  to  God,  charity  towards  our 
neighbours,  and  an  attachment  to  holiness  and  righteousness. 
All  these  things,  being  restored  by  Christ,  are  esteemed  ad- 


244  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  11. 

ventitious  and  preternatural  ; and  therefore  we  conclude  that 
they  had  been  lost.  Again,  soundness  of  mind  aud  rectitude 
of  lieart  were  also  destroyed  ; and  this  is  the  corruption  of  the 
natural  talents.  For  although  we  retain  some  portion  of  un- 
derstanding and  judgment  together  with  the  will,  yet  we  can- 
not say  that  our  mind  is  perfect  and  sound,  which  is  oppressed 
with  debility  and  immersed  in  profound  darkness ; and  the 
depravity  of  our  will  is  sufficiently  known.  Reason,  therefore, 
by  which  man  distinguishes  between  good  and  evil,  by  which 
he  understands  and  judges,  being  a natural  talent,  could  not 
be  totally  destroyed,  but  is  partly  debilitated,  partly  vitiated, 
so  that  it  exhibits  nothing  but  deformity  and  ruin.  In  this 
sense  John  says,  that  the  light  ” still  shineth  in  darkness,” 
but  that  the  darkness  comprehendeth  it  not.”  (z)  In  this  pas- 
sage both  these  ideas  are  clearly  expressed  — that  some  sparks 
continue  to  shine  in  the  nature  of  man,  even  in  its  corrupt  and 
degenerate  state,  which  prove  him  to  be  a rational  creature, 
and  different  from  the  brutes,  because  he  is  endued  with  un- 
derstanding ; and  yet  that  this  light  is  smothered  by  so  much 
ignorance,  that  it  cannot  act  with  any  degree  of  efficacy.  So 
the  will,  being  inseparable  from  the  nature  of  man,  is  not  an- 
nihilated ; but  it  is  fettered  by  depraved  and  inordinate  desires, 
so  that  it  cannot  aspire  after  any  thing' that  is  good.  This, 
indeed,  is  a complete  definition,  but  requires  more  diffuse  ex- 
plication. Therefore,  that  the  order  of  our  discourse  may  pro- 
ceed according  to  the  distinction  we  have  stated,  in  which  we 
divided  the  soul  into  understanding  and  will,  let  us  first  exa- 
mine the  power  of  the  understanding.  To  condemn  it  to  per- 
petual blindness,  so  as  to  leave  it  no  intelligence  in  any  thing, 
is  repugnant,  not  only  to  the  Divine  word,  but  also  to  the  ex- 
perience of  common  sense.  For  we  perceive  in  the  mind  of 
man  some  desire  of  investigating  truth,  towards  which  he 
would  have  no  inclination,  but  from  some  relish  of  it  previous- 
ly possessed.  It  therefore  indicates  some  perspicuity  in  the 
human  understanding,  that  it  is  attracted  with  a love  of  truth  ; 
the  neglect  of  which  in  the  brutes  argues  gross  sense  without 
reason  ; although  this  desire,  small  as  it  is,  faints  even  before 
its  entrance  on  its  course,  because  it  immediately  terminates 
in  vanity.  For  the  dulness  of  the  human  mind  renders  it  in- 
capable of  pursuing  the  right  way  of  investigating  the  truth  : 
it  wanders  through  a variety  of  errors,  and  groping,  as  it  were, 
in  the  shades  of  darkness,  often  stumbles,  till  at  length  it  is 
lost  in  its  wanderings  ; thus,  in  its  search  after  truth,  it  betrays 
its  incapacity  to  seek  and  find  it.  It  also  labours  under  another 
grievous  malady,  frequently  not  discerning  what  those  things 
^re,  the  true  knowledge  of  which  it  would  be  proper  to  attain, 


(2)  John  i.  5. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,  245 

and  therefore  torments  itself  with  a ridiculous  curiosity  in 
fruitless  and  unimportant  inquiries.  To  things  most  necessary 
to  be  known  it  either  never  adverts,  or  contemptuously  and 
rarely  digresses ; but  scarcely  ever  studies  them  with  serious 
application.  This  depravity  being  a common  subject  of  com- 
plaint with  heathen  writers,  all  men  are  clearly  proved  to  have 
been  implicated  in  it.  Wherefore  Solomon,  in  his  Ecclesiastes, 
after  having  enumerated  those  pursuits  in  which  men  consider 
themselves  as  displaying  superior  wisdom,  concludes  with  pro- 
nouncing them  to  be  vain  and  frivolous. 

XIII.  Yet  its  attempts  are  not  always  so  fruitless,  but  that 
it  makes  some  discoveries,  particularly  when  it  applies  itself  to 
inferior  things.  Nor  is  it  so  stupid,  as  to  be  without  some 
slender  notion  also  of  superior  ones,  however  negligently  it 
attends  to  the  investigation  of  them  ; but  it  possesses  not  an 
equal  ability  for  both.  For  it  is  when  it  goes  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  present  life,  that  it  is  chiefly  convinced  of  its  own 
imbecility.  Wherefore,  that  we  may  better  perceive  how  far  it 
proceeds  in  every  case  according  to  the  degrees  of  its  ability, 
it  Avill  be  useful  for  us  to  propose  the  following  distinction  ; 
that  there  is  one  understanding  for  terrestrial  things,  and  another 
for  celestial  ones.  I call  those  things  terrestrial  which  do  not 
pertain  to  God  and  his  kingdom,  to  true  righteousness,  or  to 
the  blessedness  of  a future  life  ; but  which  relate  entirely  to 
the  present  life,  and  are  in  some  sense  confined  within  the 
limits  of  it.  Celestial  things  are  the  pure  knowledge  of  God, 
the  method  of  true  righteousness,  and  the  mysteries  of  the 
heavenly  kingdom.  In  the  first  class  are  included  civil  polity, 
domestic  economy,  all  the  mechanical  arts  and  liberal  sciences  ; 
in  the  second,  the  knowledge  of  God  and  of  the  Divine  will, 
and  the  rule  for  conformity  to  it  in  our  lives.  Now,  in  regard 
to  the  first  class,  it  must  be  confessed,  that  as  man  is  naturally 
a creature  inclined  to  society,  he  has  also  by  nature  an  in- 
stinctive propensity  to  cherish  and  preserve  that  society ; and 
therefore  we  perceive  in  the  minds  of  all  men  general  impres- 
sions of  civil  probity  and  order.  Hence  it  is  that  not  a person 
can  be  found  who  does  not  understand,  that  all  associations  of 
men  ought  to  be  governed  by  laws,  or  who  does  not  conceive 
in  his  mind  the  principles  of  those  laws.  Hence  that  perpetual 
consent  of  all  nations,  as  well  as  all  individuals,  to  the  laws, 
because  the  seeds  of  them  are  innate  in  all  mankind,  without 
any  instructor  or  legislator.  I regard  not  the  dissensions  and 
contests  which  afterwards  arise,  while  some  desire  to  invert  all 
justice  and  propriety,  to  break  down  the  barriers  of  the  laws, 
and  to  substitute  mere  cupidity  in  the  room  of  justice,  as  is 
the  case  with  thieves  and  robbers.  Others  — which  is  a fault 
more  common  — think  that  unjust  which  legislators  have  sane- 


246  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

tioned  as  just  ; and,  on  the  contrary,  pronounce  that  to  be 
laudable  which  they  have  forbidden.  For  the  former  of  these 
hate  not  the  laws  from  an  ignorance  that  they  are  good  and 
sacred  ; but,  inflamed  with  the  violence  of  their  passions,  ma- 
nifestly contend  against  reason,  and  under  the  influence  of  their 
lawless  desires,  execrate  that  which  their  judgments  approve. 
The  controversy  of  the  latter  of  these  is  by  no  means  repug- 
nant to  that  original  idea  of  equity  which  we  have  mentioned  ; 
for  when  men  dispute  with  each  other  on  the  comparative 
merits  of  different  laws,  it  implies  their  consent  to  some  ge- 
neral rule  of  equity.  This  clearly  argues  the  debility  of  the 
human  mind,  which  halts  and  staggers  even  when  it  appears 
to  follow  the  right  way.  Yet  it  is  certainly  true,  that  some 
seeds  of  political  order  are  sown  in  the  minds  of  all.  And 
this  is  a powerful  argument,  that  in  the  constitution  of  this  life 
no  man  is  destitute  of  the  light  of  reason. 

XIV.  Next  follow  the  arts,  both  liberal  and  manual ; for 
learning  which,  as  there  is  in  all  of  us  a certain  aptitude,  they 
also  discover  the  strength  of  human  ingenuity.  But  though 
all  men  are  not  capable  of  learning  every  art,  yet  it  is  a very 
suflicient  proof  of  the  common  energy,  that  scarcely  an  indi- 
vidual can  be  found,  whose  sagacity  does  not  exert  itself  in 
some  particular  art.  Nor  have  they  an  energy  and  facility 
only  in  learning,  but  also  in  inventing  something  new  in  every 
art,  or  in  amplifying  and  improving  what  they  have  learned 
from  their  predecessors.  Though  this  excited  Plato  errone- 
ously to  assert  that  such  an  apprehension  is  only  a recollection 
of  what  the  soul  knew  in  its  preexistent  state,  before  it  came 
into  the  body,  it  constrains  us,  by  the  most  cogent  reasons,  to 
acknowledge  that  the  principle  of  it  is  innate  in  the  human 
mind.  These  instances,  therefore,  plainly  prove,  that  men  are 
endued  with  a general  apprehension  of  reason  and  understand- 
ing. Yet  it  is  such  a universal  blessing,  that  every  one  for 
himself  ought  to  acknowledge  it  as  the  peculiar  favour  of  God. 
To  this  gratitude  the  Author  of  nature  himself  abundantly  ex- 
cites us,  by  his  creation  of  idiots,  in  whom  he  represents  the 
state  of  the  human  soul  without  his  illumination,  which, 
though  natural  to  all,  is  nevertheless  a gratuitous  gift  of  his 
beneficence  towards  every  individual.  But  the  invention  and 
methodical  teaching  of  these  arts,  and  the  more  intimate  and 
excellent  knowledge  of  them,  which  is  peculiar  to  a few,  are  no 
solid  argument  of  general  perspicacity ; yet,  belonging  to  both 
the  pious  and  the  impious,  they  are  justly  numbered  among  the 
natural  talents. 

XV.  Whenever,  therefore,  we  meet  with  heathen  writers,  let 
us  learn  from  that  light  of  truth  which  is  admirably  displayed 
in  their  works,  that  the  human  mind,  fallen  as  it  is,  and  cor- 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


247 


CHAP.  II.] 

nipted  from  its  integrity,  is  yet  invested  and  adorned  by  God  with 
excellent  talents.  If  we  believe  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  the 
only  fountain  of  truth,  we  shall  neither  reject  nor  despise  the 
truth  itself,  wherever  it  shall  appear,  unless  we  wish  to  insult 
the  Spirit  of  God  ; for  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  cannot  be  under- 
valued without  offering  contempt  and  reproach  to  the  Spirit 
himself.  Now,  shall  we  deny  the  light  of  truth  to  the  ancient 
lawyers,  who  have  delivered  such  just  principles  of  civil  order 
and  polity  ? Shall  we  say  that  the  philosophers  were  blind  in 
their  exquisite  contemplation  and  in  their  scientific  description 
of  nature  ? Shall  we  say  that  those,  who  by  the  art  of  logic 
have  taught  us  to  speak  in  a manner  consistent  with  reason, 
were  destitute  of  understanding  themselves?  Shall  we  accuse 
those  of  insanity,  who  by  the  study  of  medicine  have  been 
exercising  their  industry  for  our  advantage  ? What  shall  we 
say  of  all  the  mathematics  ? Shall  we  esteem  them  the  deliri- 
ous ravings  of  madmen  ? On  the  contrary,  we  shall  not  be 
able  even  to  read  the  writings  of  the  ancients  on  these  subjects 
without  great  admiration  ; we  shall  admire  them,  because  we 
shall  be  constrained  to  acknowledge  them  to  be  truly  excellent. 
And  shall  we  esteem  any  thing  laudable  or  excellent,  which 
we  do  not  recognize  as  proceeding  from  God  ? Let  us,  then,  be 
ashamed  of  such  great  ingratitude,  which  was  not  to  be  charged 
on  the  heathen  poets,  who  confessed  that  philosophy,  and  le- 
gislation, and  useful  arts,  were  the  inventions  of  their  gods. 
Therefore,  since  it  appears  that  those  whom  the  Scripture 
styles  “ natural  men,”  4'^x^^ovs,  have  discovered  such  acuteness 
and  perspicacity  in  the  investigation  of  sublunary  things,  let  us 
learn  from  such  examples,  how  many  good  qualities  the  Lord 
has  left  to  the  nature  of  man,  since  it  has  been  despoiled  of 
what  is  truly  good. 

XYI.  Yet  let  us  not  forget  that  these  are  most  excellent  gifts 
of  the  Divine  Spirit,  which  for  the  common  benefit  of  mankind 
he  dispenses  to  whomsoever  he  pleases.  For  if  it  was  neces- 
sary that  the  Spirit  of  God  should  infuse  into  Bezaleel  and 
Aholiab  the  understanding  and  skill  requisite  for  the  construc- 
tion of  the  tabernacle,  (a)  we  need  not  wonder  if  the  know- 
ledge of  those  things,  which  are  most  excellent  in  human  life, 
is  said  to  be  communicated  to  us  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Nor 
is  there  any  reason  for  inquiring,  what  intercourse  with  the 
Spirit  is  enjoyed  by  the  impious  who  are  entirely  alienated 
from  God.  For  when  the  Spirit  of  God  is  said  to  dwell  .mly 
in  the  faithful,  that  is  to  be  understood  of  the  Spirit  of  sancti- 
fication, by  whom  we  are  consecrated  as  temples  to  God  him- 
self. Yet  it  is  equally  by  the  energy  of  the  same  Spirit,  that 


(a)  Exod.  xxxi.  2 — 11 ; xxxv.  30 — 35 


248  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

God  replenishes,  actuates,  and  quickens  all  creatures,  and  that, 
according  to  the  property  of  each  species  which  he  has  given 
it  by  the  law  of  creation.  Now,  if  it  has  pleased  the  Lord 
that  we  should  be  assisted  in  physics,  logic,  mathematics,  and 
other  arts  and  sciences,  by  the  labour  and  ministry  of  the  im- 
pious, let  us  make  use  of  them  ; lest,  if  we  neglect  to  use  the 
blessings  therein  freely  offered  to  us  by  God,  we  suffer  the  just 
punishment  of  our  negligence.  But,  lest  any  one  should  sup- 
pose a man  to  be  truly  happy,  when  he  is  admitted  to  possess 
such  powerful  energies  for  the  discovery  of  truth  relating  to 
the  elements  of  this  world,  it  must  likewise  be  added,  that  all 
that  faculty  of  understanding,  and  the  understanding  which  is 
the  consequence  of  it,  is,  in  the  sight  of  God,  a fleeting  and 
transitory  thing,  where  there  is  not  a solid  foundation  of  truth. 
For  the  sentiment  of  Augustine,  with  whom,  as  we  have  ob- 
served, the  Master  of  the  Sentences  and  the  Schoolmen  have 
been  constrained  to  coincide,  is  strictly  true  — that  as  the  gra- 
tuitous or  supernatural  gifts  were  taken  away  from  man  after 
the  fall,  so  these  natural  ones  which  remained  have  been  cor- 
rupted ; not  that  they  can  be  defiled  in  themselves  as  proceed- 
ing from  God,  but  because  they  have  ceased  to  be  pure  to  pol- 
luted man,  so  that  he  can  obtain  no  praise  from  them. 

XVII.  Let  us  conclude,  therefore,  that  it  is  evident  in  all 
mankind,  that  reason  is  a peculiar  property  of  our  nature,  which 
distinguishes  us  from  the  brute  animals,  as  sense  constitutes 
the  difference  between  them  and  things  inanimate.  For 
whereas  some  are  born  fools  and  idiots,  that  defect  obscures 
not  the  general  goodness  of  God.  Such  a spectacle  should 
rather  teach  us  that  what  we  retain  ought  justly  to  be  ascribed 
to  his  indulgence  ; because,  had  it  not  been  for  his  mercy  to  us, 
our  defection  would  have  been  followed  by  the  total  destruction 
of  our  nature.  But  whereas  some  excel  in  penetration,  others 
possess  superior  judgment,  and  others  have  a greater  aptitude 
to  learn  this  or  that  art,  in  this  variety  God  displays  his  good- 
ness to  us,  that  no  one  may  arrogate  to  himself  as  his  own 
what  proceeds  merely  from  the  Divine  liberality.  For  whence 
is  it  that  one  is  more  excellent  than  another,  unless  it  be  to 
exalt  in  our  common  nature  the  special  goodness  of  God,  which 
in  the  preterition  of  many,  proclaims  that  it  is  under  an  obliga- 
tion to  none  ? Moreover,  God  inspires  particular  motions  ac- 
cording to  the  vocation  of  each  individual ; of  which  many 
examples  occur  in  the  book  of  the  Judges,  where  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  said  to  come  upon  ” those  whom  he  called  to  govern 
the  people,  (b)  Finally,  in  all  important  actions  there  is  a spe- 
cial instinct ; for  which  reason  it  is  said  that  Saul  was  followed 


(h)  Judges  vi.  34;  xv.  14. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


249 


CHAP.  II.] 

by  valiant  men,  whose  hearts  God  had  touched.”  (c)  And 
Samuel,  when  he  predicts  his  inauguration  into  the  kingdom, 
thus  expresses  himself:  “The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  come 
upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  turned  into  another  man.”  (d) 
And  this  is  extended  to  the  whole  course  of  his  government ; 
as  it  is  afterwards  narrated  concerning  David,  that  “the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  came  upon  him  from  that  day  forward.”  (e)  But 
the  same  expression  is  used  in  other  places  in  reference  to  par- 
ticular impulses.  Even  in  Homer,  men  are  said  to  excel  in 
abilities,  not  only  as  Jupiter  has  distributed  to  every  one,  but 
according  as  he  guides  him  from  day  to  day.  And  experience 
clearly  shows,  since  the  most  ingenious  and  sagacious  of  man- 
kind frequently  stand  still  in  profound  astonishment,  that  the 
minds  of  men  are  subject  to  the  power  and  will  of  God  to 
govern  them  every  moment ; for  which  reason  it  is  said,  that 
“ he  taketh  away  the  heart  of  the  chief  people  of  the  earth, 
and  causeth  them  to  wander  in  a wilderness  where  there  is  no 
way.”  (/)  Yet  in  this  diversity  we  perceive  some  remaining 
marks  of  the  Divine  image,  which  distinguish  the  human  race 
in  general  from  all  the  other  creatures. 

XVIII.  We  now  proceed  to  show  what  human  reason  can 
discover,  when  it  comes  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  that 
spiritual  wisdom,  which  consists  chiefly  in  three  things  — to 
know  God,  his  paternal  favour  towards  us,  on  which  depends 
our  salvation,  and  the  method  of  regulating  our  lives  according 
to  the  rule  of  the  law.  In  the  two  first  points,  but  especially 
in  the  second,  the  most  sagacious  of  mankind  are  blinder  than 
moles.  I do  not  deny  that  some  judicious  and  apposite  obser- 
* vations  concerning  God  may  be  found  scattered  in  the  writings 
of  the  philosophers ; but  they  always  betray  a confused  ima- 
gination. The  Lord  aiforded  them,  as  we  have  before  observecl, 
some  slight  sense  of  his  Divinity,  that  they  might  not  be  able 
to  plead  ignorance  as  an  excuse  for  impiety,  and  sometimes 
impelled  them  to  utter  things,  by  the  confession  of  which  they 
might  themselves  be  convinced.  But  they  saw  the  objects 
presented  to  their  view  in  such  a manner,  that  by  the  sight 
they  were  not  even  directed  to  the  truth,  much  less  did  they 
arrive  at  it ; just  as  a man,  who  is  travelling  by  night  across  a 
field,  sees  the  coruscations  of  lightning  extending  for  a moment 
far  and  wide,  but  with  such  an  evanescent  view,  that  so  far 
from  being  assisted  by  them  in  proceeding  on  his  journey,  he 
is  re-absorbed  in  the  darkness  of  the  night  before  he  can  ad- 
vance a single  step.  Besides,  those  few  truths,  with  which 
they,  as  it  were,  fortuitously  besprinkle  their  books,  with  what 
numerous  and  monstrous  falsehoods  are  they  defiled  ! Lastly, 

(c)  1 Sam.  X.  26. 

(d)  1 Sam.  X.  6. 

VOL.  I.  32 


(e)  1 Sam.  xvi.  1.3. 

(/)  Job  xii.  24.  Fsalm  evil.  40. 


250  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

they  never  had  the  smallest  idea  of  that  certainty  of  the  Divine 
benevolence  towards  ns,  without  which  the  human  understand- 
ing must  necessarily  be  full  of  immense  confusion.  Human 
reason,  then,  neither  approaches,  nor  tends,  nor  directs  its  views 
towards  this  truth,  to  understand  who  is  the  true  God,  or  in 
what  character  he  will  manifest  himself  to  us. 

XIX.  But  because,  from  our  being  intoxicated  with  a false 
opinion  of  our  own  perspicacity,  we  do  not  without  great  diffi- 
culty sulFer  ourselves  to  be  persuaded,  that  in  Divine  things 
our  reason  is  totally  blind  and  stupid,  it  will  be  better,  I think, 
to  confirm  it  by  testimonies  of  Scripture,  than  to  support  it  by 
arguments.  This  is  beautifully  taught  by  John,  in  that  pas- 
sage which  I lately  cited,  where  he  says  that,  from  the  begin- 
ning, ‘‘  in  God  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men. 
And  the  light  shineth  in  darkness ; and  the  darkness  compre- 
hended it  not.”  (g-)  He  indicates,  indeed,  that  the  soul  of  man 
is  irradiated  with  a beam  of  Divine  light,  so  that  it  is  never 
wholly  destitute  either  of  some  little  flame,  or  at  least  of  a 
spark  of  it ; but  he  likewise  suggests  that  it  cannot  compre- 
hend God  by  that  illumination.  And  this  because  all  his  sa- 
gacity, as  far  as  respects  the  knowledge  of  God,  is  mere  blind- 
ness. For  when  the  Spirit  calls  men  ‘‘darkness/’  he  at  once 
totally  despoils  them  of  the  faculty  of  spiritual  understanding. 
Wherefore  he  asserts  that  believers,  who  receive  Christ,  are 
“ born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the 
will  of  man,  but  of  God  ; ” (h)  as  though  he  had  said  that 
the  flesh  is  not  capable  of  such  sublime  wisdom  as  to  conceive 
of  God  and  Divine  things,  without  being  illuminated  by  the 
Spirit  of  God ; as  Christ  testified  that  his  being  known  by  • 
Peter  was  owing  to  a special  revelation  of  the  Father.  (^) 

XX.  If  we  were  firmly  persuaded  of  what,  indeed,  ought  not 
to  be  questioned,  that  our  nature  is  destitute  of  all  those  things 
which  our  heavenly  Father  confers  on  his  elect  through  the 
Spirit  of  regeneration,  here  would  be  no  cause  of  hesitation. 
For  this  is  the  language  of  the  faithful  by  the  mouth  of  the 
Prophet : “ With  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life  ; in  thy  light  we 
shall  see  light.”  (k)  The  Apostle  confirms  the  same,  when  he 
says  that  “no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.”  (/)  And  John  the  Baptist,  perceiving  the  stupidity  of 
his  disciples,  exclaims,  that  “ a man  can  receive  nothing  except 
it  be  given  him  from  above.”  (??i)  That  by  “ gift  ” he  intends 
a special  illumination,  not  a common  faculty  of  nature,  is  evi- 
dent from  the  complaint  which  he  makes  of  the  inefficacy  of 
the  many  discourses  in  which  he  had  recommended  Christ  to 
liis  disciples.  “ I see  that  words  are  unavailing  to  instruct  the 

(«•)  John  i.  4.  (0  Matt.  xvi.  17.  (/)  1 Cor.  xii.  3 

(7i)  John  i.  13.  (A)  Psalm  xxxvi.  9.  (m)  John  iii.  27. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  251 

minds  of  men  in  Divine  things,  unless  God  give  them  under- 
standing hy  his  Spirit.”  And  Moses  also,  when  he  reproaches 
the  people  for  their  forgetfulness,  yet  at  the  same  time  remarks, 
that  they  cannot  be  wise  in  the  mysteries  of  God  but  by  the 
Divine  favour.  He  says,  “ Thine  eyes  have  seen  the  signs  and 
those  great  miracles ; yet  the  Lord  hath  not  given  you  a heart 
to  perceive,  and  eyes  to  see,  and  ears  to  hear.”  (71)  What  more 
would  he  express,  if  he  had  called  them  blockheads,  destitute 
of  all  understanding  in  the  consideration  of  the  works  of  God  ? 
Whence  the  Lord,  by  the  Prophet,  promises,  as  an  instance  of 
peculiar  grace,  that  he  will  give  the  Israelites  ‘‘a  heart  to 
knov/ ” him;  (0)  plainly  suggesting  that  the  mind  of  man  has 
no  spiritual  wisdom  any  further  than  as  it  is  enlightened  by  him. 
Christ  also  has  clearly  confirmed  this  by  his  own  declaration, 
that  no  man  can  come  to  him,  except  the  Father  draw  him.  (p) 
What ! is  he  not  himself  the  lively  image  of  the  Father,  repre- 
senting to  us  all  the  brightness  of  his  glory  ” ? (^)  Therefore, 
he  could  not  better  manifest  the  extent  of  our  capacity  for  the 
knowledge  of  God,  than  when  he  affirms  that  we  have  no 
eyes  to  behold  his  image  where  it  is  so  plainly  exhibited. 
What!  did  he  not  descend  to  the  earth  in  order  to  discover  to 
men  the  will  of  the  Father  ? And  did  he  not  faithfully  fulfil 
the  object  of  his  mission  ? He  certainly  did  ; but  his  preach- 
ing is  not  at  all  efficacious,  unless  the  way  to  the  heart  be  laid 
open  by  the  internal  teaching  of  the  Spirit.  Therefore,  none 
come  to  him  but  they  who  have  heard  and  learned  of  the 
Father.  What  is  the  nature  of  this  hearing  and  learning  ? It 
is  when  the  Spirit,  by  a wonderful  and  peculiar  power,  forms 
the  ears  to  hear  and  the  mind  to  understand.  And  lest  this 
should  appear  strange,  he  cites  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  where, 
predicting  the  restoration  of  the  Church,  he  says,  that  all  those 
who  shall  be  saved  “shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord.”  If  God 
there  predicts  something  peculiar  concerning  his  elect,  it  is 
evident  that  he  speaks  not  of  that  kind  of  instruction  which 
is  common  also  to  the  impious  and  profane.  It  must  be  con- 
cluded, therefore,  that  there  is  no  admission  into  the  kingdom 
of  God,  but  for  him  whose  mind  has  been  renewed  by  the 
illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  Paul  expresses  himself 
more  clearly  than  all  the  others.  Having  professedly  entered 
upon  this  argument,  after  he  has  condemned  all  human  wis- 
dom as  folly  and  vanity,  and  even  reduced  it  to  nothing, 
he  comes  to  this  conclusion  : “ The  natural  man  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ; for  they  are  foolishness 
unto  him  ; neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spirit- 
ually discerned.”  (r)  Whom  does  he  call  the  natural  man? 

(n)  Deut.  xxix.  3,  4.  (0)  Jer.  xxiv.  7.  (/>)  John  vi.  44. 

(fj)  Heb.  i.  3.  (r)  1 Cor.  ii.  14. 


252  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

him  who  depends  on  the  light  of  nature.  He,  I say,  has  no 
apprehension  of  the  mysteries  of  God.  Why  so  ? because  through 
slothfulness  he  neglects  them  ? Nay,  even  his  utmost  en- 
deavours can  avail  nothing,  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned.” This  implies,  that  being  entirely  concealed  from 
human  perspicacity,  they  are  discovered  only  by  the  revelation 
of  the  Spirit ; so  that  where  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit  is 
not  enjoyed,  they  are  deemed  foolishness  itself.  He  had  before 
extolled  ‘^the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him  ” (s)  above  the  capacity  of  our  eyes,  our  ears,  and  our 
minds ; he  had  even  asserted  that  human  wisdom  was  a kind 
of  veil,  by  which  the  mind  is  prevented  from  a discovery  of 
God.  What  do  we  want  more  ? The  Apostle  pronounces  that 
God  hath  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this  world ; ” and 
shall  we  ascribe  to  it  such  a degree  of  sagacity,  as  would  ena- 
ble it  to  penetrate  to  God,  and  to  the  most  secret  recesses 
of  the  heavenly  kingdom  ? Far  be  from  us  such  extreme 
stupidity. 

XXL  That  which  he  here  detracts  from  men,  he  in  another 
place  ascribes  exclusively  to  God.  Praying  for  the  Ephesians, 
he  says,  May  God,  the  Father  of  glory,  give  unto  you  the 
Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation.”  (v)  You  hear  now-  that  all 
wisdom  and  revelation  is  the  gift  of  God.  What  follows  ? 
‘^The  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlightened.”  If  they 
need  a new  revelation,  they  are  certainly  blind  of  themselves. 
It  follows,  that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  your  calling,” 
&c.  He  confesses,  then,  that  the  minds  of  men  are  not  natural- 
ly capable  of  so  great  knowledge,  as  to  know  their  own  calling. 
Nor  let  any  Pelagian  here  object,  that  God  assists  this  stupidity 
or  ignorance,  when,  by  the  teaching  of  his  word,  he  directs  the 
human  understanding  to  that  which,  without  a guide,  it  never 
could  have  attained.  For  David  had  the  law,  in  which  all  desi- 
rable wisdom  was  comprised  : yet,  not  content  with  this,  he  re- 
quested that  his  eyes  might  be  opened  to  consider  the  mysteries  of 
that  law.  (w)  this  expression  he  clearly  signifies,  that  the  sun 
arises  on  the  earth,  where  the  word  of  God  shines  on  mankind  ,* 
but  that  they  derive  little  advantage  from  it,  till  he  himself  either 
gives  them  eyes  or  opens  them,  who  is  therefore  called  the 
Father  of  lights ; ” (a:)  because  wherever  he  shines  not  by  his 
Spirit,  every  thing  is  covered  with  darkness.  Thus  also  the 
Apostles  were  rightly  and  abundantly  taught  by  the  best  of  all 
teachers  : yet,  if  they  had  not  needed  the  Spirit  of  truth  (y)  to 
instruct  their  minds  in  that  very  doctrine  which  they  had  pre- 
viously heard,  they  would  not  have  been  commanded  to  expect 
him.  If,  in  imploring  any  favour  of  God,  we  confess  our  need, 

(s)  l Cor.  ii.  9.  (v)  Eph.  i.  17.  (x)  James  i.  17. 

p)  1 Cor.  i.  20.  («e)  Fsahn  c\ix.  18.  (i/)  John  xvi.  14. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  253 

and  if  his  promising  it  argues  our  poverty,  let  no  man  hesitate 
to  acknowledge,  that  he  is  incapable  of  understanding  the 
mysteries  of  God,  any  further  than  he  has  been  illuminated 
by  Divine  grace.  He  who  attributes  to  himself  more  under- 
standing, is  so  much  the  blinder,  because  he  does  not  perceive 
and  acknowledge  his  blindness. 

XXII.  It  remains  for  us  to  notice  the  third  branch  of  know- 
ledge, relating  to  the  rule  for  the  proper  regulation  of  our  life, 
which  we  truly  denominate  the  knowledge  of  works  of  right- 
eousness ; in  which  the  human  mind  discovers  somewhat 
more  acuteness  than  in  the  two  former  particulars.  For  the 
Apostle  declares,  that  when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not  the 
law,  do  by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these,  having 
not  the  law,  are  a law  unto  themselves ; which  show  the  work 
of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  conscience  also  bear- 
ing witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  mean  while  accusing  or  else 
excusing  one  another.”  (z)  If  the  Gentiles  have  naturally  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  engraven  on  their  minds,  we  certainly 
cannot  say  that  they  are  altogether  ignorant  how  they  ought 
to  live.  And  no  sentiment  is  more  commonly  admitted,  than 
that  man  is  sufficiently  instructed  in  a right  rule  of  life  by  that 
natjp^-al  law  of  which  the  Apostle  there  speaks.  But  let  us  ex- 
amine for  what  purpose  this  knowledge  of  the  law  was  given 
to  men  ,*  and  then  it  will  appear  how  far  it  can  conduct  them 
towards  the  mark  of  reason  and  truth.  This  is  evident  also 
from  the  words  of  Paul,  if  we  observe  the  connection  of  the 
passage.  He  had  just  before  said,  As  many  as  have  sinned 
without  law,  shall  also  perish  without  law ; and  as  many  as 
have  sinned  in  the  law,  shall  be  judged  by  the  law.”  Because 
it  might  appear  absurd  that  the  Gentiles  should  perish  without 
any  previous  knowledge,  he  immediately  subjoins  that  their 
conscience  supplies  the  place  of  a law  to  them,  and  is  there- 
fore sufficient  for  their  just  condemnation.  The  end  of  the 
law  of  nature,  therefore,  is,  that  man  may  be  rendered  inexcu- 
sable. Nor  will  it  be  improperly  defined  in  this  manner  — That 
it  is  a sentiment  of  the  conscience  sufficiently  discerning  be- 
tween good  and  evil,  to  deprive  men  of  the  pretext  of  ignorance, 
while  they  are  convicted  even  by  their  own  testimony.  Such 
is  the  indulgence  of  man  to  himself,  that  in  the  perpetration  of 
evil  actions  he  always  gladly  diverts  his  mind  as  much  as  he 
possibly  can  from  all'  sense  of  sin ; which  seems  to  have  in- 
duced Plato  to  suppose,  that  no  sin  is  committed  but  through 
ignorance.  This  remark  of  his  would  be  correct,  if  the  hy 
pocrisy  of  men  could  go  so  far  in  the  concealment  of  their 
vices,  as  that  the  mind  would  have  no  consciousness  of  its  guilt 


(z)  Rom.  ii.  14,  15. 


254  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

before  God.  But  since  the  sinner,  though  he  endeavours  to 
evade  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  imprinted  on  his  mind, 
is  frequently  brought  back  to  it,  and  so  is  not  permitted  to  shut 
his  eyes,  but  compelled,  whether  he  will  or  not,  sometimes  to 
open  them,  there  is  no  truth  in  the  assertion,  that  he  sins  only 
through  ignorance. 

XXIII.  Themistius,  another  philosopher,  with  more  truth, 
teaches  that  the  human  understanding  is  very  rarely  deceived 
in  the  universal  definition,  or  in  the  essence  of  a thing  ; but 
that  it  falls  into  error,  when  it  proceeds  further,  and  descends 
to  the  consideration  of  particular  cases.  There  is  no  man, 
who,  if  he  be  interrogated  in  a general  way,  will  not  affirm 
homicide  to  be  criminal ; but  he  who  conspires  the  death  of 
his  enemy,  deliberates  on  it  as  a good  action.  The  adulterer 
will  condemn  adultery  in  general  ; but  will  privately  flatter 
himself  in  his  own.  Here  lies  the  ignorance  — when  a man, 
proceeding  to  a particular  case,  forgets  the  rule  which  he 
had  just  fixed  as  a general  position.  This  Subject  is  very 
excellently  treated  by  Augustine,  in  his  exposition  of  the  first 
verse  of  the  fifty-seventh  Psalm.  The  observation  of  Themis- 
tius, however,  is  not  applicable  to  all  cases  ; for  sometimes  the 
turpitude  of  the  crime  so  oppresses  the  conscience  of  th||^in- 
ner,  that,  no  longer  imposing  on  himself  under  the  false  image 
of  virtue,  he  rushes  into  evil  with  the  knowledge  of  his  mind 
and  the  consent  of  his  will.  This  state  of  mind  produced  these 
expressions,  which  we  find  in  a heathen  poet : “ I see  the  bet- 
ter path,  and  approve  it  ; I pursue  the  worse.”  Wherefore  the 
distinction  of  Aristotle  between  incontinence  and  intemperance 
appears  to  me  to  be  highly  judicious.  Where  incontinence 
predominates,  he  says,  that  by  the  perturbation  of  the  affections 
or  passions,  the  mind  is  deprived  of  particular  knowledge,  so 
that  in  its  own  evil  actions  it  observes  not  that  criminality 
which  it  generally  discovers  in  similar  actions  committed  by 
other  persons;  and  that  when  the  perturbation  has  subsided, 
penitence  immediately  succeeds ; that  intemperance  is  not  ex- 
tinguished or  broken  by  a sense  of  sin,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
obstinately  persists  in  the  choice  of  evil  which  it  has  made. 

XXIV.  Now,  when  you  hear  of  a universal  judgment  in 
man  to  discriminate  between  good  and  evil,  you  must  not 
imagine  that  it  is  every  where  sound  and  perfect.  For  if  the 
hearts  of  men  be  furnished  with  a capacity  of  discriminating 
what  is  just  and  unjust,  only  that  they  may  not  excuse  them- 
selves with  the  plea  of  ignorance,  it  is  not  at  all  necessary  for 
them  to  discover  the  truth  in  every  point ; it  is  quite  sufficient 
if  they  understand  so  much  that  they  can  avail  themselves  of 
no  subterfuge,  but  being  convicted  by  the  testimony  of  their 
own  conscience,  even  now  begin  to  tremble  at  the  tribunal  of 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  255 

God.  And  if  we  will  examine  our  reason  by  the  Divine  law, 
which  IS  the  rule  of  perfect  righteousness,  we  shall  find  in  how 
many  respects  it  is  blind.  It  certainly  is  far  from  reaching  the 
principal  points  in  the  first  table  ; such  as  relate  to  trust  in 
God,  ascribing  to  him  the  praise  of  goodness  and  righteousness, 
the  invocation  of  his  name,  and  the  true  observation  of  the 
Sabbath.  What  mind,  relying  on  its  natural  powers,  ever 
imagined  that  the  legitimate  worship  of  God  consisted  in  these 
and  similar  things  ? For  when  profane  men  intend  to  worship 
God,  though  they  are  recalled  a hundred  times  from  their  vain 
and  nugatory  fancies,  yet  they  are  always  relapsing  into  them 
again.  They  deny  that  sacrifices  are  pleasing  to  God,  unac- 
companied with  sincerity  of  heart ; thereby  testifying  that 
they  have  some  ideas  concerning  the  spiritual  worship  of  God, 
which,  nevertheless,  they  immediately  corrupt  by  their  false  in- 
ventions. For  it  is  impossible  ever  to  persuade  them  that 
every  thing  is  true  which  the  law  prescribes  concerning  it. 
Shall  I say  that  the  mind  of  man  excels  in  discernment,  which 
can  neither  understand  of  itself,  nor  hearken  to  good  instruc- 
tions ? Of  the  precepts  of  the  second  table  it  has  a little 
clearer  understanding,  since  they  are  more  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  preservation  of  civil  society  among  men. 
Though  even  here  it  is  sometimes  found  to  be  deficient ; 
for  to  every  noble  mind  it  appears  very  absurd  to  submit  to  an 
unjust  and  imperious  despotism,  if  it  be  possible  by  any  means 
to  resist  it.  A uniform  decision  of  human  reason  is,  that  it 
is  the  mark  of  a servile  and  abject  disposition  patiently  to  bear 
it,  and  of  an  honest  and  ingenuous  mind  to  shake  it  olf.  Nor 
is  the  revenging  of  injuries  esteemed  a vice  among  the  phi- 
losophers. But  the  Lord,  condemning  such  excessive  haughti- 
ness of  mind,  prescribes  to  his  people  that  patience  which  is 
deemed  dishonourable  among  men.  But  in  the  universal  ob- 
servation of  the  law,  the  censure  of  concupiscence  wholly 
escapes  our  notice.  For  the  natural  man  cannot  be  brought 
to  acknowledge  the  disorders  of  his  inward  affections.  The 
light  of  nature  is  smothered,  before  it  approaches  the  first  en- 
trance of  this  abyss.  For  when  the  philosophers  represent  the 
inordinate  affections  of  the  mind  as  vices,  they  intend  those 
which  appear  and  manifest  themselves  in  the  grosser  external 
actions  ; but  those  corrupt  desires  which  more  secretly  stimu- 
late the  mind,  they  consider  as  nothing. 

XXV.  Wherefore,  as  Plato  has  before  been  deservedly  cen- 
sured for  imputing  all  sins  to  ignorance,  so  also  we  must  reject 
the  opinion  of  those  who  maintain  that  all  sins  proceed  from 
deliberate  malice  and  pravity.  For  we  too  much  experience  how 
frequently  we  fall  into  error  even  when  our  intention  is  ^good. 
Our  reason  is  overwhelmed  with  deceptions  in  so  many  forms, 


256  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

is  obnoxious  to  so  many  errors,  stumbles  at  so  many  impedi- 
ments, and  is  embarrassed  in  so  many  difficulties,  that  it  is 
very  far  from  being  a certain  guide.  Paul  shows  its  deficiency 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  in  every  part  of  our  life,  when  he  de- 
nies ‘‘  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as 
of  ourselves.”  (a)  He  does  not  speak  of  the  will  or  of  the 
alfections,  but  he  also  divests  us  of  every  good  thought,  that 
we  may  not  suppose  it  possible  for  our  minds  to  conceive  how 
any  action  may  be  rightly  performed.  Are  all  our  industry, 
perspicacity,  understanding,  and  care  so  depraved,  that  we 
cannot  conceive  or  meditate  any  thing  that  is  right  in  the  sight 
of  God  ? To  us,  who  do  not  contentedly  submit  to  be  stripped 
of  the  acuteness  of  our  reason,  which  we  esteem  our  most 
valuable  endowment,  this  appears  too  harsh ; but  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  knows  that  all  the  thoughts 
of  the  wisest  of  men  are  vain,  (b)  and  who  plainly  pronounces 
every  imagination  of  the  human  heart  to  be  only  evil,  (c)  such 
a representation  is  consistent  with  the  strictest  truth.  If  what- 
ever our  mind  conceives,  agitates,  undertakes,  and  performs, 
be  invariably  evil,  how  can  we  entertain  a thought  of  under- 
taking any  thing  acceptable  to  God,  by  whom  nothing  is  ac- 
cepted but  holiness  and  righteousness  ? Thus  it  is  evident 
that  the  reason  of  our  mind,  whithersoever  it  turns,  is  un- 
happily obnoxious  to  vanity.  David  was  conscious  to  him- 
self of  this  imbecility,  when  he  prayed  that  understanding 
might  be  given  him,  to  enable  him  rightly  to  learn  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord,  (d)  For  his  desire  to  obtain  a 
new  understanding  implies  the  total  insufficiency  of  his 
own.  And  this  he  does  not  once,  but  almost  ten  times  in 
one  Psalm  he  repeats  the  same  petition  — a repetition  in- 
dicating the  greatness  of  the  necessity  which  urges  him 
thus  to  pray.  What  David  requests  for  himself  alone, 
Paul  frequently  supplicates  for  the  churches  at  large.  We 
do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,”  says  he,  “ and  to  desire,  that 
ye  might  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his  will  in  all  wis- 
dom and  spiritual  understanding ; that  ye  might  walk  worthy 
of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing.”  (e)  Whenever  he  represents 
that  as  a blessing  of  God,  we  should  remember  that  he  thereby 
testifies  it  to  be  placed  beyond  the  ability  of  man.  Augustine 
so  far  acknowledges  this  defect  of  reason  in  understanding  the 
things  of  God,  that  he  thinks  the  grace  of  illumination  no  less 
necessary  to  our  minds  than  the  light  of  the  sun  to  our  eyes. 
And  not  content  with  this,  he  subjoins  the  following  correc- 
tion— that  we  ourselves  open  our  eyes  to  behold  the  light,  but 
that  the  eyes  of  our  minds  remain  shut,  unless  they  are  opened 

(a)  2 Cor.  iii.  5.  (/;)  Psalm  xciv.  11.  (c)  Gen.  vi.  5;  viii.  21. 

(d)  Psalm  cxix.  34.  (c)  Col.  i.  9.  Phil.  i.  4. 


CHAP.  II.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


257 


by  the  Lord.  Nor  does  the  Scripture  teach  us  that  our  minds 
are  illuminated  only  on  one  day,  so  as  to  enable  them  to  see 
afterwards  without  further  assistance ; for  the  passage  just 
quoted  from  Paul(/)  relates  to  continual  advances  and  im- 
provements. And  this  is  clearly  expressed  by  David  in  these 
words : “ With  my  whole  heart  have  I sought  thee  : O let  me 
not  wander  from  thy  commandments.”  For  after  having  been 
regenerated,  and  made  a more  than  common  progress  in  true 
piety,  he  still  confesses  his  need  of  perpetual  direction  every 
moment,  lest  he  should  decline  from  that  knowledge  which 
he  possessed.  Therefore,  in  another  place,  he  prays  for  the 
renewal  of  a right  spirit,  which  he  had  lost  by  his  sin ; (g) 
because  it  belongs  to  the  same  God  to  .restore  that  which  he 
originally  bestowed,  but  of  which  we  have  been  for  a time 
deprived. 

XXVI.  We  must  now  proceed  to  the  examination  of  the 
will,  to  which  principally  belongs  the  liberty  of  choice  ; for  we 
have  before  seen  that  election  belongs  rather  to  the  will  than 
to  the  understanding.  In  the  first  place,  that  the  opinion  ad- 
vanced by  philosophers,  and  received  by  general  consent,  that 
all  things,  by  a natural  instinct,  desire  what  is  good,  may  not 
be  supposed  to  prove  the  rectitude  of  the  human  will,  let  us 
observe,  that  the  power  of  free  choice  is  not  to  be  contemplated 
in  that  kind  of  appetite,  which  proceeds  rather  from  the  in- 
clination of  the  nature  than  from  the  deliberation  of  the  mind. 
For  even  the  schoolmen  confess  that  there  is  no  action  of  free 
choice,  but  when  reason  sees  and  considers  the  rival  objects 
presented  to  it ; meaning  that  the  object  of  appetite  must  be 
such  as  is  the  subject  of  choice,  and  that  deliberation  precedes 
and  introduces  choice.  And  in  fact,  if  you  examine  the  desire 
of  good  which  is  natural  to  man,  you  will  find  that  he  has  it 
in  common  with  the  brutes.  For  they  also  desire  to  be  happy, 
and  pursue  every  agreeable  appearance  which  attracts  their 
senses.  But  man  neither  rationally  chooses  as  the  object  of 
his  pursuit  that  which  is  truly  good  for  him,  according  to  the 
excellency  of  his  immortal  nature,  nor  takes  the  advice  of 
reason,  nor  duly  exerts  his  understanding;  but  withcut 
reason,  without  reflection,  follows  his  natural  inclination,  like 
the  herds  of  the  field.  It  is  therefore  no  argument  for  the 
liberty  of  the  will,  that  man  is  led  by  natural  instinct  to  desire 
that  which  is  good  ; but  it  is  necessary  that  he  discern  what 
is  good  according  to  right  reason  ; that  as  soon  as  he  knows  it, 
he  choose  it  ; and  as  soon  as  he  has  chosen  it,  he  pursue  it. 
To  remove  every  difficulty,  we  must  advert  to  two  instances 
of  false  argumentation.  For  the  desire  here  intended  is  not  a 


VOL.  I. 


(/)  Col.  i.  9. 

33 


(^)  Psalm  li.  10. 


258 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  11 

proper  motion  of  the  will,  but  a natural  inclination  ; and  the 
good  in  question  relates  not  to  virtue  or  righteousness,  but  to 
condition  ; as  when  we  say  a man  is  well  or  in  good  health. 
Lastly,  though  man  has  the  strongest  desire  after  what  is  good, 
yet  he  does  not  pursue  it.  There  is  no  man  to  whom  eternal 
felicity  is  unwelcome,  yet  no  man  aspires  to  it  without  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit.  Since,  therefore,  the  desire  of  happi- 
ness natural  to  man  furnishes  no  argument  for  the  liberty  of 
the  will,  any  more  than  a tendency  in  metals  and  stones 
towards  the  perfection  of  their  nature  argues  liberty  in  them, 
let  us  consider,  in  some  other  particulars,  whether  the  will  be 
in  every  part  so  entirely  vitiated  and  depraved  that  it  can 
produce  nothing  but  what  is  evil ; or  whether  it  retain  any 
small  part  uninjured  which  may  be  the  source  of  good 
desires. 

XXVII.  Those  who  attribute  it  to  the  first  grace  of  God, 
that  we  are  able  to  will  effectually,  seem,  on  the  contrary,  to 
imply  that  the , soul  has  a faculty  of  spontaneously  aspiring  to 
what  is  good,  but  that  it  is  too  weak  to  rise  into  a solid  af- 
fection, or  to  excite  any  endeavour.  And  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  schoolmen  have  in  general  embraced  this  opinion, 
which  was  borrowed  from  Origen  and  some  of  the  fathers, 
since  they  frequently  consider  man  in  things  purely  natural, 
as  they  express  themselves,  according  to  the  description  given 
by  the  Apostle  in  these  words  : The  good  that  I would,  I do 
not ; but  the  evil  which  I would  not,  that  I do.  To  will  is 
present  with  me  ; but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I 
find  not.”  [h)  But  this  is  a miserable  and  complete  perversion 
of  the  argument  which  Paul  is  pursuing  in  that  passage.  For 
he  is  treating  of  the  Christian  conflict,  which  he  more  briefly 
hints  at  to  the  Galatians ; the  conflict  which  the  faithful  per- 
petually experience  within  themselves  in  the  contention 
l3etween  the  flesh  and  the  spirit.  Now,  the  spirit  is  not  from 
nature,  but  from  regeneration.  But  that  the  Apostle  speaks 
concerning  the  regenerate,  is  evident  from  his  assertion, 
that  in  himself  dwelt  nothing  good,  being  immediately  fol- 
lowed by  an  explanation  that  he  meant  it  of  his  flesh.  And 
therefore  he  affirms  that  it  is  not  he  that  does  evil,  but  sin 
that  dwells  in  him.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  correction, 

in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh  ? ” It  is  as  if  he  had  expressed 
himself  in  the  following  manner : No  good  resides  in  me 
originating  from  myself,  for  in  my  flesh  can  be  found  nothing 
that  is  good.  Hence  follows  that  form  of  exculpation  : “ I do 
no  evil,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me  ; ” (?)  which  is  inappli- 
cable to  any  but  the  regenerate,  who,  with  the  prevailing  bias 


(Ji)  Rom.  vii.  18,  19. 


(J)  Rom.  vii.  20. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


259 


CHAP.  II.] 

of  their  souls,  aim  at  what  is  good.  Now,  the  conclusion 
which  is  subjoined  places  all  this  in  a clear  point  of  view  : “ I 
delight,”  says  he,  “ in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  ; 
but  I see  another  law  in  my  members,  warring  against  the  law 
of  my  mind.”  {k)  Who  has  such  a dissension  in  himself,  but 
he  who,  being  regenerated  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  carries  about 
with  him  the  relics  of  his  flesh  ? Therefore  Augustine,  though 
he  had  at  one  time  supposed  that  discourse  to  relate  to  the 
natural  state  of  man,  retracted  his  interpretation,  as  false  and 
inconsistent.  And,  indeed,  if  we  allow  that  men  destitute  of 
grace  have  some  motions  towards  true  goodness,  though  ever 
so  feeble,  what  answer  shall  we  give  to  the  Apostle,  who  de- 
nies that  we  are  suflicient  of  ourselves  to  entertain  even  a good 
thought  ?(/)  What  reply  shall  w^e  make  to  the  Lord,  who 
pronounces,  by  the  mouth  of  Moses,  that  every  imagination  of 
the  human  heart  is  only  evil  ? {m)  Since  they  have  stumbled 
on  a false  interpretation  of  one  passage,  therefore,  there  is  no 
reason  why  we  should  dwell  on  their  opinion.  Rather  let  us 
receive  this  declaration  of  Christ,  “ Whosoever  committeth  sin 
is  the  servant  of  sin.”  (?^)  We  are  all  sinners  by  nature  ; 
therefore  we  are  all  held  under  the  yoke  of  sin.  Now,  if  the 
whole  man  be  subject  to  the  dominion  of  sin,  the  will,  which 
is  the  principal  seat  of  it,  must  necessarily  be  bound  with  the 
firmest  bonds.  Nor  would  there  otherwise  be  any  consistency 
in  the  assertion  of  Paul,  that  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  us  to 
will,”  (o)  if  any  will  preceded  the  grace  of  the  Spirit.  Fare- 
well, then,  all  the  idle  observations  of  many  writers  concerning 
preparation ; for  although  the  faithful  sometimes  petition  that 
their  hearts  may  be  conformed  to  the  Divine  law,  as  David  does 
in  many  places,  (j?)  yet  it  should  be  remarked  that  even  this 
desire  of  praying  originates  from  God.  This  we  may  gather 
from  the  language  of  David;  for  when  he  wishes' a clean  heart 
to  be  created  within  him,  {q)  he  certainly  does  not  arrogate  to 
himself  the  beginning  of  such  a creation.  Let  us  rather,  there- 
fore, attend  to  this  advice  of.  Augustine  : “ God  will  prevent 
you  in  all  things  : do  you  also  sometimes  prevent  his  wrath.” 
How?  ‘‘Confess  that  you  have  all  those  things  from  God ; 
that  whatever  good  you  have,  it  is  from  him  ; but  whatever 
evil,  from  yourself.”  And  a little  after,  “Nothing  is  ours, 
but  sin.” 


(k)  Rom.  vii.  22,  23.  (Z)  2 Cor.  iii.  5.  (m)  Gen.  viii.  21.  (n)  John  viii.  34. 

(o)  Phil.  ii.  13.  (p)  Psalm  cxix.  {q)  Psalm  li.  10. 


260 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 


CHAPTER  III. 

EVERY  THING  THAT  PROCEEDS  FROM  THE  CORRUPT  NATURE  OF 
MAN  WORTHY  OF  CONDEMNATION. 

But  man  cannot  be  better  known  in  either  faculty  of  his 
soul,  than  when  he  is  represented  in  those  characters  by  which 
the  Scripture  has  distinguished  him.  If  he  be  completely  de- 
scribed in  these  words  of  Christ,  That  which  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh,”  (r)  as  it  is  easy  to  prove,  it  is  evident  that  he  is 
a very  miserable  creature.  For,  according  to  the  testimony  of 
the  Apostle,  “to  be  carnally  minded  is  death,  because  the 
carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God ; for  it  is  not  subject  to  the 
law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.”  (s)  Is  the  flesh  so  per- 
verse, that,  with  all  its  affections,  it  entertains  a secret  hatred 
against  God  ? that  it  cannot  consent  to  the  righteousness  of  the 
Divine  law  ? in  a word,  that  it  can  produce  nothing  but  what 
tends  to  death  ? Now,  grant,  that  in  the  nature  of  man  there 
is  nothing  but  flesh,  and  elicit  any  good  from  it,  if  you  can. 
But  the  name  of  flesh,  it  will  be  said,  pertains  only  to  the 
sensual,  and  not  to  the  superior  faculties  of  the  soul.  This  is 
abundantly  refuted  by  the  words  of -Christ  and  of  the  Apostle. 
For  the  argument  of  our  Lord  is,  that  man  must  be  born  again, 
because  he  is  flesh.  He  does  not  teach  a new  birth  in  regard 
to  the  body.  Now,  a new  birth  of  the  soul  requires  not  a cor- 
rection of  some  portion  of  it,  but  an  entire  renovation.  And 
this  is  confirmed  by  the  antithesis  in  both  places ; for  there  is 
such  a comparison  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  that  there 
is  no  medium  left.  Therefore,  every  thing  in  man  that  is  not 
spiritual,  is,  according  to  this  mode  of  reasoning,  denominated 
carnal.  But  we  have  nothing  of  the  spirit,  except  by  regene- 
ration. Whatever,  therefore,  we  have  from  nature  is  carnal. 
But  if  on  that  point  there  could  otherwise  be  any  doubt,  we 
have  it  removed  by  Paul,  when,  after  a description  of  the  old 
man,  which  he  had  asserted  to  be  “ corrupt  according  to  the 
deceitful  lusts,”  (^)  he  directs  us  to  “be  renewed  in  the  spirit 
of  our  mind.”  You  see  that  he  places  unlawful  and  corrupt 
affections  not  only  in  the  sensitive  part,  but  also  in  the  mind 
itself,  and,  therefore,  requires  a renovation  of  it.  And,  indeed, 
he  had  just  before  drawn  such  a picture  of  human  nature,  as 
showed  us  to  be  in  every  part  corrupted  and  depraved.  For 
his  description  of  all  the  Gentiles,  as  “ walking  in  the  vanity 


(r)  John  iii.  6. 


(5)  Rom.  viii.  6,  7. 


(t)  Eph.  iv.  22.  23. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


261 


CHAP.  III.] 

of  their  mind,  having  the  understanding  darkened,  being  alien- 
ated from  the  life  of  God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in 
them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart,”  (v)  is  undoubt- 
edly applicable  to  all  those  whom  the  Lord  has  not  yet  re- 
newed to  the  rectitude  of  his  wisdom  and  righteousness.  This 
is  still  more  evident  from  the  comparison  soon  after  introduced, 
where  he  reminds  the  faithful,  that  they  have  not  so  learned 
Christ.”  For  from  these  words  we  conclude,  that  the  grace 
of  Christ  is  the  only  remedy,  by  which  we  can  be  liberated 
from  that  blindness,  and  from  the  evils  consequent  upon  it. 
And  this  is  what  Isaiah  had  prophesied  concerning  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  when  he  predicted  that  the  Lord  would  be 
‘‘an  everlasting  light”  to  his  Church,  whilst  at  the  same  time 
“ darkness  covered  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people.”  (tv) 
When  he  declares,  that  the  light  of  God  will  only  arise  upon  the 
Church,  beyond  the  limits  of  the  Church  he  certainly  leaves  no- 
thing but  darkness  and  blindness.  I will  not  particularly  recite 
all  the  passages  which  are  to  be  found,  especially  in  the  Psalms 
and  in  the  Prophets,  concerning  the  vanity  of  man.  It  is  a 
striking  observation  of  David,  that  “to  be  laid  in  the  balance, 
they  are  altogether  lighter  than  vanity.”  (:?;)  It  is  a severe 
condemnation  of  his  understanding,  when  all  the  thoughts 
which  proceed  from  it  are  derided  as  foolish,  frivolous,  mad, 
and  perverse. 

II.  Equally  severe  is  the  condemnation  of  the  heart,  when  it 
is  called  “ deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked.”  (^) 
But  as  I study  brevity,  I shall  be  content  with  citing  a single 
passage,  which,  however,  will  resemble  a very  lucid  mirror,  in 
which  we  may  behold  at  full  length  the  image  of  our  nature. 
For  the  Apostle,  when  he  wishes  to  demolish  the  arrogance  of 
mankind,  does  it  by  these  testimonies  : “ There  is  none  right- 
eous, no,  not  one  ; there  is  none  that  understandeth,  there  is 
none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the 
way,  they  are  together  become  unprofitable  ,*  there  is  none 
that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  Their  throat  is  an  open  sepul- 
chre ; with  their  tongues  they  have  used  deceit ; the  poison 
of  asps  is  under  their  lips ; whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and 
bitterness  ; their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood ; destruction  and 
misery  are  in  their  ways ; there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes.”  (z)  In  this  terrible  manner  he  inveighs,  not  against 
particular  individuals,  but  against  all  the  posterity  of  Adam. 
He  does  not  declaim  against  the  depraved  manners  of  one  or 
another  age,  but  accuses  the  perpetual  corruption  of  our  nature. 
For  his  design  in  that  passage  is  not  simply  to  rebuke  men,  in 

(w)  Isaiah  lx.  1,  &c.  (z)  Psalm  Ixii.  9. 

(z)  Ram.  iii.  10 — 18. 


(v)  Ephes.  iv.  17,  18. 

(^)  Jer.  xvii.  9. 


262  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

order  that  they  may  repent,  but  rather  to  teach  us  that  all 
men  are  overwhelmed  with  an  inevitable  calamity,  from  which 
they  can  never  emerge  unless  they  are  extricated  by  the  mercy 
of  God.  As  this  could  not  be  proved  unless  it  were  evinced 
by  the  ruin  and  destruction  of  our  nature,  he  has  adduced  these 
testimonies,  which  demonstrate  our  nature  to  be  totally  ruined. 
Let  this,  then,  be  admitted,  that  men  are  such  as  they  are  here 
described,  not  only  by  corrupt  habits,  but  also  by  a depravity 
of  nature  ; for  otherwise  the  reasoning  of  the  Apostle  could 
not  be  supported,  “ that  there  is  no  salvation  for  man  but  from 
the  mercy  of  God ; since  in  himself  he  is  in  a ruined  and 
desperate  condition.”  Here  I shall  not  attempt  to  establish 
the  application  of  the  testimonies,  to  preclude  the  appearance 
of  their  being  improperly  introduced.  I shall  treat  them  just 
as  if  they  had  been  originally  uttered  by  Paul,  and  not  quoted 
from  the  Prophets.  He  divests  man  first  of  righteousness,  that 
is,  integrity  and  purity,  and  then  of  understanding.  Defect 
of  understanding  is  proved  by  apostasy  from  God,  the  seeking 
of  whom  is  the  first  step  in  the  path  of  wisdom ; but  this  loss 
must  necessarily  befall  those  who  have  revolted  from  God. 
He  adds,  that  all  have  gone  out  of  the  way,  and  are  become 
altogether  corrupt,  that  there  is  not  one  that  does  good. 
Then  he  subjoins  the  flagitious  crimes,  with  which  they,  who 
are  once  abandoned  to  iniquity,  contaminate  all  the  members 
of  their  bodies.  Lastly,  he  declares  them  to  be  destitute  of 
the  fear  of  God,  the  rule  by  which  all  our  steps  ought  to  be 
directed.  If  these  are  the  hereditary  characters  of  mankind, 
in  vain  do  we  seek  in  our  nature  for  any  thing  that  is  good. 
I grant,  indeed,  that  all  these  crimes  are  not  exhibited  in  every 
individual ; yet  it  cannot  be  denied  that  this  monster  lurks  in 
the  hearts  of  all.  For  as  the  body,  which  already  contains 
within  itself  the  cause  and  matter  of  a disease,  although  it  has 
yet  no  sensation  of  pain,  cannot  be  said  to  enjoy  good  health, 
neither  can  the  soul  be  esteemed  healthy,  while  it  is  full  of 
such  moral  maladies ; although  this  similitude  will  not  corre- 
spond in  every  particular ; for  in  the  body,  however  diseased, 
there  remains  the  vigour  of  life  ,*  but  the  soul,  immersed  in 
this  gulf  of  iniquity,  is  not  only  the  subject  of  vices,  but  to- 
tally destitute  of  every  thing  that  is  good. 

HI.  A question,  nearly  the  same  as  we  have  already  an- 
swered, here  presents  itself  to  us  again.  For  in  all  ages  there 
have  been  some  persons,  who,  from  the  mere  dictates  of  nature, 
have  devoted  their  whole  lives  to  the  pursuit  of  virtue.  And 
though  many  errors  might  perhaps  be  discovered  in  their  con- 
duct, yet  by  their  pursuit  of  virtue  they  afforded  a proof,  that 
there  was  some  degree  of  purity  in  their  nature.  The  value 
attached  to  virtues  of  such  a description  before  God,  we  shall 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  263 

more  fully  discuss  when  we  come  to  treat  of  the  merits  of 
works ; yet  it  must  be  stated  also  in  this  place,  so  far  as  is  ne- 
cessary for  the  elucidation  of  the  present  subject.  These  ex- 
amples, then,  seem  to  teach  us  that  we  should  not  consider 
human  nature  to  be  totally  corrupted ; since,  from  its  instinc- 
tive bias,  some  men  have  not  only  been  eminent  for  noble 
actions,  but  have  uniformly  conducted  themselves  in  a most 
virtuous  manner  through  the  whole  course  of  their  lives.  But 
here  vve  ought  to  remember,  that  amidst  this  corruption  of 
nature  there  is  some  room  for  Divine  grace,  not  to  purify  it, 
but  internally  to  restrain  its  operations.  For  should  the  Lord 
permit  the  minds  of  all  men  to  give  up  the  reins  to  every  law- 
less passion,  there  certainly  would  not  be  an  individual  in  the 
world,  whose  actions  would  not  evince  all  the  crimes,  for  which 
Paul  condemns  human  nature  in  general,  to  be  most  truly  ap- 
plicable to  him.  For  can  you  except  yourself  from  the  num- 
ber of  those  whose  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood,  whose  hands 
are  polluted  with  rapine  and  murder,  whose  throats  are  like 
open  sepulchres,  whose  tongues  are  deceitful,  whose  lips  are 
envenomed,  whose  works  are  useless,  iniquitous,  corrupt,  and 
deadly,  whose  souls  are  estranged  from  God,  the  inmost  re- 
cesses of  whose  hearts  are  full  of  pravity,  whose  eyes  are  in- 
sidiously employed,  whose’  minds  are  elated  with  insolence  — 
in  a word,  all  whose  powers  are  prepared  for  the  commission  of 
atrocious  and  innumerable  crimes  ? If  every  soul  be  subject 
to  all  these  monstrous  vices,  as  the  Apostle  fearlessly  pro- 
nounces, we  clearly  see  what  would  be  the  consequence,  if  the 
Lord  should  suffer  the  human  passions  to  go  all  the  lengths  to 
which  they  are  inclined.  There  is  no  furious  beast,  that  would 
be  agitated  with  such  ungovernable  rage ; there  is  no  river, 
though  ever  so  rapid  and  violent,  that  would  overflow  its 
boundaries  with  such  impetuosity.  In  his  elect,  the  Lord 
heals  these  maladies  by  a method  which  we  shall  hereafter 
describe.  In  others,  he  restrains  them,  only  to  prevent  their 
ebullitions  so  far  as  he  sees  to  be  necessary  for  the  preservation 
of  the  universe.  Hence  some  by  shame,  and  some  by  feai'  of 
the  laws,  are  prevented  from  running  into  many  kinds  of  pol- 
lutions, though  they  cannot  in  any  great  degree  dissemble  their 
impurity  ; others,  because  they  think  that  a virtuous  course  of 
life  is  advantageous,  entertain  some  languid  desires  after  it ; 
others  go  further,  and  display  more  than  common  excellence, 
that  by  their  majesty  they  may  confine  the  vulgar  to  their  duty. 
Thus  God  by  his  providence  restrains  the  perverseness  of  our 
nature  from  breaking  out  into  external  acts,  but  does  not  purify 
it  within. 

IV.  But  it  may  be  said,  the  difficulty  is  not  yet  removed. 
For  either  we  must  esteem  Camillus  to  be  exactly  similar  to 


264  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

Catiline,  or  in  Camillus  we  shall  have  an  example  that  nature, 
if  it  be  studiously  cultivated,  is  not  altogether  destitute  of 
goodness.  I grant,  indeed,  that  the  virtues  displayed  in  Camil- 
lus were  gifts  of  God,  and  if  considered  in  themselves,  appear 
justly  worthy  of  commendation  : but  how  will  they  be  proofs 
of  any  natural  goodness  in  him  ? To  establish  this,  must  we 
not  recur  to  the  heart,  and  argue,  that  if  a natural  man  was 
eminent  for  such  integrity  of  manners,  human  nature  is  not 
destitute  of  ability  for  the  pursuit  of  virtue  ? But  what  if  his 
heart  was  depraved  and  perverted,  and  followed  any  thing 
rather  than  the  path  of  rectitude  ? And  that  it  was  such,  if 
you  concede  that  he  was  a natural  man,  is  beyond  all  doubt. 
What  ability,  then,  will  you  attribute  to  human  nature  for  the 
pursuit  of  virtue,  if,  with  the  greatest  appearance  of  integrity, 
it  is  discovered  to  be  always  tending  to  corruption?  There- 
fore, as  you  will  not  commend  a man  for  virtue,  whose  vices 
have  only  counterfeited  the  external  form  of  virtue,  so  you 
must  not  attribute  to  the  human  will  a power  of  desiring  what 
is  right,  as  long  as  it  continues  fixed  in  its  perverseness.  The 
most  certain  and  easy  solution  of  this  question,  however,  is, 
that  those  virtues  are  not  the  common  properties  of  nature,  hut 
the  peculiar  graces  of  God,  which  he  dispenses  in  great  variety, 
and  in  a certain  degree  to  men  that  are  otherwise  profane. 
For  which  reason  we  hesitate  not,  in  common  speech,  to  call 
the  nature  of  one  man  good,  and  of  another  depraved.  Yet 
we  still  include  both  in  the  universal  state  of  human  depravity  ; 
but  we  signify  what  peculiar  grace  God  has  conferred  on  the 
one,  with  which  he  has  not  deigned  to  favour  the  other. 
When  he  determined  to  exalt  Saul  to  the  kingdom,  he  made 
him,  as  it  were,  a new  man ; and  this  is  the  reason  why  Plato, 
alluding  to  the  fable  of  Homer,  says,  that  the  sons  of  kings 
are  formed  with  some  distinguishing  singularity  of  character ; 
because  God,  consulting  the  benefit  of  mankind,  frequently  fur- 
nishes with  an  heroic  nature  those  whom  he  destines  to  hold 
the  reins  of  empire ; and  from  this  source  have  proceeded  all 
the  exploits  of  great  heroes  which  are  celebrated  in  history. 
The  same  judgment  must  be  formed  concerning  those  also  who 
are  in  a private  station.  But  because  every  one  who  has  risen 
to  great  eminence  has  been  impelled  by  his  ambition,  which 
defiles  all  virtues,  and  deprives  them  of  all  excellence  in  the 
Divine  view,  whatever  may  be  apparently  laudable  in  ungodly 
men,  ought  not  to  be  esteemed  at  all  meritorious.  Besides, 
the  chief  branch  of  rectitude  is  wanting,  where  there  is  no 
concern  to  display  the  glory  of  God : of  this  principle  all  are 
destitute  whom  he  has  not  regenerated  by  his  Spirit.  Nor  is 
it  in  vain  that  Isaiah  says,  that  the  spirit  of  the  fear  of  the 
Lord  shall  rest  upon  ” Christ ; (a)  which  teaches  us,  that  all 

(a)  Isaiah  xi.  2. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  265 

who  are  alienated  from  Christ  are  destitute  of  that  fear  of  the 
Lord  ” which  is  “ the  beginning  of  wisdom.”  (b)  The  virtues 
v/hich  deceive  us  by  their  vain  and  specious  appearance,  will 
be  applauded  in  civil  courts,  and  in  the  common  estimation  of 
mankind ; but  before  the  celestial  tribunal  they  will  possess  no 
value  to  merit  the  reward  of  righteousness. 

y.  The  will,  therefore,  is  so  bound  by  the  slavery  of  sin, 
that  it  cannot  excite  itself,  much  less  devote  itself  to  any  thing 
good ; for  such  a disposition  is  the  beginning  of  a conversion 
to  God,  which  in  the  Scriptures  is  attributed  solely  to  Divine 
grace.  Thus  Jeremiah  prays  to  the  Lord  to  convert  or  turn 
him,  if  he  would  have  him  to  be  turned,  (c)  Whence  the 
Prophet,  in  the  same  chapter,  describing  the  spiritual  redemp- 
tion of  the  faithful,  says,  The  Lord  hath  redeemed  Jacob, 
and  ransomed  him  from  the  hand  of  him  that  was  stronger 
than  he  ; ” (d)  alluding  to  the  strong  fetters  with  which  the 
sinner  is  bound  as  long  as  he  is  deserted  by  the  Lord,  and 
continues  under  the  yoke  of  the  devil.  Nevertheless  there  still 
remains  the  faculty  of  will,  which  with  the  strongest  propen- 
sity is  inclined  to  and  rushes  into  sin ; for  when  man  subject- 
ed himself  to  this  necessity,  he  was  not  deprived  of  his  will, 
but  of  soundness  of  will.  Bernard  properly  observes,  that  we 
all  have  a power  to  will ; but  that  to  will  what  is  good,  is  an 
advantage ; to  will  what  is  evil,  a defect.  Therefor^  simply 
to  will  belongs  to  man ; to  will  what  is  evil,  to  corrupt  nature  ; 
to  will  what  is  good,  to  grace.  Now,  when  I assert  that  the 
will,  being  deprived  of  its  liberty,  is  necessarily  drawn  or  led 
into  evil,  I should  wonder,  if  any  one  considered  it  as  a harsh 
expression,  since  it  has  nothing  in  it  absurd,  nor  is  it  unsanc- 
tioned by  the  custom  of  good  men.  It  offends  those  who 
know  not  how  to  distinguish  between  necessity  and  compul- 
sion. But  if  any  one  should  ask  them,  whether  God  is  not  ne- 
cessarily good,  and  whether  the  devil  is  not  necessarily  evil,  — 
what  answer  will  they  make  ? For  there  is  such  a close  con- 
nection between  the  goodness  of  God  and  his  Deity,  that  his  be- 
ing God  is  not  more  necessary  than  his  being  good.  But  the 
devil  is  by  his  fall  so  alienated  from  communion  with  all  that  is 
good,  that  he  can  do  nothing  but  what  is  evil.  But  if  any  one 
should  sacrilegiously  object,  that  little  praise  is  due  to  God  for 
his  goodness,  which  he  is  constrained  to  preserve,  — shall  we 
not  readily  reply,  that  his  inability  to  do  evil  arises  from  his 
infinite  goodness,  and  not  from  the  impulse  of  violence  ? 
Therefore,  if  a necessity  of  doing  well  impairs  not  the  liberty 
of  the  Divine  will  in  doing  well ; if  the  devil,  who  cannot  but 
do  evil,  nevertheless  sins  voluntarily ; who  then  will  assert 

(h)  Psalm  cxi.  10.  (c)  Jer.  xxxi.  18.  (d)  Jer.  xxxi.  11. 

VOL.  I.  34 


266 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

that  man  sins  less  voluntarily,  because  he  is  under  a necessity 
of  sinning  ? This  necessity  Augustine  every  where  maintains ; 
and  even  when  he  was  pressed  with  the  cavils  of  Celestius, 
who  tried  to  throw  an  odium  on  this  doctrine,  he  confidently 
expressed  himself  in  these  terms  : “ By  means  of  liberty  it 
came  to  pass  that  man  fell  into  sin ; but  now  the  penal  depra- 
vity consequent  on  it,  instead  of  liberty,  has  introduced  necessi- 
ty.” And  whenever  the  mention  of  this  subject  occurs,  he 
liesitates  not  to  speak  in  this  manner  of  the  necessary  servitude 
of  sin.  We  must  therefore  observe  this  grand  point  of  distinc- 
tion, that  man,  having  been  corrupted  by  his  fall,  sins  volunta- 
rily, not  with  reluctance  or  constraint ; with  the  strongest 
propensity  of  disposition,  not  with  violent  coercion  ; with  the 
bias  of  his  own  passions,  and  not  with  external  compulsion : 
yet  such  is  the  pravity  of  his  nature,  that  he  cannot  be  excited 
and  biassed  to  any  thing  but  what  is  evil.  If  this  be  true, 
there  is  no  impropriety  in  affirming,  that  he  is  under  a necessi- 
ty of  sinning.  Bernard,  subscribing  to  what  is  said  by  Augus- 
tine, thus  expresses  himself:  Among  all  the  animals,  man 
alone  is  free  ; and  yet,  by  the  intervention  of  sin,  he  also  suffers 
a species  of  violence ; but  from  the  will,  not  from  nature,  so 
that  he  is  not  thereby  deprived  of  his  innate  liberty.”  For 
what  is  voluntary  is  also  free.  And  a little  after  : The  will 
being,  \by  I know  not  what  corrupt  and  surprising  means, 
changed  for  the  worse,  is  itself  the  author  of  the  necessity  to 
which  it  is  subject ; so  that  neither  necessity,  being  voluntary, 
can  excuse  the  will,  nor  the  will,  being  fascinated,  can  exclude 
necessity.”  For  this  necessity  is  in  some  measure  voluntary. 
Afterwards  he  says,  that  we  are  oppressed  with  a yoke,  but  no 
other  than  that  of  a voluntary  servitude  ; that  therefore  our 
servitude  renders  us  miserable,  and  our  will  renders  us  inexcu- 
sable ; because  the  will,  when  it  was  free,  made  itself  the  slave 
of  sin.  At  length  he  concludes,  Thus  the  soul,  in  a certain 
strange  and  evil  manner,  under  this  kind  of  voluntary  and  free 
yet  pernicious  necessity,  is  both  enslaved  and  free ; enslaved 
by  necessity,  free  by  its  will ; and,  Avhat  is  more  wonderful 
and  more  miserable,  it  is  guilty,  because  free  ; and  enslaved 
wherein  it  is  guilty ; and  so  therein  enslaved  wherein  it  is 
free.”  From  these  passages  the  reader  clearly  perceives  that  I 
am  teaching  no  novel  doctrine,  but  what  was  long  ago  advanced 
by  Augustine,  with  the  universal  consent  of  pious  men,  and 
which  for  nearly  a thousand  years  after  was  confined  to  the 
cloisters  of  monks.  But  Lombard,  for  want  of  knowing  how 
to  distinguish  necessity  from  coaction,  gave  rise  to  a pernicious 
error. 

VI.  It  is  necessary,  on  the  other  hand,  to  consider  the  remedy 
of  Divine  grace,  by  which  the  depravity  of  natm’e  is  corrected 


CHAP.  HI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  267 

and  healed.  For  since  the  Lord,  in  the  assistance  which  he 
affords  us,  bestows  on  us  that  which  we  need,  an  exhibition  of 
the  nature  of  his  work  in  us  will  immediately  discover  the  na- 
ture of  our  necessity.  When  the  Apostle  tells  the  Philippians, 
that  he  is  confident  that  he  which  hath  begun  a good  work 
in  them  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ ; ” (e)  by 
the  beginning  of  a good  work  he  undoubtedly  designs  the  com- 
mencement of  conversion,  which  takes  place  in  the  will.  There- 
fore Ood  begins  the  good  work  in  us  by  exciting  in  our  hearts 
a love,  desire,  and  ardent  pursuit  of  righteousness ; or,  to  speak 
more,  properly,  by  bending,  forming,  and  directing  our  hearts 
towards  righteousness  ; but  he  completes  it,  by  confirming  us  to 
perseverance.  That  no  one  may  .cavil,  that  the  good  work  is 
begun  by  the  Lord,  inasmuch  as  the  will,  which  is  weak  of 
itself,  is  assisted  by  him,  the  Spirit  declares  in  another  place 
how  far  the  ability  of  the  will  reaches,  when  left  to  itself.  “ A 
new  heart  also,”  says  he,  will  I give  you,  and  a new  spirit 
will  I put  within  you ; and  I will  take  away  the  stony  heart 
out  of  your  flesh,  and  I will  give  you  a heart  of  flesh.  And  I 
will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my 
statutes.”  (/)  Who  will  assert  that  the  infirmity  of  the  human 
will  is  only  strengthened  by  assistance,  to  enable  it  efficaciously 
to  aspire  to  the  choice  of  that  which  is  good,  when  it  actually 
needs  a total  transformation  and  renovation  ? If  there  be  in  a 
stone  any  softness,  which,  by  some  application,  being  made  more 
tender,  would  be  flexible  in  every  direction,  then  I will  not 
deny  the  flexibility  of  the  human  heart  to  the  obedience  of  rec- 
titude, provided  its  imperfections  are  supplied  by  the  grace  of 
God.  But  if,  by  this  similitude,  the  Lord  intended  to  show 
that  no  good  will  ever  be  extracted  from  our  hearts,  unless  they 
are  entirely  renewed,  let  us  not  divide  between  him  and  us, 
what  he  claims  exclusively  to  himself.  If,  therefore,  when 
God  converts  us  to  the  pursuit  of  rectitude,  this  change  is  like 
the  transformation  of  a stone  into  flesh,  it  follows,  that  what- 
ever belongs  to  our  own  will  is  removed,  and  what  succeeds  to 
it  is  entirely  from  God.  The  will,  I say,  is  removed,  not  con- 
sidered as  the  will ; because,  in  the  conversion  of  man,  the 
properties  of  our  original  nature  remain  entire.  I assert  also, 
that  it  is  created  anew,  not  that  the  will  then  begins  to  exist, 
but  that  it  is  then  converted  from  an  evil  into  a good  one. 
This  I affirm  to  be  done  entirely  by  God,  because,  according  to 
the  testimony  of  the  same  Apostle,  “ we  are  not  sufficient  ” 
even  ^^to  think.”  (g)  Therefore  he  elsewhere  declares,  not 
merely  that  God  assists  the  infirmity  of  our  will,  or  corrects  its 
depravity,  but  that  he  ‘Svorketh  in  us  to  will.”  (h)  Whence 

(c)  Phil.  i.  6.  (/)  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  27.  (g)  2 Cor.  iii.  5.  (Ji)  Phil.  ii.  13. 


268  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

it  is  easy  to  infer  what  I have  already  remarked,  that  whatever 
good  is  in  the  human  will,  is  the  work  of  pure  grace.  In  the 
same  sense  he  elsewhere  pronounces  that  it  is  God  which 
worketh  all  in  all.”  (i)  For  in  that  place  he  is  not  discussing 
the  government  of  the  universe,  but  asserting  that  the  praise  of 
all  the  excellences  found  in  the  faithful  belongs  to  God  alone. 
And  by  using  the  word  “all,”  he  certainly  makes  God  the 
author  of  spiritual  life  from  its  commencement  even  to  its  ter- 
mination. This  is  the  same  as  he  had  before  taught  in  other 
words,  declaring  that  the  faithful  are  “ of  God  in  Christ ; ” {k) 
where  he  evidently  intends  the  new  creation,  by  which  what 
belonged  to  our  common  nature  is  abolished.  For  we  must 
here  understand  an  implied  contrast  between  Adam  and  Christ, 
which  he  states  more  plainly  in  another  place,  where  he 
teaches  that  “ we  are  the  workmanship  of  God,  created  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained 
jthat  we  should  walk  in  them.”  [1)  For  by  this  argument  he 
designs  to  prove  that  our  salvation  is  gratuitous,  because  the 
beginning  of  all  good  is  from  the  second  creation,  which  we 
obtain  in  Christ.  Now,  if  we  possessed  any  ability,  though  ever 
so  small,  we  should  also  have  some  portion  of  merit.  But  to 
annihilate  all  our  pretensions,  he  argues  that  we  have  merited 
nothing,  because  “ we  are  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  ; ” in  which  expressions 
he  again  signifies  that  all  the  parts  of  good  works,  even  from 
the  first  inclination  of  the  mind,  are  entirely  from  God.  For 
this  reason  the  Psalmist,  after  having  said  that  “ he  (God)  hath 
made  us,”  that  there  may  be  no  division  of  the  work,  immedi- 
ately subjoins,  “and  not  we  ourselves.”  (m)  That  he  speaks 
of  regeneration,  which  is  the  commencement  of  the  spiritual 
life,  is  evident  from  the  context,  where  it  follows  immediately 
after,  that  “Ave  are  his  people,  and  the  sheep  of  his  pasture.” 
We  see,  then,  that  not  content  with  having  simply  attributed  to 
God  the  praise  of  our  salvation,  he  expressly  excludes  us  from 
all  fellowship  Avith  him ; as  though  he  Avould  say,  that  man 
has  not  even  the  smallest  particle  remaining  m which  he  can 
glory,  because  all  is  of  God. 

YII.  But  there  may  be  some,  Avho  will  concede  that  the 
Avill,  being,  of  its  own  spontaneous  inclination,  averse  to  Avhat  is 
good,  is  converted  solely  by  the  poAver  of  the  Lord  ; yet  in 
such  a manner,  that  being  previously  prepared,  it  has  also  its 
OAvn  share  in  the  Avork  ; that  grace,  as  Augustine  teaches,  pre- 
cedes every  good  work,  the  Avill  following  grace,  not  leading  it, 
being  its  companion,  not  its  guide.  This  unobjectionable  ob- 
servation of  that  holy  man,  Peter  Lombard  preposterously 


(i)  1 Cor.  xii.  6.  {k)  1 Cor.  i.  30. 


(/)  Eph.  ii.  10.  (m)  Psalm  c.  3. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  269 

wrests  to  an  erroneous  meaning.  Now,  I contend  that  both  in 
the  words  of  the  Prophet  which  I have  cited,  and  in  other 
passages,  these  two  things  are  clearly  signified,  that  the  Lord 
corrects  our  depraved  will,  or  rather  removes  it,  and  of  him- 
self introduces  a good  one  in  its  place.  As  it  is  preceded  by 
grace,  I allow  you  to  style  it  an  attendant ; but  since  its  re- 
formation is  the  work  of  the  Lord,  it  is  wrong  to  attribute  to 
man  a voluntary  obedience  in  following  the  guidance  of  grace. 
Therefore  it  is  not  a proper  expression  of  Chrysostom,  that 
grace  is  able  to  effect  nothing  withbut  the  will,  nor  the  will 
without  grace  ; as  if  grace  did  not  produce  the  will  itself,  as 
we  have  just  seen  from  Paul.  Nor  was  it  the  intention  of 
Augustine,  when  he  called  the  human  will  the  companion  of 
grace,  to  assign  to  it  any  secondary  office  next  to  grace  in  the 
good  work  ; but  with  a view  to  refute  the  nefarious  dogma 
broached  by  Pelagius,  who  made  the  prime  cause  of  salvation 
to  consist  in  human  merit,  he  contends,  what  was  sufficient  for 
his  present  argument,  that  grace  is  prior  to  all  merit ; omitting, 
at  this  time,  the  other  question  concerning  the  perpetual  effi- 
ciency of  grace,  which  is  admirably  treated  by  him  on  other 
occasions.  For  when  he  frequently  says,  that  the  Lord  pre- 
cedes the  unwilling  that  he  may  will,  and  follows  the  willing 
that  he  may  not  will  in  vain,  he  makes  him  the  sole  author  of 
the  good  work.  His  language  on  this  subject  is  too  explicit  to 
require  much  argument.  “ Men  labour,”  says  he,  to  discover 
in  our  will  something  that  is  our  own,  and  not  derived  from 
God  ; and  how  any  such  discovery  can  be  made,  I know  not.” 
In  his  first  book  against  Pelagius  and  Celestius,  where  he  ex-* 
plains  that  declaration  of  Christ,  “ Every  man  that  hath  heard 
of  the  Father  cometh  unto  me,”  (w)  he  says,  that  the  will  is 
assisted  so  as  to  enable  it  not  only  to  know  its  duty,  but  what 
it  knows,  also  to  do.”  And  thus  when  God  teaches  not  by  the, 
letter  of  the  law,  but  by  the  grace  of  the  Spirit,  he  teaches 
in  such  a manner,  that  whatever  each  one  has  learned,  he 
not  only  sees  in  knowing  it,  but  desires  in  willing,  and  per- 
forms in  doing. 

VIII.  And  as  we  are  now  engaged  on  the  principal  point  of 
the  argument,  let  us  give  the  reader  a summary  of  the  doctrine, 
and  prove  it  by  a few  very  clear  testimonies  of  Scripture  ; and 
then,  that  no  one  may  accuse  us  of  perverting  the  Scripture, 
let  us  also  show  that  the  truth  which  we  assert  lo  be  deduced 
from  the  Scripture  is  not  destitute  of  the  support  of  this  holy 
man  ; I mean  Augustine.  For  I conceive  it  is  unnecessary  to 
recite  in  regular  order  all  the  passages  which  might  be  adduced 
from  the  Scriptures  in  confirmation  of  our  opinion ; provided 


(n)  John  vi.  45. 


270 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 


that  the  selection,  which  shall  he  made,  prepares  a way  to  the 
understanding  of  all  the  rest,  which  are  frequently  to  be  found. 
Nor  do  I think  that  there  will  be  any  impropriety  in  evincing 
my  agreement  with  that  man,  to  whose  authority  the  consent 
of  the  pious  pays  a great  and  merited  deference.  The  origin  of 
all  good  clearly  appccirs,  from  a plain  and  certain  reason,  to  be 
from  no  other  than  from  God  alone  ; for  no  propensity  of  the 
will  to  any  thing  good  can  be  found  but  in  the  elect.  But  the 
cause  of  election  must  not  be  sought  in  men.  Whence  we 
may  conclude,  that  man  has  not  a good  will  from  himself,  but 
that  it  proceeds  from  the  same  decree  by  which  we  were 
elected  before  the  creation  of  the  world.  There  is  also  another 
reason,  not  dissimilar.  For  since  good  volitions  and  good 
actions  both  arise  from  faith,  we  must  see  whence  faith  itself 
originates.  Now,  since  the  Scripture  uniformly  proclaims  it  to 
be  the  gratuitous  gift  of  God,  it  follows  that  it  is  the  effect  of 
mere  grace,  when  we,  who  are  naturally  and  completely  prone 
to  evil,  begin  to  will  any  thing  that  is  good.  Therefore  the 
Lord,  when  he  mentions  these  two  things  in  the  conversion  of 
his  people,  that  he  takes  away  from  them  their  stony  heart, 
and  gives  them  a heart  of  flesh,  plainly  declares,  that  what 
originates  from  ourselves  must  be  removed,  that  we  may  be 
converted  to  righteousness ; and  that  whatever  succeeds  in  its 
place  proceeds  from  himself.  Nor  is  it  only  in  one  passage 
that  he  announces  this ; for  he  says  in  Jeremiah,  ‘‘  I will  give 
them  one  heart  and  one  way,  that  they  may  fear  me  for 
ever.”  (o)  And  a little  after,  “I  will  put  my  fear  in  their 
hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me.”  Again  in  Ezekiel, 
“ I will  give  them  one  heart,  and  will  put  a new  spirit  within 
you  ; and  I will  take  the  stony  heart  out  of  their  flesh,  and 
will  give  them  a heart  of  flesh.”  [p)  He  could  not  more  evi- 
dently claim  to  himself  and  take  from  us  all  that  is  good  and 
upright  in  our  will,  than  when  he  declares  our  conversion  to  be 
the  creation  of  a new  spirit  and  of  a new  heart.  For  it  always 
follows,  that  nothing  good  proceeds  from  our  will  till  it  be 
renovated ; and  that  after  its  renovation,  as  far  as  it  is  good,  it 
is  from  God,  and  not  from  ourselves. 

IX.  And  we  find  the  saints  have  made  this  the  subject  of 
their  prayers.  Solomon  prayed,  “ May  the  Lord  incline  our 
hearts  unto  him  to  keep  his  commandments.”  {q)  He  shows 
the  stubbornness  of  our  heart,  which,  unless  a new  bias  be 
given  to  it,  naturally  indulges  itself  in  rebellion  against  the 
Divine  law.  The  same  ])etition  is  offered  by  the  Psalmist : 

Incline  my  heart  unto  thy  testimonies.”  (r)  For  we  should 
always  remark  the  opposition  between  the  perverse  bias  of  the 


(o)  Jer.  xxxii.  39. 
\p)  Ezck.  xi.  19. 


((/)  1 Kings  viii.  56. 
(r)  Psalm  cxix.  36. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  271 

heart,  which  inclines  it  to  rebellion,  and  this  correction,  .which 
constrains  it  to  obedience.  Bat  when  David,  perceiving  him- 
self to  be  for  a time  deprived  of  the  direction  of  grace,  prays 
that  God  would  “ create  in  ” him  “ a clean  heart,  and  renew  a 
right  spirit  within  ” him,  (s)  does  he  not  acknowledge  that  all 
the  parts  of  his  heart  are  full  of  impurity,  and  his  spirit  warped 
by  a depraved  obliquity  ? and  by  calling  the  purity  which 
he  earnestly  implores,  the  creation  of  God,  does  he  not  ascribe 
it  entirely  to  him?  If  any  one  object,  that  the  petition  itself  is 
a proof  of  a pious  and  holy  affection,  the  answer  is  easy,  that 
although  David  had  already  partly  repented,  yet  he  compares 
his  former  state  with  that  melancholy  fall,  which  he  had  ex- 
perienced. Assuming  the  character,  therefore,  of  a man  alien- 
ated from  God,  he  properly  requests  for  himself  all  those  things 
which  God  confers  on  his  elect  in  regeneration.  Resembling  a 
dead  man,  therefore,  he  prays  to  be  created  anew,  that,  instead 
of  being  the  slave  of  Satan,  he  may  become  the  instrument 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Truly  wonderful  and  monstrous  is  the 
extravagance  of  our  pride.  God  requires  of  us  nothing  more 
severe  than  that  we  most  religiously  observe  his  sabbath,  by 
resting  from  our  own  works  ; but  there  is  nothing  which  we 
find  more  difficult,  or  to  which  we  are  more  reluctant,  than 
to  bid  farewell  to  our  own  works,  in  order  to  give  the  works  of 
God  their  proper  place.  If  there  were  no  obstacle  arising  from 
our  folly,  Christ  has  given  a testimony  to  his  graces,  sufficiently 
clear  to  prevent  them  from  being  wickedly  suppressed.  ‘‘  I am 
the  vine,”  says  he,  ye  are  the  branches.  My  Father  is  the 
husbandman.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except 
it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me. 
For  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing.”  (^)  If  we  cannot  bear 
fruit  of  ourselves,  any  more  than  a branch  can  bud  after  it  is 
torn  up  from  the  ground,  and  deprived  of  moisture,  we  must 
no  longer  seek  for  any  aptitude  in  our  nature  to  that  whiah  is 
good.  There  is  no  ambiguity  in  this  conclusion,  Without 
me  ye  can  do  nothing.”  He  does  not  say  that  we  are  too 
weak  to  be  sufficient  for  ourselves,  but  reducing  us  to  nothing, 
excludes  every  idea  of  ability,  however  diminutive.  If,  being 
engrafted  into  Christ,  we  bear  fruit  like  a vine,  which  derives 
the  energy  of  vegetation  from  the  moisture  of  the  earth,  from 
the  dew  of  heaven,  and  from  the  benign  influences  of  the  sun, 
I see  nothing  of  our  own  remaining  in  any  good  work,  if  we 
preserve  entire  to  God  the  honour  which  belongs  to  him.  It  is 
in  vain  to  urge  that  frivolous  subtlety,  that  the  branch  already 
possesses  sap,  and  a fructifying  power,  and  that  therefore  it 
does  not  derive  all  from  the  earth,  or  from  the  original  root, 

(s)  Psalm  li.  10.  (t)  John  xv.  1,  4,  5. 


272  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

because  it  contributes  something  of  its  own.  For  the  meaning 
of  Christ  is  clearly  that  we  are  as  a dry  and  worthless  log, 
when  separated  from  him  ; because,  independently  of  him,  we 
have  no  ability  to  do  good,  as  he  says  also  in  another  place  : 
“ Every  plant,  which  my  heavenly  Father  has  not  planted, 
shall  be  rooted  up.”  {v)  Wherefore  the  Apostle  ascribes  all  the 
praise  to  him  in  the  place  already  cited.  It  is  God,”  says  he, 
‘‘  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do.”  {lo)  The 
first  part  of  a good  work  is  volition,  the  next  an  etfectual  en- 
deavour to  perform  it ; God  is  the  author  of  both.  Therefore 
we  rob  the  Lord,  if  we  arrogate  any  thing  to  ourselves  either  in 
volition  or  in  execution.  If  God  were  said  to  assist  the  in- 
firmity of  our  will,  then  there  would  be  something  left  to  us  ,* 
but  since  he  is  said  to  produce  the  will,  all  the  good  that  is  in 
it,  is  placed  without  us.  And  because  the  good  will. is  still  op- 
pressed by  the  burden  of  our  flesh,  so  that  it  cannot  extricate 
itself,  he  has  added,  that  in  struggling  with  the  difficulties  of 
that  conflict,  we  are  supplied  with  constancy  of  exertion  to 
carry  our  volitions  into  effect.  For  otherwise  there  would  be 
no  truth  in  what  he  elsewhere  teaches,  that  it  is  the  same 
God  which  worketh  all  in  all,”  {x)  which  we  have  before 
shown  comprehends  the  whole  course  of  the  spiritual  life.  For 
which  reason  David,  after  having  prayed  that  the  way  of  God 
may  be  discovered  to  him,  that  he  may  walk  in  his  truth,  im- 
mediately adds,  “ Unite  my  heart  to  fear  thy  name.”  {y)  In 
these  words  he  intimates,  that  even  good  men  are  subject  to  so 
many  distractions  of  mind,  that  they  soon  wander  and  fall,  un- 
less they  are  strengthened  to  persevere.  For  the  same  reason, 
in  another  passage,  having  prayed  that  his  steps  might  be 
ordered  in  the  word  of  the  Lord,  he  likewise  implores  strength 
for  a warfare  : Let  not  any  iniquity  have  dominion  over 
me.”  {z)  In  this  manner,  therefore,  the  Lord  both  begins  and 
completes  the  good  work  in  us  ; that  it  may  be  owing  to  him, 
that  the  will  conceives  a love  for  what  is  right,  that  it  is  in- 
clined to  desire  it,  and  is  excited  and  impelled  to  endeavour  to 
attain  it ; and  then  that  the  choice,  desire,  and  endeavour  do 
not  fail,  but  proceed  even  to  the  completion  of  the  desired 
effect ; lastly,  that  a man  proceeds  with  constancy  in  them, 
and  perseveres  even  to  the  end. 

X.  And  he  moves  the  will,  not  according  to  the  system 
maintained  and  believed  for  many  ages,  in  such  a manner  that 
it  would  after\yards  be  at  our  option  either  to  obey  the  im- 
pulse or  to  resist  it,  but  by  an  efficacious  influence.  The 
observation,  therefore,  so  frequently  repeated  by  Chrysostom, 
That  “ Whom  God  draws,  he  draws  willing,”  we  ai’e  obliged  to 

(v)  Matt.  XV.  13.  (w)  Phil.  ii.  13.  (x)  1 Cor.  xii.  6. 

(y)  Psalm  Ixxxvi.  11.  (r)  Psalm  cxix.  133. 


Chap,  iti.]  Christian  religion.  273 

reject,  being  an  insinuation  that  God  only  waits  for  us  with 
his  hand  extended,  if  we  choose  to  accept  his  assistance.  We 
grant  that  such  was  the  primitive  condition  of  man  during  his 
state  of  integrity,  that  he  could  incline  to  the  one  side  or  the 
other  ; but  since  Adam  has  taught  us  by  his  own  example  how 
miserable  free  will  is,  unless  God  give  us  both  will  and  power, 
what  will  become  of  us  if  he  impart  his  grace  to  us  in  that 
small  proportion  ? Nay,  we  obscure  and  diminish  his  grace 
by  our  ingratitude.  For  the  Apostle  does  not  teach  that  the 
grace  of  a good  will  is  offered  to  us  for  our  acceptance,  but 
that  he  worketh  in  us  to  will ; ” which  is  equivalent  to  saying, 
that  the  Lord,  by  his  Spirit,  directs,  inclines,  and  governs  our 
heart,  and  reigns  in  it  as  in  his  own  possession.  Nor  does  he 
promise  by  Ezekiel  that  he  will  give  to  the  elect  a new  spirit, 
only  that  they  may  be  able  to  walk,  but  that  they  may  actually 
walk,  in  his  precepts,  (a)  Nor  can  the  declaration  of  Christ, 
Every  man  that  hath  heard  of  the  Father  cometh  unto  me,”  (d) 
be  understood  in  any  other  sense  than  as  a proof  of  the  positive 
efficacy  of  Divine  grace  ; as  Augustine  also  contends.  This  grace 
the  Lord  deigns  not  to  give  to  any  person  promiscuously,  accord- 
ing to  the  observation  commonly  attributed,  if  I mistake  not, 
to  Occam,  that  it  is  denied  to  no  man  who  does  what  he  can. 
Men  are  to  be  taught,  indeed,  that  the  Divine  benignity  is  free  to 
all  who  seek  it,  without  any  exception ; but  since  none  begin  to 
seek  it,  but  those  who  have  been  inspired  by  heavenly  grace, 
not  even  this  diminutive  portion  ought  to  be  taken  from  his 
praise.  This  is  the  privilege  of  the  elect,  that,  being  regenerated 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  led  and  governed  by  his  direction. 
Wherefore  Augustine  as  justly  ridicules  those  who  arrogate  to 
themselves  any  part  of  a good  volition,  as  he  reprehends  others, 
who  suppose  that  to  be  given  promiscuously  to  all,  which  is 
the  special  evidence  of  gratuitous  election.  Nature,”  says 
he,  “is  common  to  all  men,  but  not  grace.”  He  calls  it  “a 
transparent  subtlety,  which  shines  merely  with  vanity,  when 
that  is-extended  generally  to  all,  which  God  confers  on  whom  he 
chooses.”  But  elsewhere,  “ How  have  you  come  ? by  believing. 
Be  afraid,  lest  while  you  arrogate  to  yourself  the  discovery  of 
the  Avay  of  righteousness,  you  perish  from  the  way  of  right- 
eousness. I am  come,  you  say,  by  free  will ; I am  come 
through  my  own  choice.  Why  are  you  inflated  with  pride  ? 
Will  you  know  that  this  also  is  given  to  you  ? Hear  him  pro- 
claiming, ‘ No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father  which 
hath  sent  me  draw  him.’  ” (c)  And  it  incontrovertibly  follows, 
from  the  words  of  John,  that  the  hearts  of  the  pious  are  di- 
vinely governed  with  such  effect,  that  they  follow  with  an  af- 

(a)  Ezek.  xi.  19,  20  ; xxxvi.  27.  (0)  John  vi.  45.  (c)  John  vi.  44. 

VOL.  I.  35 


274 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

fection  which  nothing  can  alter.  ‘‘  Whosoever  is  born  of  God,” 
he  says,  cannot  sin  ; for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him.”  {d)  For 
we  see  that  the  neutral,  inefficacious  impulse  imagined  by  the 
sophists,  which  every  one  would  be  at  liberty  to  obey  or  resist, 
is  evidently  excluded,  where  it  is  asserted  that  God  gives  a 
constancy  that  is  effectual  to  perseverance. 

XI.  Concerning  perseverance  there  would  have  been  no 
doubt  that  it  ought  to  be  esteemed  the  gratuitous  gift  of  God, 
liad  it  not  been  for  the  prevalence  of  a pestilent  error,  that  it  is 
dispensed  according  to  the  merit  of  men,  in  proportion  to  the 
gratitude  which  each  person  has  discovered  for  the  grace  be- 
stowed on  him.  But  as  that  opinion  arose  from  the  supposition 
that  it  was  at  our  own  option  to  reject  or  accept  the  offered 
grace  of  God,  this  notion  being  exploded,  the  other  falls  of 
course.  Though  here  is  a double  error ; for  beside  teaching 
that  our  gratitude  for  the  grace  first  bestowed  on  us,  and  our 
legitimate  use  of  that  grace,  are  remunerated  by  subsequent 
blessings,  they  add  also,  that  now  grace  does  not  operate  alone 
in  us,  but  only  cooperates  with  us.  On  the  first  point,  we 
must  admit  that  the  Lord,  while  he  daily  enriches  and  loads 
his  servants  with  new  communications  of  his  grace,  perceiving 
the  work  which  he  has  begun  in  them  grateful  and  accept- 
able, discovers  something  in  them  which  he  blesses  with  still 
greater  degrees  of  grace.  And  this  is  implied  in  the  folloAving 
declarations:  “Unto  every  one  that  hath,  shall  be  given.” 
And,  “ Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant ; thou  hast  been 
faithful  over  a few  things,  I will  make  thee  ruler  over  many 
things.”  (e)  But  here  two  errors  must  be  avoided;  the  legiti- 
mate use  of  the  grace  first  bestowed  must  not  be  said  to  be  re- 
warded with  subsequent  degrees  of  grace,  as  though  man,  by 
his  own  industry,  rendered  the  grace  of  God  efficacious;  nor 
must  it  be  accounted  a remuneration  in  such  a sense  as  to  cease 
to  be  esteemed  the  free  favour  of  God.  I grant,  then,  that  this 
Divine  benediction  is  to  be  expected  by  the  faithful,  that  the 
better  they  have  used  the  former  measures  of  grace,  they  shall 
afterwards  be  enriched  with  proportionably  greater  degrees  of 
it.  But  I assert  that  this  use  also  is  from  the  Lord,  and  that 
this  remuneration  proceeds  from  his  gratuitous  bonevolence. 
They  are  equally  awkward  and  unhappy  in  their  use  of  the 
trite  distinction  of  operating  and  cooperating  grace.  Augustine 
has  used  it  indeed,  but  softens  it  by  a suitable  definition ; that 
God  in  cooperating  completes  what  in  operating  he  begins,  and 
that  it  is  the  same  grace,  but  derives  its  name  from  the  dilferent 
mode  of  its  efficiency.  Whence  it  follows,  that  he  makes  no 
partition  of  the  work  between  God  and  us,  as  though  there 


(rf)  1 John  iii.  9. 


(e)  Matt.  XXV.  23,  29.  Luke  xix.  17, 26. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


275 


CHAP.  III.] 

were  a mutual  concurrence  from  the  respective  exertions  of 
each  ; but  that  he  only  designates  the  multiplication  of  grace. 
To  the  same  purpose  is  what  he  elsewhere  asserts,  that  the 
good  will  of  man  precedes  many  of  the  gifts  of  God,  but  is 
itself  one  of  their  number.  Whence  it  follows,  that  he  leaves 
nothing  for  it  to  arrogate  to  itself.  This  is  also  particularly 
expressed  by  Paul.  For  having  said  that  it  is  God  which 
worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,”  (/)  he  immediately 
adds,  that  he  does  both  “of  his  own  good  pleasure,”  signifying 
by  this  expression  that  these  are  acts  of  gratuitous  benignity. 
Now,  to  their  wonted  assertion,  that  after  we  have  admitted  the 
first  grace,  our  own  endeavours  cooperate  Avith  the  grace  which 
follows,  I reply,  if  they  mean  that,  after  having  been  once 
subdued  by  the  Divine  power  to  the  obedience  of  righteousness, 
we  voluntarily  advance,  and  are  disposed  to  follow  the  gui- 
dance of  grace,  I make  no  objection.  For  it  is  very  certain,  that 
where  the  grace  of  God  reigns,  there  is  such  a promptitude  of 
obedience.  But  Avhence  does  this  arise  but  from  the  Spirit 
of  God,  who,  uniformly  consistent  with  himself,  cherishes  and 
strengthens  to  a constancy  of  perseverance  that  disposition  of 
obedience  which  he  first  originated  ? But  if  they  mean  that 
man  derives  from  himself  an  ability  to  cooperate  with  the 
grace  of  God,  they  are  involved  in  a most  pestilent  error. 

XII.  And  to  this  purpose  they  falsely  and  ignorantly  pervert 
that  observation  of  the  Apostle,  “ I laboured  more  abundantly 
than  they  all ; yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was  with 
me.”  {g)  For  they  understand  it  in  this  manner ; that  because 
his  preference  of  himself  to  all  others  might  appear  rather  too 
arrogant,  he  corrects  it  by  referring  the  praise  to  the  grace  of 
God  ; but  yet  so  as  to  denominate  himself  a cooperator  with 
grace.  It  is  surprising  that  so  many  men,  not  otherwise  erro- 
neous, have  stumbled  at  this  imaginary  difficulty.  For  the 
Apostle  does  not  say  that  the  grace  of  God  laboured  with  him, 
to  make  himself  a partner  in  the  labour  ; but  rather  by  that 
correction  ascribes  the  whole  praise  of  the  labour  to  grace 
alone.  “It  is  not  I,”  says  he,  “that  have  laboured,  but  the 
grace  of  God  which  was  with  me.”  They  have  been  deceived 
by  an  ambiguity  of  expression ; but  still  more  by  a preposte- 
rous translation,  in  which  the  force  of  the  Greek  article  is  omit- 
ted. For  if  you  translate  it  literally,  he  says,  not  that  grace 
was  cooperative  with  him,  but  that  the  grace  which  was  with 
him  Avas  the  author  of  all.  And  the  same  is  maintained  by 
Augustine,  though  briefly,  yet  Avithout  obscurity,  Avhen  he 
thus  expresses  himself : “ The  good  Avill  of  man  precedes 
many  of  the  gifts  of  God,  but  not  all.  But  of  those  which  it 


(/)  Phil.  ii.  13. 


{£;)  1 Cor.  XV.  10. 


276  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  IL 

precedes  it  is  itself  one.”  Then  follows  this  reason ; because 
it  is  written,  The  God  of  my  mercy  shall  prevent  me.”  {h) 
And,  Mercy  shall  follow  me.”  {i)  It  prevents  the  unwilling, 
that  he  may  will ; it  follows  the  willing,  that  he  may  not  will 
in  vain.”  With  this  agrees  Bernard,  who  introduces  the  Church, 
saying,  Draw  me  unwilling,  to  make  me  willing  ; draw  me 
inactive,  to  make  me  run.” 

XIII.  Now,  let  us  hear  Augustine  speak  in  his  own  words, 
lest  the  sophists  of  the  Sorbonne,  those  Pelagians  of  the  present 
age,  according  to  their  usual  custom,  accuse  us  of  opposing  the 
whole  current  of  antiquity.  In  this  they  imitate  their  father 
Pelagius,  by  whom  Augustine  was  formerly  obliged  to  enter 
into  the  same  field  of  controversy.  In  his  treatise  De  Corr. 
et  Grat.^  addressed  to  Valentine,  he  treats  very  much  at  large 
what  I shall  recite  briefly,  but  in  his  own  words  : That  to 
Adam  was  given  the  grace  of  persevering  in  good  if  he  chose  ; 
that  grace  is  given  to  us  to  will,  and  by  willing  to  overcome 
concupiscence.  That  Adam  therefore  had  the  power  if  he  had 
the  will,  but  not  the  will  that  he  might  have  the  power  ; but 
that  it  is  given  to  us  to  have  both  the  will  and  the  power. 
That  the  primitive  liberty  was  a power  to  abstain  from  sin,  but 
that  ours  is  much  greater,  being  an  inability  to  commit  sin.” 
And  lest  he  should  be  supposed  to  speak  of  the  perfection  to 
be  enjoyed  after  the  attainment  of  a state  of  immortality,  as 
Lombard  misinterprets  his  meaning,  he  presently  removes  this 
difficulty.  For  he  says,  the  will  of  the  saints  is  so  inflamed  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  that  they  therefore  have  an  ability,  because 
they  have  such  a will ; and  that  their  having  such  a will  pro- 
ceeds from  the  operations  of  God.”  For  if,  amidst  such  great 
weakness,  which  still  requires  ‘‘  strength  ” to  be  “ made  per- 
fect ” {k)  for  the  repressing  of  pride,  they  were  left  to  their 
own  will,  so  as  to  have  ability,  through  the  Divine  assistance, 
if  they  were  willing,  and  God  did  not  operate  in  them  to  pro- 
duce that  will  ; among  so  many  temptations  and  infirmities 
their  will  would  fail,  and  therefore  they  could  not  possibly 
persevere.  The  infirmity  of  the  human  will,  then,  is  succoured, 
that  it  may  be  invariably  and  inseparably  actuated  by  Divine 
grace,  and  so,  notwithstanding  all  its  weakness,  may  not  fail. 
He  afterwards  discusses  more  at  large  how  our  hearts  necessa- 
rily follow  the  impulse  of  God  ; and  he  asserts  that  the  Lord 
draws  men  with  their  own  wills,  but  that  those  wills  are  such  as 
he  himself  has  formed.  Now,  we  have  a testimony  from  the 
mouth  of  Augustine  to  the  point  which  we  are  principally  en- 
deavouring to  establish  ; that  grace  is  not  merely  oifered  by 
the  Lord  to  be  either  received  or  rejected,  according  to  the  free 


(Ji)  Psalm  lix.  10. 


{i)  Psalm  xxiii.  6. 


{k)  2 Cor.  xii.  9. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  277 

choice  of  each  individual,  but  that  it  is  grace  which  produces 
both  the  choice  and  the  will  in  the  heart ; so  that  every  subse- 
quent good  work  is  the  fruit  and  effect  of  it,  and  that  it  is 
obeyed  by  no  other  will  but  that  which  it  has  produced.  For 
this  is  his  language  also  in  another  place  — that  it  is  grace  alone 
which  performs  every  good  work  in  us. 

XIV.  When  he  observes  that  the  will  is  not  taken  away  by 
grace,  but  only  changed  from  a bad  one  into  a good  one,  and 
when  it  is  good,  assisted ; he  only  intends  that  man  is  not 
drawn  in  such  a manner  as  to  be  carried  away  by  an  external 
impulse,  without  any  inclination  of  his  mind  ; but  that  he  is 
internally  so  disposed  as  to  obey  from  his  very  heart.  That 
grace  is  specially  and  gratuitously  given  to  the  elect,  he  main- 
tains in  an  epistle  to  Boniface,  in  the  following  language : 

We  know  that  the  grace  of  God  is  not  given  to  all  men  ; and 
that  to  them  to  whom  it  is  given,  it  is  given  neither  according 
to  the  merits  of  works,  nor  according  to  the  merits  of  will,  but 
by  gratuitous  favour ; and  to  those  to  whom  it  is  not  given,  we 
know  that  it  is  not  given  by  the  righteous  judgment  of  God.” 
And  in  the  same  epistle,  he  strenuously  combats  that  opinion, 
which  supposes  that  subsequent  grace  is  given  to  the  merits  of 
men,  because  by  not  rejecting  the  first  grace  they  showed 
themselves  worthy  of  it.  For  he  wishes  Pelagius  to  allow 
that  grace  is  necessary  to  us  for  every  one  of  our  actions,  and 
is  not  a retribution  of  our  works,  that  it  may  be  acknowledged 
to  be  pure  grace.  But  the  subject  cannot  be  comprised  in  a 
more  concise  summary  than  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his  treatise 
addressed  to  Valentine  ; where  he  teaches,  that  the  human  will 
obtains,  not  grace  by  liberty,  but  liberty  by  grace  ; that  being 
impressed  by  the  same  grace  with  a disposition  of  delight,  it 
is  formed  for  perpetuity ; that  it  is  strengthened  with  invinci- 
ble fortitude  ; that  while  grace  reigns,  it  never  falls,  but,  de- 
serted by  grace,  falls  immediately ; that  by  the  gratuitous 
mercy  of  the  Lord,  it  is  converted  to  what  is  good,  and,  being 
converted,  perseveres  in  it ; that  the  first  direction  of  the  hu- 
man will  to  that  which  is  good,  and  its  subsequent  constancy, 
depend  solely  on  the  will  of  God,  and  not  on  any  merit  of 
man.  Thus  there  is  left  to  man  such  a free  will,  if  we  choose  ~ 
to  give  it  that  appellation,  as  he  describes  in  another  place,  that 
he  can  neither  be  converted  to  God  nor  continue  in  God  but 
by  grace ; and  that  all  the  ability  which  he  has  is  derived  from 
grace. 


278 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  11. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  OPERATION  OF  GOD  IN  THE  HEARTS  OF  MEN. 

It  has  now,  I apprehend,  been  sufficiently  proved,  that  man 
is  SO  enslaved  by  sin,  as  to  be  of  his  own  nature  incapable  of 
an  effort,  or  even  an  aspiration,  towards  that  which  is  good. 
We  have  also  laid  down  a distinction  between  coaction  and 
necessity,  from  which  it  appears  that  while  he  sins  necessarily, 
he  nevertheless  sins  voluntarily.  But  since,  while  he  is  de- 
voted to  the  servitude  of  the  devil,  he  seems  to  be  actuated  by 
his  will,  rather  than  by  his  own,  it  remains  for  us  to  explain 
the  nature  of  both  kinds  of  influence.  There  is  also  this 
question  to  be  resolved,  whether  any  thing  is  to  be  attributed 
to  God  in  evil  actions,  in  which  the  Scripture  intimates  that 
some  influence  of  his  is  concerned.  Augustine  somewhere 
compares  the  human  will  to  a horse,  obedient  to  the  direction 
of  his  rider  ; and  God  and  the  devil  he  compares  to  riders. 

If  God  rides  it,  he,  like  a sober  and  skilful  rider,  manages  it 
in  a graceful  manner  ; stimulates  its  tardiness  ; restrains  its 
immoderate  celerity  ; represses  its  wantonness  and  wildness  ; 
tames  its  perverseness,  and  conducts  it  into  the  right  way. 
Blit  if  the  devil  has  taken  possession  of  it,  he,  like  a foolish 
and  wanton  rider,  forces  it  through  pathless  places,  hurries  it 
into  ditches,  drives  it  down  over  precipices,  and  excites  it  to 
obstinacy  and  ferocity.”  With  this  similitude,  as  no  better 
occurs,  we  will  at  present  be  content.  When  the  will  of  a 
natural  man  is  said  to  be  subject  to  the  power  of  the  devil,  so 
as  to  be  directed  by  it,  the  meaning  is,  not  that  it  resists  and  is 
compelled  to  a reluctant  submission,  as  masters  compel  slaves 
to  an  unwilling  performance  of  their  commands,  but  that, 
being  fascinated  by  the  fallacies  of  Satan,  it  necessarily  sub- 
mits itself  to  all  his  directions.  For  those  whom  the  Lord 
does  not  favour  with  the  government  of  his  Spirit,  he  abandons, 
in  righteous  judgment,  to  the  influence  of  Satan.  Wherefore 
the  Apostle  says,  that  “ the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the 
minds  of  them  which  believe  not,”  who  are  destined  to  de- 
structibn,  ‘4est  the  light  of  the  gospel  should  shine  unto 
them.”  (l)  And  in  another  place,  that  he  “ Avorketh  in  the 
children  of  disobedience.”  {m)  The  blinding  of  the  wicked, 
and  all  those  enormities  which  attend  it,  are  called  the  works 
of  Satan  ; the  cause  of  which  must  nevertheless  be  sought 


(/)  2 Cor.  iv.  4. 


(7m)  Eph.  ii.  2. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


279 


CHAP.  IV.] 

only  in  the  human  will,  from  which  proceeds  the  root  of  evil, 
and  in  which  rests  the  foundation  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan, 
that  is,  sin. 

II.  Very  different,  in  such  instances,  is  the  method  of  the 
Divine  operation.  And  that  we  may  have  a clearer  view  of  it, 
let  us  take  as  an  example  the  calamity  which  holy  Job  suffered 
from  the  Chaldeans,  {n)  The  Chaldeans  massacred  his  shej)- 
herds,  and  committed  hostile  depredations  on  his  flock.  Now, 
the  wickedness  of  their  procedure  is  evident ; yet  in  these 
transactions  Satan  was  not  unconcerned  ; for  with  him  the 
history  states  the  whole  affair  to  have  originated.  But  Job 
himself  recognizes  in  it  the  work  of  the  Lord,  whom  he  asserts 
to  have  taken  from  him  those  things  of  which  he  had  been, 
plundered  by  the  Chaldeans.  How  can  we  refer  the  same 
action  to  God,  to  Satan,  and  to  man,  as  being  each  the  author 
of  it,  without  either  excusing  Satan  by  associating  him  with 
God,  or  making  God  the  author  of  evil  ? Very  easily,  if  we 
examine,  first,  the  end  for  which  the  action  was  designed,  and 
secondly,  the  manner  in  which  it  was  effected.  The  design 
of  the  Lord  is  to  exercise  the  patience  of  his  servant  by  ad- 
versity ; Satan  endeavours  to  drive  him  to  despair : the  Chalde- 
ans, in  defiance  of  law  and  justice,  desire  to  enrich  themselves 
by  the  property  of  another.  So  great  a diversity  of  design 
makes  a great  distinction  in  the  action.  There  is  no  less 
difference  in  the  manner.  The  Lord  permits  his  servant  to  be 
afflicted  by  Satan  : the  Chaldeans,  whom  he  commissions  to 
execute  his  purpose,  he  permits  and  resigns  to  be  impelled  by 
Satan  : Satan,  with  his  envenomed  stings,  instigates  the  minds 
of  the  Chaldeans,  otherwise  very  depraved,  to  perpetrate  the 
crime  : they  furiously  rush  into  the  act  of  injustice,  and  over- 
whelm themselves  in  criminality.  Satan  therefore  is  properly 
said  to  work  in  the  reprobate,  in  whom  he  exercises  his  do- 
minion ; that  is,  the  kingdom  of  iniquity.  God  also  is  said  to 
work  in  a way  proper  to  himself,  because  Satan,  being  the 
instrument  of  his  wrath,  turns  himself  hither  and  thither  at  his 
appointment  and  command,  to  execute  his  righteous  judgments. 
Here  I allude  not  to  the  universal  influence  of  God,  by  which 
all  creatures  are  sustained,  and  from  which  they  derive  an 
ability  to  perform  whatever  they  do.  I speak  only  of  that 
special  influence  which  appears  in  every  particular  act.  We 
see,  then,  that  the  same  action  is  without  absurdity  ascribed  to 
God,  to  Satan,  and  to  man;  but  the  variety  in  the  end  and  in 
the  manner,  causes  the  righteousness  of  God  to  shine  without 
the  least  blemish,  and  the  iniquity  of  Satan  and  of  man  to 
betray  itself  to  its  own  disgrace. 


(n)  Job  i. 


280  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

III.  The  fathers  are  sometimes  too  scrupulous  on  this  sub- 
ject, and  afraid  of  a simple  confession  of  the  truth,  lest  they 
should  afford  an  occasion  to  impiety  to  speak  irreverently  and 
reproachfully  of  the  works  of  God.  Though  I highly  approve 
this  sobriety,  yet  I think  we  are  in  no  danger,  if  we  simply 
maintain  what  the  Scripture  delivers.  Even  Augustine  at  one 
time  was  not  free  from  this  scrupulosity ; as  when  he  says  that 
hardening  and  blinding  belong  not  to  the  operation,  but  to  the 
prescience  of  God.  But  these  subtleties  are  inconsistent  with 
numerous  expressions  of  the  Scripture,  which  evidently  import 
some  intervention  of  God  beyond  mere  foreknowledge.  And 
Augustine  himself,  in  his  fifth  book  against  Julian,  contends 
very  largely,  that  sins  proceed  not  only  from  the  permission  or 
the  prescience,  but  from  the  power  of  God,  in  order  that  former 
sins  mayAhereby  be  punished.  So  also  what  they  advance 
concerning  permission  is  too  weak  to  be  supported.  God  is 
very  frequently  said  to  blind  and  harden  the  reprobate,  and  to 
turn,  incline,  and  influence  their  hearts,  as  I have  elsewhere 
more  fully  stated.  But  it  affords  no  explication  of  the  nature 
of  this  influence  to  resort  to  prescience  or  permission.  We 
answer,  therefore,  that  it  operates  in  two  ways.  For,  since, 
when  his  light  is  removed,  nothing  remains  but  darkness  and 
blindness  ; since,  when  his  Spirit  is  withdrawn,  our  hearts  har- 
den into  stones ; since,  when  his  direction  ceases,  they  are 
warped  into  obliquity ; he  is  properly  said  to  blind,  harden,  and 
incline  those  whom  he  deprives  of  the  power  of  seeing,  obey- 
ing, and  acting  aright.  The  second  way,  which  is  much  more 
consistent  with  strict  propriety  of  language,  is,  when,  for  the 
execution  of  his  judgments,  he,  by  means  of  Satan,  the  mi- 
nister of  his  wrath,  directs  their  counsels  to  what  he  pleases,  and 
excites  their  wills  and  strengthens  their  efforts.  Thus,  when 
Moses  relates  that  Sihon  the  king  would  not  grant  a free  pas- 
sage to  the  people,  because  God  had  “ hardened  his  spirit,  and 
made  his  heart  obstinate,”  he  immediately  subjoins  the  end  of 
God’s  design  : That  he  might  deliver  him  into  thy  hand.”  (o) 
Since  God  willed  his  destruction,  the  obduration  of  his  heart, 
therefore,  was  the  Divine  preparation  for  his  ruin. 

IV.  The  following  expressions  seem  to  relate  to  the  former 
method  : He  removeth  away  the  speech  of  the  trusty,  and 
taketh  away  the  understanding  of  the  aged.  He  taketh  away 
the  heart  of  the  chief  people  of  the  earth,  and  causeth  them  to 
wander  in  a wilderness  where  there  is  no  way.”  (j?)  Again  : O 
Lord,  why  hast  thou  made  us  to  err  from  thy  ways,  and  har- 
dened our  heart  from  thy  fear?  ” (q)  For  these  passages  rather 
indicate  what  God  makes  men  by  deserting  them,  than  show 


(o)  Deut.  ii.  30. 


(j?)  Job  xii.  20,  24. 


(5)  Isaiah  Ixiii.  17. 


CHAP.  IV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  281 

how  he  performs  his  operations  within  them.  But  there  are 
other  testimonies,  which  go  further  ; as  those  which  relate  to 
the  hardening  of  Pharaoh : I will  harden  his  (Pharaoh’s) 
heart,  that  he  shall  not  let  the  people  go.”  (r)  Afterwards  the 
Lord  says,  I have  hardened  his  heart.”  (s)  Did  he  harden  it 
by  not  mollifying  it  ? Tkat  is  true  ; but  he  did  somewhat 
more,  for  he  delivered  his  heart  to  Satan  to  be  confirmed  in 
obstinacy ; whence  he  had  before  said,  I will  harden  his 
heart.”  The  people  march  out  of  Egypt ; the  inhabitants  of 
the  country  meet  them  in  a hostile  manner : by  whom  were 
they  excited?  Moses  expressly  declared  to  the  people,  that 
it  was  the  Lord  who  had  hardened  their  hearts,  {t)  The 
Psalmist,  reciting  the  same  history,  says,  He  turned  their  heart 
to  hate  his  people.”  {v)  Now,  it  cannot  be  said  that  they  fell  in 
consequence  of  being  deprived  of  the  counsel  of  God.  For 
if  they  are  “hardened”  and  “ turned,”  they  are  positively  in- 
clined to  that  point.  Besides,  whenever  it  has  pleased  him 
to  punish  the  transgressions  of  his  people,  how  has  he  ex- 
ecuted his  work  by  means  of  the  reprobate  ? In  such  a manner 
that  any  one  may  see,  that  the  efficacy  of  the  action  proceeded 
from  him,  and  that  they  were  only  the  ministers  of  his  will. 
Wherefore  he  threatened  sometimes  that  he  would  call  them 
forth  by  hissing,  {lu)  sometimes  that  he  would  use  them  as  a 
net  [x)  to  entangle,  sometimes  as  a hammer  {y)  to  strike  the 
people  of  Israel.  But  he  particularly  declared  himself  to  be 
operative  in  them,  when  he  called  Sennacherib  an  axe,  {z) 
which  was  both  directed  and  driven  by  his  hand.  Augustine 
somewhere  makes  the  following  correct  distinction  : “ that  they 
sin,  proceeds  from  .themselves ; that  in  sinning  they  perform 
this  or  that  particular  action,  is  from  the  power  of  God,  who 
divides  the  darkness  according  to  his  pleasure.” 

V.  Now  that  the  ministry  of  Satan  is  concerned  in  instiga- 
ting the  reprobate,  whenever  the  Lord  directs  them  hither  or 
thither  by  his  providence,  may  be  sufficiently  proved  even 
from  one  passage.  For  it  is  frequently  asserted  in  Samuel  that 
an  evil  spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  an  evil  spirit  from  the  Lord,  either 
agitated  or  quitted  Saul,  (a)  To  refer  this  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
were  impious.  An  impure  spirit,  therefore,  is  called  a spirit  of 
God,  because  it  acts  according  to  his  command  and  by  his  power, 
being  rather  an  instrument  in  the  performance  of  th('.  action, 
than  itself  the  author  of  it.  We  must  add,  also,  what  is  ad- 
vanced by  Paul,  that  “ God  shall  send  strong  delusion,  that 
they  who  believed  not  the  truth  should  believe  a lie.”  {h)  Yet 

(r)  Exod.  iv.  21.  (5)  Exod.  vii.  3.  {t)  Deut.  ii.  30. 

{v)  Psalm  cv.  25.  {w)  Isaiah  v.  26;  vii.  18. 

(x)  Ezek.  xii.  13;  xvii.  20.  (y)  Jer.  1.  23.  (z)  Isaiah  x.  15. 

(a)  1 Sam.  xvi.  14  ; xviii.  19;  xix.  19.  (b)  2 Thess.  ii.  11,  12. 

VOL.  I.  36 


282  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  11- 

there  is  always  a wide  difference,  even  in  the  same  work,  be- 
tween the  operation  of  God  and  the  attempts  of  Satan  and 
wicked  men.  He  makes  the  evil  instruments,  which  he  has  in 
his  hand,  and  can  turn  as  he  pleases,  to  be  subservient  to  his 
justice.  They,  as  they  are  evil,  produce  the  iniquity  which 
the  depravity  of  their  nature  has  conceived.  The  other  argu- 
ments, which  tend  to  vindicate  the  majesty  of  God  from  every 
calumny,  and  to  obviate  the  cavils  of  the  impious,  have  already 
been  advanced  in  the  chapter  concerning  Providence.  For,  at 
present,  I only  intend  briefly  to  show  how  Satan  reigns  in  the 
reprobate  man,  and  how  the  Lord  operates  in  them  both. 

VI.  But  what  liberty  man  possesses  in  those  actions  which 
in  themselves  are  neither  righteous  nor  wicked,  and  pertain 
rather  to  the  corporeal  than  to  the  spiritual  life,  although  we 
have  before  hinted,  has  not  yet  been  explicitly  stated.  Some 
have  admitted  him  in  such  things  to  possess  a free  choice  ; 
rather,  as  I suppose,  from  a reluctance  to  dispute  on  a subject 
of  no  importance,  than  from  an  intention  of  positively  assert- 
ing that  which  they  concede.  Now,  though  I grant  that  they 
who  believe  themselves  to  be  possessed  of  no  power  to  justify 
themselves,  believe  what  is  principally  necessary  to  be  known 
in  order  to  salvation,  yet  I think  that  this  point  also  should 
not  be  neglected,  that  we  may  know  it  to  be  owing  to  the 
special  favour  of  God,  whenever  our  mind  is  disposed  to  choose 
that  which  is  advantageous  for  us ; whenever  our  will  inclines 
to  it ; and,  on  the  other  hand,  whenever  our  mind  and  under- 
standing avoid  what  would  otherwise  hurt  us.  And  the  power 
of  the  providence  of  God  extends  so  far,  as  not  only  to  cause 
those  events  to  succeed  which  he  foresees  will  be  best,  but  also 
to  incline  the  wills  of  men  to  the  same  objects.  Indeed,  if  we 
view  the  administration  of  external  things  with  our  own  rea- 
son, we  shall  not  doubt  their  subjection  to  the  human  will ; 
but  if  we  listen  to  the  numerous  testimonies,  which  proclaim 
that  in  these  things  also  the  hearts  of  men  are  governed  by  the 
Lord,  they  will  constrain  us  to  submit  the  will  itself  to  the 
special  influence  of  God.  "Who  conciliated  the  minds  of  the 
Egyptians  towards  the  Israelites,  (c)  so  as  to  induce  them  to 
lend  them  the  most  valuable  of  their  furniture  ? They  would 
never  have  been  induced  to  do  this  of  their  own  accord.  It 
follows,  therefore,  that  their  hearts  were  guided  by  the  Lord 
rather  than  by  an  inclination  of  their  own.  And  Jacob,  if  he 
had  not  been  persuaded  that  God  infuses  various  dispositions 
into  men  according  to  his  pleasure,  would  not  have  said  con- 
cerning his  son  Joseph,  whom  he  thought  to  be  some  profane 
Egyptian,  ^^God  Almighty  give  you  mercy  before  the  man.”  [d) 


(c)  Exod,  xi.  3. 


(d)  Gen.  xliii.  14. 


CHAP.  IV. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


283 


As  the  whole  Church  confesses  in  the  Psalms,  that,  when  God 
chose  to  compassionate  her,  he  softened  the  hearts  of  the  cruel 
nations  into  clemency,  (e)  Again,  when  Saul  was  so  intlamed 
with  rage,  as  to  prepare  himself  for  war,  it  is  expressly  men- 
tioned as  the  cause,  that  he  was  impelled  by  the  Spirit  of 
God.  (/)  Who  diverted  the  mind  of  Absalom  from  adopting 
the  counsel  of  Ahithophel,  which  used  to  be  esteemed  as  an 
oracle  ? (g)  Who  inclined  Rehoboam  to  he  persuaded  by  the 
counsel  of  the  young  men?  (h)  Who  caused  the  nations,  that 
before  were  very  valiant,  to  feel  terror  at  the  approach  of  the 
Israelites  ? Rahab  the  harlot  confessed  that  this  was  the  work 
of  God.  Who,  on  the  other  hand,  dejected  the  minds  of  the 
Israelites  with  fear  and  terror,  hut  he  who  had  threatened  in 
the  law  that  he  would  send  a faintness  into  their  hearts  ? ” (?) 

YII.  Some  one  will  object,  that  these  are  peculiar  examples, 
to  the  rule  of  which,  things  ought  by  no  means  universally  to 
be  reduced.  But  I maintain,  that  they  are  sufficient  to  prove 
that  for  which  I contend ; that  God,  whenever  he  designs  to 
prepare  the  way  for  his  providence,  inclines  and  moves  the 
wills  of  men  even  in  external  things,  and  that  their  choice  is 
not  so  free,  but  that  its  liberty  is  subject  to  the  will  of  God. 
That  your  mind  depends  more  on  the  influence  of  God,  than 
on  the  liberty  of  your  own  choice,  you  must  be  constrained  to 
conclude,  whether  you  are  willing  or  not,  from  this  daily  expe- 
rience, that  in  affairs  of  no  perplexity  your  judgment  and  un- 
derstanding frequently  fail ; that  in  undertakings  not  arduous 
your  spirits  languish ; on  the  other  hand,  in  things  the  most 
obscure,  suitable  advice  is  immediately  offered ; in  things  great 
and  perilous,  your  mind  proves  superior  to  every  difficulty. 
And  thus  I explain  the  observation  of  Solomon,  The  hearing 
ear,  and  the  seeing  eye,  the  Lord  hath  made  even  buth  of 
them.”  (k)  For  he  appears  to  me  to  speak,  not  of  their  crea- 
tion, but  of  the  peculiar  favour  of  God  displayed  in  theii  per- 
forming their  functions.  When  he  says,  that  ‘Mhe  king’s  heart 
is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord ; as  the  rivers  of  water,  he  turneth 
it  whithersoever  he  will;”(Z)  under  one'  species  he  clearly 
comprehends  the  whole  genus.  For  if  the  will  of  any  man 
be  free  from  all  subjection,  that  privilege  belongs  eminently  to 
the  wilh  of  a king,  which  exercises  a government  in  some 
measure  over  the  wills  of  others ; but  if  the  will  of  the  king 
be  subject  to  the  poAver  of  God,  ours  cannot  be  exempted  from 
the  same  authority.  Augustine  has  a remarkable  passage  on 
this  subject : The  Scripture,  if  it  be  diligently  examined, 
shows,  not  only  that  the  good  wills  of  men,  which  he  turns 
from  evil  into  good,  and  directs  to  good  actions  and  to  eternal 

'fi)  Psalm  cvi.  46.  (/)  1 Sam.  xi.  6.  (g)  2 Sam.  xvii.  14.  (A)  1 Kings  xii.  10 

(i)  Lev.  xxvi.  36.  (k)  Prov.  xx.  12.  (1)  Prov.  xxi.  1. 


284 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  11 

life,  but  also  that  those  wills  which  relate  to  the  present  life, 
are  subject  to  the  power  of  God,  so  that  he,  by  a most  secret, 
but  yet  a most  righteous  judgment,  causes  them  to  be  inclined 
whither  he  pleases,  and  when  he  pleases,  either  for  the  com- 
munication of  benefits,  or  for  the  infliction  of  punishments.” 

VIII.  Here  let  the  reader  remember,  that  the  ability  of  the 
human  will  is  not  to  be  estimated  from  the  event  of  things,  as 
some  ignorant  men  are  preposterously  accustomed  to  do.  For 
they  conceive  themselves  fully  and  ingeniously  to  establish  the 
servitude  of  the  human  will,  because  even  the  most  exalted 
monarchs  have  not  all  their  desires  fulfilled.  But  this  ability, 
of  which  we  speak,  is  to  be  considered  within  man,  and  not  to 
be  measured  by  external  success.  For  in  the  dispute  concern- 
ing free  will,  the  question  is  not,  whether  a man,  notwithstand- 
ing external  impediments,  can  perform  and  execute  whatever 
he  may  have  resolved  in  his  mind,  but  whether  in  every  case 
his  judgment  exerts  freedom  of  choice,  and  his  will  freedom 
of  inclination.  If  men  possess  both  these,  then  Attilius  Re- 
gulus,  when  confined  to  the  small  extent  of  a cask  stuck  round 
with  nails,  will  possess  as  much  free  will  as  Augustus  Caesar, 
when  governing  a great  part  of  the  world  with  his  nod. 


CHAPTER  V. 

A REFUTATION  OF  THE  OBJECTIONS  COMMONLY  URGED  IN  SUPPORT 
OF  FREE  WILL. 

Enough  might  appear  to  have  been  already  said  on  the  ser- 
vitude of  the  human  will,  did  not  they,  who  endeavour  to  over- 
throw it  with  a false  notion  of  liberty,  allege,  on  the  contrary, 
certain  reasons  in  opposition  to  our  sentiments.  First,  they 
collect  together  some  absurdities,  in  order  to  render  it  odious, 
as  if  it  were  abhorrent  to  common  sense  ; and  then  they  attack 
it  with  testimonies  of  Scripture.  Both  these  weapons  we  will 
repel  in  order.  If  sin,  say  they,  be  necessary,  then  it  ceases  to 
be  sin ; if  it  be  voluntary,  then  it  may  be  avoided.  These 
were  also  the  weapons  used  by  Pelagius  in  his  attacks  on  Au- 
gustine ; with  whose  authority,  however,  we  wish  not  to  urge 
them,  till  we  shall  have  given  some  satisfaction  on  the  subject 
itself.  I deny,  then,  that  sin  is  the  less  criminal,  because  it  is 
necessary ; I deny  also  the  other  consequence,  which  they 
infer,  that  it  is  avoidable  because  it  is  voluntary.  For,  if 
any  one  wish  to  dispute  with  God,  and  to  escape  his  judgment 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  285 

by  the  pretext  of  having  been  incapable  of  acting  otherwise, 
he  is  prepared  with  an  answer,  which  we  have  elsewhere  ad- 
vanced, that  it  arises  not  from  creation,  but  from  the  corruption 
of  nature,  that  men,  being  enslaved  by  sin,  can  will  nothing  but 
what  is  evil.  For  whence  proceeded  that  impotence,  of  which 
the  ungodly  would  gladly  avail  themselves,  but  from  Adam 
voluntarily  devoting  himself  to  the  tyranny  of  the  devil  ? 
Hence,  therefore,  the  corruption  with  which  we  are  firmly 
bound.  It  originated  in  the  revolt  of  the  first  man  from  his 
Maker.  If  all  men  are  justly  accounted  guilty  of  this  rebellion, 
let  them  not  suppose  themselves  excused  by  necessity,  in  which 
very  thing  they  have  a most  evident  cause  of  their  condemnation. 
And  this  I have  before  clearly  explained,  and  have  given  an 
example  in  the  devil  himself,  which  shows,  that  he  who  sins 
necessarily,  sins  no  less  voluntarily ; and  also  in  the  elect  an- 
gels, whose  will,  though  it  cannot  swerve  from  what  is  good, 
ceases  not  to  be  a will.  Bernard  also  judiciously  inculcates 
the  same  doctrine,  that  we  are,  therefore,  the  more  miserable 
because  our  necessity  is  voluntary ; which  yet  constrains  us  to 
be  so  devoted  to  it,  that  we  are,  as  we  have  already  observed, 
the  slaves  of  sin.  The  second  branch  of  their  argument  is 
erroneous ; because  it  makes  an  improper  transition  from  what 
is  voluntary  to  what  is  free  ; but  we  have  before  evinced,  that 
a thing  may  be  done  voluntarily,  which  yet  is  not  the  subject 
of  free  choice. 

II.  They  add,  that  unless  both  virtues  and  vices  proceed 
from  the  free  choice  of  the  will,  it  is  not  reasonable  either  that 
punishments  should  be  inflicted,  or  that  rewards  should  be 
conferred  on  man.  This  argument,  though  first  advanced  by 
Aristotle,  yet  I grant  is  used  on  some  occasions  by  Chrysostom 
and  Jerome.  That  it  was  familiar  to  the  Pelagians,  however, 
Jerome  himself  does  not  dissemble,  but  even  relates  their  own 
words : ‘‘If  the  grace  of  God  operates  in  us,  then  the  crown 
will  be  given  to  grace,  not  to  us  who  labour.”  In  regard  to 
punishments,  I reply,  that  they  are  justly  inflicted  on  us,  from 
whom  the  guilt  of  sin  proceeds.  For  of  what  importance  is  it, 
whether  sin  be  committed  with  a judgment  free  or  enslaved, 
so  It  be  committed  with  the  voluntary  bias  of  the  passions ; 
especially  as  man  is  proved  to  be  a sinner,  because  he  is  sub- 
ject to  the  servitude  of  sin  ? With  respect  to  rewards  of 
righteousness,  where  is  the  great  absurdity,  if  we  confess  that 
they  depend  rather  on  the  Divine  benignity  than  on  our  own 
merits  ? How  often  does  this  recur  in  Augustine,  “ that  God 
crowns  not  our  merits,  but  his  own  gifts ; and  that  they  are 
called  rewards,  not  as  though  they  were  due  to  our  merits,  but 
because  they  are  retributions  to  the  graces  already  conferred  on 
us ! ’*  They  discover  great  acuteness  in  this  observation,  that 


286  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

there  remains  no  room  for  merits,  if  they  originate  not’ from 
free  will ; but  in  their  opinion  of  the  erroneousness  of  our 
sentiment  they  are  greatly  mistaken.  For  Augustine  hesitates 
not  on  all  occasions  to  inculcate  as  certain,  what  they  think  it 
impious  to  acknowledge ; as  where  he  says,  “ What  are  the 
merits  of  any  man  ? When  he  comes  not  with  a merited  re- 
ward, but  with  free  grace,  he  alone  being  free  and  a deliverer 
from  sins,  finds  all  men  sinners.”  Again:  ‘‘If  you  receive 
what  is  your  due,  you  must  be  punished.  What  then  is  done  ? 
God  has  given  you  not  merited  punishment,  but  unmerited 
grace.  If  you  wish  to  be  excluded  from  grace,  boast  your 
merits.”  Again:  “You  are  nothing  of  yourself;  sins  are 
yours,  merits  belong  to  God  ; you  deserve  punishment ; and 
when  you  come  to  be  rewarded,  he  will  crown  his  own  gifts, 
not  your  merits.”  In  the  same  sense  he  elsewhere  teaches 
that  grace  proceeds  not  from  merit,  but  merit  from  grace. 
And  a little  after  he  concludes,  that  God  with  his  gifts  pre- 
cedes all  merits,  that  thence  he  may  elicit  his  other  merits,  and 
gives  altogether  freely,  because  he  discovers  nothing  as  a cause 
of  salvation.  But  what  necessity  is  there  for  further  quota- 
tions, when  his  writings  are  full  of  such  passages  ? But  the 
Apostle  will  even  better  deliver  them  from  this  error,  if  they 
will  hear  from  what  origin  he  deduces  the  glory  of  the  saints. 
“Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called;  and  whom 
he  called,  them  he  also  justified ; and  whom  he  justified,  them 
he  also  glorified.”  (m)  Why,  then,  according  to  the  Apostle, 
are  the  faithful  crowned  ? Because  by  the  mercy  of  the  Lord, 
and  not  by  their  own  industry,  they  are  elected,  and  called,  and 
justified.  Farewell,  then,  this  vain  fear,  that  there  will  be  an 
end  of  all  merits  if  free  will  be  overturned.  For  it  is  a proof 
of  extreme  folly,  to  be  terrified  and  to  fly  from  that  to  which 
the  Scripture  calls  us.  “ If,”  says  he,  “ thou  didst  receive  it, 
why  dost  thou  glory,  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it?”(w) 
You  see  that  he  divests  free  will  of  every  thing,  with  the  ex- 
press design  of  leaving  no  room  for  merits.  But  yet,  the  bene- 
ficence and  liberality  of  God  being  inexhaustible  and  various, 
those  graces  which  he  confers  on  us,  because  he  makes  them 
ours,  he  rewards,  just  as  if  they  were  our  own  virtues. 

III.  They  further  allege  what  may  appear  to  be  borrowed 
from  Chrysostom,  that  if  our  will  has  not  this  ability  to  choose 
good  or  evil,  the  partakers  of  the  same  nature  must  be  either 
all  evil  or  all  good.  And  not  very  far  from  this  is  the  writer, 
whoever  he  was,  of  the  treatise  On  the  Calling  of  the  Gentiles^ 
which  is  circulated  under  the  name  of  Ambrose,  when  he 
argues,  that  no  man  would  ever  recede  from  the  faith,  unless 


(m)  Rom.  viii.  29. 


(n)  1 Cor.  iv.  7. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


287 


CHAP.  V.] 

the  grace  of  God  left  us  the  condition  of  mutability.  In  which 
it  is  surprising  that  such  great  men  were  so  inconsistent  with 
themselves.  For  how  did  it  not  occur  to  Chrysostom,  that  it 
is  the  election  of  God,  which  makes  this  difference  between 
men  ? We  are  not  afraid  to  allow,  what  Paul  very  strenuously 
asserts,  that  all,  without  exception,  are  depraved  and  addicted 
to  wickedness  ; but  with  him  we  add,  that  the  mercy  of  God 
does  not  permit  all  to  remain  in  depravity.  Therefore,  since 
we  all  naturally  labour  under  the  same  disease,  they  alone  re- 
cover to  whom  the  Lord  has  been  pleased  to  apply  his  healing 
hand.  The  rest,  whom  he  passes  by  in  righteous  judgment, 
putrefy  in  their  corruption  till  they  are  entirely  consumed. 
And  it  is  from  the  same  cause,  that  some  persevere  to  the  end, 
and  others  decline  and  fall  in  the  midst  of  their  course.  For 
perseverance  itself  also  is  a gift  of  God,  which  he  bestows  not 
on  all  men  promiscuously,  but  imparts  to  whom  he  pleases.  If 
we  inquire  the  cause  of  the  difference,  why  some  persevere 
with  constancy,  and  others  fail  through  instability,  no  other 
can  be  found,  but  that  God  sustains  the  former  by  his  power, 
that  they  perish  not,  and  does  not  communicate  the  same 
strength  to  the  latter,  that  they  may  be  examples  of  inconstancy. 

lY.  They  urge  further,  that  exhortations  are  given  in  vain, 
that  the  use  of  admonitions  is  superfluous,  and  that  reproofs 
are  ridiculous,  if  it  be  not  in  the  power  of  the  sinner  to  obey. 
When  similar  objections  were  formerly  made  to  Augustine,  he 
was  obliged  to  write  his  treatise  O71  Correction  and  Grace ; in 
which,  though  he  copiously  refutes  them,  he  calls  his  adversa- 
ries to  this  conclusion : O man,  in  the  commandment  learn  what 
is  your  duty : in  correction  learn,  that  through  your  own  fault 
you  have  it  not : in  prayer  learn  whence  you  may  receive  what 
you  wish  to  enjoy.”  There  is  nearly  the  same  argument  in  the 
treatise  On  the  Spirit  and  Letter^  in  which  he  maintains  that 
God  does  not  regulate  the  precepts  of  his  law  by  the  ability  of 
men,  but  when  he  has  commanded  what  is  right,  freely  gives 
to  his  elect  ability  to  perform  it.  This  is  not  a subject  that 
requires  a prolix  discussion.  First,  we  are  not  alone  in  this 
cause,  but  have  the  support  of  Christ  and  all  the  Apostles.  Let 
our  opponents  consider  how  they  can  obtain  the  superiority  in 
a contest  with  such  antagonists.  Does  Christ,  who  declares 
that  without  him  we  can  do  nothing,  (0)  on  that  account  the 
less  reprehend  and  punish  those  who  without  him  do  what  is 
evil  ? Does  he  therefore  relax  in  his  exhortations  to  every  man 
to  practise  good  works  ? How  severely  does  Paul  censure  the 
Corinthians  for  their  neglect  of  charity  ! {p)  Yet  he  earnestly 
prays  that  charity  may  be  given  them  by  the  Lord.  In  his 


(o)  John  XV.  5. 


{p)  1 Cor.  iii.  3. 


288  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

Epistle  to  the  Romans  he  declares  that  “ it  is  not  of  him  that 
willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth 
mercy  : ” [q)  yet  afterwards  he  refrains  not  from  the  use  of 
admonition,  exhortation,  and  reproof.  Why  do  they  not,  there- 
fore, remonstrate  with  the  Lord,  not  to  lose  his  labour  in  such 
a manner,  by  requiring  of  men  those  things  which  he  alone 
can  bestow,  and  punishing  those  things  which  are  committed 
for  want  of  his  grace  ? Why  do  they  not  admonish  Paul  to 
spare  those  who  are  unable  to  will  or  run  without  the  previous 
mercy  of  God,  of  which  they  are  now  destitute  ? As  though 
truly  the  Lord  has  not  the  best  reason  for  his  doctrine,  which 
readily  presents  itself  to  those  who  religiously  seek  it.  Paul 
clearly  shows  how  far  doctrine,  exhortation,  and  reproof,  can 
of  themselves  avail  towards  producing  a change  of  heart,  when 
he  says  that  “ neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  thing,  neither  he 
that  watereth  ; but  ” that  the  efficacy  is  solely  from  “ God 
that  giveth  the  increase.”  (r)  Thus  we  see  that  Moses  severely 
sanctions  the  precepts  of  the  law,  and  the  Prophets  earnestly 
urge  and  threaten  transgressors  ; whilst,  nevertheless,  they  ac- 
knowledge, that  men  never  begin  to  be  wise  till  a heart  is 
given  them  to  understand  ; that  it  is  the  peculiar  work  of  God 
to  circumcise  the  heart,  and  instead  of  a stony  heart  to  give  a 
heart  of  flesh ; to  inscribe  his  law  in  men’s  minds ; in  a word, 
to  render  his  doctrine  effectual  by  a renovation  of  the  soul. 

V.  What,  then,  it  will  be  inquired,  is  the  use  of  exhortations  ? 
I reply.  If  the  impious  despise  them  with  obstinate  hearts, 
they  will  serve  for  a testimony  against  them,  when  they  shall 
come  to  the  tribunal  of  the  Lord ; and  even  in  the  present 
state  they  wound  their  consciences  ; for  however  the  most 
audacious  person  may  deride  them,  he  cannot  disapprove  of 
them  in  his  heart.  But  it  will  be  said,  What  can  a miserable 
sinner  do,  if  the  softness  of  heart,  which  is  necessary  to  obe- 
dience, be  denied  him } I ask.  What  excuse  can  he  plead, 
seeing  that  he  cannot  impute  the  hardness  of  his  heart  to  any 
one  but  himself?  The  impious,  therefore,  who  are  ready,  if 
possible,  to  ridicule  the  Divine  precepts  and  exhortations,  are, 
in  spite  of  their  own  inclinations,  confounded  by  their  power. 
But  the  principal  utility  should  be  considered  in  regard  to  the 
faithful,  in  whom  as  the  Lord  performs  all  things  by  his  Spirit, 
so  he  neglects  not  the  instrumentality  of  his  word,  but  uses  it 
with  great  eflicacy.  Let  it  be  allowed,  then,  as  it  ought  to  be, 
that  all  the  strength  of  the  pious  consists  in  the  grace  of  God, 
according  to  this  expression  of  the  Prophet : “ I will  give  them 
a new  heart,  that  they  may  walk  in  my  statutes.”  (s)  But  you 
will  object,  Why  are  they  admonished  of  their  duty,  and  not 


(q)  Rom.  ix.  16. 


(r)  1 Cor.  iii.  7. 


is)  Ezek.  xi.  19,  20. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


289 


CHAP.  V.J 

rather  left  to  the  direction  of  the  Spkit  ? Why  are  they  im- 
portuned with  exhortations,  when  they  cannot  make  more 
haste  than  is  produced  by  the  impulse  of  the  Spirit  ? Why 
are  they  chastised,  if  they  have  ever  deviated  from  the  right 
way,  seeing  that  they  erred  through  the  necessary  infirmity  of 
the  flesh  ? I reply.  Who  art  thou,  O man,  that  wouldest  impose 
laws  upon  God  ? If  it  be  his  will  to  prepare  us  by  exhortation 
for  the  reception  of  this  grace,  by  which  obedience  to  the  ex- 
hortation is  produced,  Avhat  have  you  to  censure  in  this  econo- 
my ? If  exhortations  and  reproofs  were  of  no  other  advantage 
to  the  pious,  than  to  convince  them  of  sin,  they  ought  not  on 
that  account  to  be  esteemed  wholly  useless.  Now,  since,  by 
the  internal  operation  of  the  Spirit,  they  are  most  effectual  to 
inflame  the  heart  with  a love  of  righteousness,  to  shake  off 
sloth,  to  destroy  the  pleasure  and  poisonous  sweetness  of 
iniquity,  and,  on  the  contrary,  to  render  it  hateful  and  burden- 
some, who  can  dare  to  reject  them  as  superfluous  ? If  any 
one  would  desire  a plainer  answer,  let  him  take  it  thus  : The 
operations  of  God  on  his  elect  are  twofold  — internally,  by  his 
Spirit,  externally,  by  his  word.  By  his  Spirit  illuminating 
their  minds  and  forming  their  hearts  to  the  love  and  cultivation 
of  righteousness,  he  makes  them  new  creatures.  By  his  word 
he  excites  them  to  desire,  seek,  and  obtain  the  same  renovation. 
In  both  he  displays  the  efficacy  of  his  power,  according  to  the 
mode  of  his  dispensation.  When  he  addresses  the  same  word 
to  the  reprobate,  though  it  produces  not  their  correction,  yet 
he  makes  it  effectual  for  another  purpose,  that  they  may  be 
confounded  by  the  testimony  of  their  consciences  now,  and  be 
rendered  more  inexcusable  at  the  day  of  judgment.  Thus 
Christ,  though  he  pronounces  that  no  man  can  come  to  him, 
except  the  Father  draw  him,”  and  that  the  elect  come  when 
they  have  heard  and  learned  of  the  Father,”  {t)  yet  himself 
neglects  not  the  office  of  a teacher,  but  with  his  own  mouth 
sedulously  invites  those  who  need  the  internal  teachings  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  enable  them  to  derive  any  benefit  from  his 
instructions.  With  respect  to  the  reprobate,  Paul  suggests  that 
teaching  is  not  useless,  because  it  is  to  them  “ the  savour  of 
death  unto  death,”  but  “ a sweet  savour  unto  God.”  {v) 

YI.  Our  adversaries  are  very  laborious  in  collecting  testi- 
monies of  Scripture  ; and  this  with  a view,  since  they  cannot 
refute  us  with  their  weight,  to  overwhelm  us  with  their  num- 
ber. But  as  in  battles,  when  armies  come  to  close  combat,  the 
weak  multitude,  whatever  pomp  and  ostentation  they  may 
display,  are  soon  defeated  and  routed,  so  it  will  be  very  easy 
fcr  us  to  vanquish  them,  with  all  their  multitude.  For  as  all 


{t)  John  vi.  44,  45. 
VOL.  I.  37 


(v)  2 Cor.  ii.  16. 


290  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  Ik 

the  passages,  which  they  abuse  in  their  opposition  to  us,  when 
properly  classed  and  distributed,  centre  in  a very  few  topics, 
one  answer  will  be  sulRcient  for  many  of  them  ; it  will  not  be 
necessary  to  dwell  on  a particular  explication  of  each.  Their 
principal  argument  they  derive  from  the  precepts ; which  they 
suppose  to  be  so  proportioned  to  our  abdity,  that  whatever  they 
can  be  proved  to  require,  it  necessarily  follows  we  are  capable 
of  performing.  They  proceed,  therefore,  to  a particular  detail 
of  them,  and  by  them  measure  the  extent  of  our  strength. 
Either,  say  they,  God  mocks  us,  when  he  commands  holiness, 
piety,  obedience,  chastity,  love,  and  meekness,  and  when  he 
forbids  impurity,  idolatry,  unchastity,  anger,  robbery,  pride, 
and  the  like  ; or  he  requires  only  such  things  as  we  have 
power  to  perform.  Now,  almost  all  the  precepts  which  they 
collect,  may  be  distributed  into  three  classes.  Some  require 
the  first  conversion  to  God  ; others  simply  relate  to  the  observa- 
ti'pn  of  the  law ; others  enjoin  perseverance  in  the  grace  of 
God  already  received.  Let  us  first  speak  of  them  all  in  general, 
and  then  proceed  to  the  particulars.  To  represent  the  ability 
of  man  as  coextensive  with  the  precepts  of  the  Divine  law,  has 
indeed  for  a long  time  not  been  unusual,  and  has  some  appear- 
ance of  plausibility ; but  it  has  proceeded  from  the  grossest 
ignorance  of  the  law.  For  those  who  think  it  an  enormous 
crime  to  say  that  the  observation  of  the  law  is  impossible, 
insist  on  this  very  cogent  argument,  that  otherwise  the  law 
was  given  in  vain.  For  they  argue  just  as  if  Paul  had  never 
said  any  thing  concerning  the  law.  But,  pray,  what  is  the 
meaning  of  these  expressions  — “ The  law  was  added  because 
of  transgressions ; ” ‘‘  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin  ; ” 
the  law  worketh  wrath  ; ” “ the  law  entered  that  the  oftence 
might  abound  ? ” (w)  Do  they  imply  a necessity  of  its  being 
limited  to  our  ability,  that  it  might  not  be  given  in  vain  ? Do 
they  not  rather  show  that  it  was  placed  far  beyond  our  ability, 
in  order  to  convince  us  of  our  impotence  ? According  to  the 
definition  of  the  same  Apostle,  the  end  of  the  commandment 
is  charity.”  (a;)  But  when  he  wishes  the  minds  of  the  Thes- 
salonians  to  “abound  in  love,”  (?/)  he  plainly  acknowledges 
that  the  law  sounds  in  our  ears  in  vain,  unless  God  inspire  the 
principles  of  it  into  our  hearts. 

VII.  Indeed,  if  the  Scripture  taught  only  that  the  law  is  the 
rule  of  life,  to  which  our  conduct  ought  to  be  conformed,  I 
would  immediately  accede  to  theix  opinion.  But  since  it  care- 
fully and  perspicuously  states  to  us  various  uses  of  the  law,  it 
will  be  best  to  consider  the  operation  of  the  law  in  man  accord- 
ing to  that  exposition.  As  far  as  relates  to  the  present  argument, 

(w)  Gal.  lii.  19.  Rom.  iii.  20  ; iv.  15  ; v.  20. 

(x)  1 Tim.  i.  5.  (y)  1 Thess.  iii.  12. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


291 


CHAP.  V.] 

when  it  has  prescribed  any  thing  to  be  performed  by  us,  it 
teaches  that  the  power  of  obedience  proceeds  from  the  good- 
ness of  God,  and  therefore  invites  us  to  pray  that  it  may  be 
given  us.  If  there  were  only  a commandment,  and  no  pro- 
mise, there  would  be  a trial  of  the  sufficiency  of  our  strength  to 
obey  the  commandment  ; but  since  the  commands  are  con- 
nected with  promises,  which  declare  that  we  must  derive  not 
only  subsidiary  power,  but  our  whole  strength,  from  the  assist- 
ance of  Divine  grace,  they  furnish  abundant  evidence  that  we 
are  not  only  unequal  to  the  observation  of  the  law,  but  alto- 
gether incapable  of  it.  Wherefore  let  them  no  more  urge  the 
proportion  of  our  ability  to  the  precepts  of  the  law,  as  though 
the  Lord  had  regulated  the  standard  of  righteousness,  which 
he  designed  to  give  in  the  law,  according  to  the  measure  of  our 
imbecility.  It  should  rather  be  concluded  from  the  promises, 
how  unprepared  we  are  of  ourselves,  since  we  stand  in  such 
universal  need  of  his  grace.  But  will  it,  say  they,  be  credited 
by  any,  that  the  Lord  addressed  his  law  to  stocks  and  stones  ? 
I reply,  that  no  one  will  attempt  to  inculcate  such  a notion. 
For  neither  are  the  impious  stocks  or  stones,  when  they  are 
taught  by  the  law  the  contrariety  of  their  dispositions  to  God, 
and  are  convicted  of  guilt  by  the  testimony  of  their  own  minds ; 
nor  the  pious,  when,  admonished  of  their  own  impotence,  they 
ha-ve  recourse  to  the  grace  of  God.  To  this  purpose  are 
the  following  passages  from  Augustine : “ God  gives  com- 
mands which  we  cannot  perform,  that  we  may  know  what 
we  ought  to  request  of  him.  The  utility  of  the  precepts  is 
great,  if  only  so  much  be  given  to  free  will,  that  the  grace  of 
God  may  receive  the  greater  honour.  Faith  obtains  what  the 
law  commands ; and  the  law  therefore  commands,  that  faith 
may  obtain  that  which  is  commanded  by  the  law  : moreover 
God  requires  faith  itself  of  us,  and  finds  not  what  he  requires, 
unless  he  has  given  what  he  finds.”  Again:  ‘‘Let  God  give 
what  he  enjoins,  and  let  him  enjoin  what  he  pleases.” 

VIII.  This  will  more  clearly  appear  in  an  examination  of 
the  three  kinds  of  precepts  which  we  have  already  mentioned. 
The  Lord,  both  in  the  law  and  in  the  prophets,  frequently 
commands  us  to  be  converted  to  him  ]{z)  but  the  Prophet,  on 
the  other  hand,  says,  “ Turn  thou  me,  and  I shall  be  turned.” 
“After  that  I was  turned,  I repented,”  &c.  {a)  He  commands 
as  to  circumcise  our  hearts ; but  he  announces  by  Moses,  that 
th-'i  circumcision  is  the  work  of  his  own  hand,  {h)  He  fre- 
quently requires  newne-ss  of  heart ; but  elsewhere  declares  that 
this  is  his  own  gift,  (c)  “ What  God  promises,”  Augustine  says, 
“ we  do  not  perform  ourselves  through  free  will  or  nature ; but 

(6)  Deut.  X.  16,  and  xxx.  6. 

(c)  Jer.  iv.  4.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26. 


(2)  Joel  ii.  12. 

(a)  Jer  xxxi.  18,  19. 


292  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  I . 

he  does  it  himself  by  his  grace.”  And  this  is  the  observation  to 
which  he  himself  assigns  the  fifth  place  in  his  enumeration  of 
Ticonius’s  rules  of  Christian  doctrine  ; that  we  should  make  a 
proper  distinction  between  the  law  and  the  promises,  or  be- 
tween the  commandments  and  grace.  This  may  suffice,  in 
answer  to  those  who  from  the  precepts  infer  an  ability  in  man 
to  obey  them,  that  they  may  destroy  the  grace  of  God,  by 
which  those  very  precepts  are  fulfilled.  The  precepts  of  the 
second  class  are  simple,  enjoining  on  us  the  worship  of  God, 
constant  submission  to  his  will,  observance  of  his  commands, 
and  adherence  to  his  doctrine.  But  there  are  innumerable  pas- 
sages, which  prove  that  the  highest  degree  of  righteousness, 
sanctity,  piety,  and  purity,  capable  of  being  attained,  is  his 
own  gift.  Of  the  third  class  is  that  exhortation  of  Paul  and 
Barnabas  to  the  faithful,  mentioned  by  Luke,  “ to  continue  in 
the  grace  of  God.”  {d)  But  whence  the  grace  of  perseverance 
should  be  sought,  the  same  Apostle  informs  us,  when  he  says, 
Finally,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord.”  (e)  In  another 
place  he  cautions  us  to  ‘^grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 
whereby  we  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption.”  (/)  But 
because  what  he  there  requires  could  not  be  performed  by  men, 
he  prays  for  the  Thessalonians,  that  our  God  would  count 
them  worthy  of  this  calling,  and  fulfil  all  the  good  pleasure 
of  his  goodness,  and  the  work  of  faith  with  power.”  (g) 
Thus,  also,  in  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  treating 
of  alms,  he  frequently  commends  their  benevolent  and  pious 
disposition ; (A)  yet  a little  after  he  gives  thanks  to  God 
for  having  inclined  the  heart  of  Titus  to  “ accept  ” or  un- 
dertake the  exhortation.”  If  Titus  could  not  even  use 
his  own  tongue  to  exhort  others  without  having  been  prompted 
by  God,  how  should  others  have  been  inclined  to  act,  unless 
God  himself  had  directed  their  hearts  ? 

IX.  Our  more  subtle  adversaries  cavil  at  all  these  testimo- 
nies, because  there  is  no  impediment,  they  say,  that  prevents 
our  exerting  our  own  ability,  and  God  assisting  our  weak  ef- 
forts. They  adduce  also  passages  from  the  Prophets,  where 
the  accomplishment  of  our  conversion  seems  to  be  divided 
equally  between  God  and  us.  “ Turn  ye  unto  me,  and  I will 
turn  unto  you.”  (^)  What  assistance  we  receive  from  the  Lord 
has  already  been  shown,  and  needs  not  to  be  repeated  here. 
I wish  only  this  single  point  to  be  conceded  to  me,  that  it  is  in 
vain  to  infer  our  possession  of  ability  to  fulfil  the  law  from 
God’s  command  to  us  to  obey  it ; since  it  is  evident,  that  for 
the  performance  of  all  the  Divine  precepts,  the  grace  of  the 

(</)  Acts  xiii.  43.  (/)  Eph.  iv.  30.  (h)  2 Cor.  vili.  1,  &c. 

(e)  Eph.  vi.  10.  (g)  2 Thess.  i.  11.  (i)  Zech.  i.  3. 


293 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

Legislator  is  both  necessary  for  as,  and  promised  to  us ; and 
hence  it  follows,  that  at  least  more  is  required  of  us  than  we 
are  capable  of  performing.  Nor  is  it  possible  for  any  cavils  to 
explain  away  that  passage  of  Jeremiah,  wliich  assures  us,  that 
the  covenant  of  God,  made  with  his  ancient  people,  was  frus- 
trated because  it  was  merely  a literal  one  ; (/r)  and  that  it  can 
only  be  confirmed  by  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  who  forms  the 
lieart  to  obedience.  Nor  does  their  error  derive  any  support 
from  this  passage : Turn  ye  unto  me,  and  I will  turn  unto 
you.”  For  this  denotes,  not  that  turning  of  God  in  which  he 
renovates  our  hearts  to  repentance,  but  that  in  which  he  de- 
clares his  benevolence  and  kindness  by  external  prosperity ; 
as  by  adversity  he  sometimes  manifests  his  displeasure.  When 
the  people  of  Israel,  therefore,  after  having  been  harassed  with 
miseries  and  calamities  under  various  forms,  complained  that 
God  was  departed  from  them,  he  replies  that  his  benignity  will 
not  fail  them  if  they  return  to  rectitude  of  life,  and  to  himself, 
who  is  the  standard  of  righteousness.  The  passage,  then,  is 
miserably  perverted,  when  it  is  made  to  represent  the  work  of 
conversion  as  divided  between  God  and  men.  We  have  ob- 
served the  greater  brevity  on  these  points,  because  it  will  be  a 
more  suitable  place  for  this  argument  when  we  treat  of  the  Law. 

X.  The  second  description  of  arguments  is  nearly  allied  to 
the  first.  They  allege  the  promises,  in  which  God  covenants 
with  our  will ; such  as,  Seek  good,  and  not  evil,  that  ye 
may  live.”  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat  the 
good  of  the  land ; but  if  ye  refuse  and  rebel,  ye  shall  be  de- 
voured with  the  sword ; for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spo- 
ken it.”  (/)  Again  : If  thou  wilt  put  away  thine  abominations 
out  of  my  sight,  then  shalt  thou  not  remove.”  “ If  thou  shalt 
hearken  diligently  unto  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  ob- 
serve and  to  do  all  his  commandments  which  I command  thee 
this  day,  the  Lord  thy  God  will  set  thee  on  high  above  all 
nations  of  the  earth  ; ” (m)  and  other  similar  passages.  They 
consider  it  an  absurdity  and  mockery,  that  the  benefits  which 
tile  Lord  offers  in  the  promises  are  referred  to  our  will,  unless 
it  be  in  our  power  either  to  confirm  or  to  frustrate  them.  And 
truly  it  is  very  easy  to  amplify  this  subject  with  eloquent  com- 
plaints, that  we  are  cruelly  mocked  by  the  Lord,  when  he  an- 
nounces that  his  benignity  depends  on  our  will,  if  that  will  be 
not  in  our  own  power ; that  this  would  be  egregious  liberality 
in  God,  to  present  his  benefits  to  us  in  such  a manner,  that  we 
should  have  no  power  to  enjoy  them ; and  that  there  must  be 
a strange  certainty  in  his  promises,  if  they  depend  on  a thing 
impossible,  so  that  they  can  never  be  fulfilled.  Concerning 

(k)  Jer.  xxxi.  32.  (/)  Amos  v.  14.  Isaiah  i.  19,  20. 

(m)  Jer.  iv.  1.  Deut.  xxviii.  1 


294  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

promises  of  this  kind,  to  which  a condition  is  annexed,  we 
shall  speak  in  another  place,  and  evince  that  there  is  no  absur- 
dity in  the  impossibility  of  their  completion.  With  respect  to 
the  present  question,  I deny  that  God  is  cruel  or  insincere  to  us, 
when  he  invites  us  to  merit  his  favours,  though  he  knows  us  to 
be  altogether  incapable  of  doing  this.  For  as  the  promises  are 
offered  equally  to  the  faithful  and  to  the  impious,  they  have 
their  use  with  them  both.  As  by  the  precepts  God  disturbs 
the  consciences  of  the  impious,  that  they  may  not  enjoy  too 
much  pleasure  in  sin  without  any  recollection  of  his  judgments, 
so  in  the  promises  he  calls  them  to  attest  how  unworthy  they 
are  of  his  kindness.  For  who  can  deny  that  it  is  most  equita- 
ble and  proper  for  the  Lord  to  bless  those  who  worship  him, 
and  severely  to  punish  the  despisers  of  his  majesty  ? God  acts, 
therefore,  in  a right  and  orderly  manner,  when,  addressing  the 
impious,  who  are  bound  with  the  fetters  of  sin,  he  adds  to  the 
promises  this  condition,  that  when  they  shall  have  departed 
from  their  wickedness,  they  shall  then,  and  not  till  then,  enjoy 
his  favours  ; even  for  this  sole  reason,  that  they  may  know  that 
they  are  deservedly  excluded  from  those  benefits  which  belong 
to  the  worshippers  of  the  true  God.  On  the  other  hand,  since 
he  designs  by  all  means  to  stimulate  the  faithful  to  implore  his 
grace,  it  will  not  be  at  all  strange,  if  he  tries  in  his  promises 
also,  what  we  have  shown  he  does  with  considerable  effect  in 
his  precepts.  Being  instructed  by  the  precepts  concerning  the 
will  of  God,  we  are  apprized  of  our  misery,  in  having  our  hearts 
so  completely  averse  to  it ; and  are  at  the  same  time  excited  to 
invoke  his  Spirit,  that  we  may  be  directed  by  him  into  the 
right  way.  But  because  our  sluggishness  is  not  sufficiently 
roused  by  the  precepts,  God  adds  his  promises,  to  allure  us  by 
their  sweetness  to  the  love  of  his  commands.  Now,  in  propor- 
tion to  our  increased  love  of  righteousness  will  be  the  increase 
of  our  fervour  in  seeking  the  grace  of  God.  See  how,  in  these 
addresses,  If  ye  be  willing,”  If  ye  be  obedient,”  the  Lord 
neither  attributes  to  us  an  unlimited  power  to  will  and  to  obey, 
nor  yet  mocks  us  on  account  of  our  impotence. 

XI.  The  third  class  of  arguments  also  has  a great  affinity 
with  the  preceding.  For  they  produce  passages  in  which  God 
reproaches  an  ungrateful  people,  that  it  was  wholly  owing  to 
their  own  fault  that  they  did  not  receive  blessings  of  all  kinds 
from  his  indulgent  hand.  Of  this  kind  are  the  following  pas- 
sages : “ The  Amalekites  and  the  Canaanites  are  there  before 
you,  and  ye  shall  fall  by  the  sword;  because  ye  are  turned 
away  from  the  Lord.  ” {n)  “ Because  I called  you,  but  ye  an- 

swered not,  therefore  will  I do  unto  this  house  as  I have  done 


(7i)  Numb.  xiv.  43. 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  295 

to  Shiloh.”  (o)  Again:  This  is  a nation  that  obeyeth  not 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  their  God,  nor  receiveth  correction : the 
Lord  hath  rejected  and  forsaken  the  generation  of  his  wrath.”  {p) 
Again : “ They  obeyed  not  thy  voice,  neither  walked  in  thy 
law ; they  have  done  nothing  of  all  that  thou  commandedst 
them  to  do : therefore  thou  hast  caused  all  this  evil  to  come 
upon  them,”  {q)  How,  say  they,  could  such  reproaches  be  ap- 
plicable to  those  who  might  immediately  reply.  It  is  true  that 
we  desired  prosperity  and  dreaded  adversity ; but  our  not  obey- 
ing the  Lord,  or  hearkening  to  his  voice,  in  order  to  obtain 
good  and  to  avoid  evil,  has  been  owing  to  our  want  of  liberty, 
and  subjection  to  the  dominion  of  sin.  It  is  in  vain,  therefore, 
to  reproach  us  with  evils,  which  we  had  no  power  to  avoid. 
In  answer  to  this,  leaving  the  pretext  of  necessity,  which  is 
but  a weak  and  futile  plea,  I ask  whether  they  can  exculpate 
themselres  from  all  guilt.  • For  if  they  are  convicted  of  any 
fault,  the  Lord  justly  reproaches  them  with  their  perverseness, 
as  the  cause  of  their  not  having  experienced  the  advantage  of 
his  clemency.  Let  them  answer,  then,  if  they  can  deny  that 
their  own  perverse  will  was  the  cause  of  their  obstinacy.  If 
they  find  the  source  of  the  evil  within  themselves,  why  do 
•they  so  earnestly  inquire  after  extraneous  causes,  that  they 
may  not  appear  to  have  been  the  authors  of  their  own  ruin  ? 
But  if  it  be  true  that  sinners  are  deprived  of  the  favours  of  God, 
and  chastised  with  his  punishments,  for  their  own  sin,  and 
only  for  their  own,  there  is  great  reason  why  they  should  hear 
those  reproaches  from  his  mouth ; that  if  they  obstinately  per- 
sist in  their  crimes,  they  may  learn  in  their  calamities  rather  to 
accuse  and  detest  their  iniquity,  than  to  charge  God  with  un- 
righteous cruelty  ; that  if  they  have  not  cast  otf  all  docility, 
they  may  become  weary  of  their  sins,  the  demerits  of  which 
they  see  to  be  misery  and  ruin,  and  may  return  into  the  good 
way,  acknowledging  in  a serious  confession  the  very  thing  for 
which  the  Lord  rebukes  them.  And  that  those  reproofs,  which 
are  quoted  from  the  Prophets,  have  produced  this  beneficial 
effect  on  the  faithful,  is  evident  from  the  solemn  prayer  of 
Daniel,  given  us  in  his  ninth  chapter.  Of  the  former  use  of 
them  we  find  an  example  in  the  Jews,  to  whom  Jeremiah  is 
commanded  to  declare  the  cause  of  their  miseries ; though 
nothing  could  befall  them,  otherwise  than  the  Lord  had  foretold. 

Thou  shalt  speak  all  these  words  unto  them  ; but  they  will  not 
hearken  to  thee  : thou  shalt  also  call  unto  them  ; but  they  will 
not  answer  thee.”  (r)  For  what  purpose,  then,  it  will  be  asked, 
did  they  speak  to  persons  that  were  deaf?  It  was  in  order 
that,  in  spite  of  their  disinclination  and  aversion,  they  might 


(o)  Jer.  vii.  13,  14.  (p)  Jer.  vii.  28,  29.  {q)  Jer.  xxxii.  23.  (r)  Jer.  vii.  27. 


296  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

know  what  was  declared  to  them  to  be  true  ; that  it  was  an 
abominable  sacrilege  to  transfer  to  God  the  guilt  of  their  crimes, 
which  belonged  solely  to  themselves.  With  these  few  solu- 
tions, we  may  very  easily  despatch  the  immense  multitude  of 
testimonies,  which  the  enemies  of  the  grace  of  God  are  accus- 
tomed to  collect,  both  from  the  precepts  of  the  law,  and  from 
the  expostulations  directed  to  transgressors  of  it,  in  order  to  es- 
tablish the  idol  of  free  will.  In  one  psalm  the  Jews  are  stigma- 
tized as  a stubborn  and  rebellious  generation,  a generation  that 
set  not  their  heart  aright.”  (s)  In  another,  the  Psalmist  exhorts 
the  men  of  his  age  to  harden  not  their  hearts  ; ” (t)  which  im- 
plies, that  all  the  guilt  of  rebellion  lies  in  the  perverseness  of 
men.  But  it  is  absurd  to  infer  from  this  passage  that  the  heart 
is  equally  flexible  to  either  side  ; whereas  “ the  preparation  ” 
of  it  is  “from  the  Lord.”  (v)  The  Psalmist  says,  “I  have  in- 
clined my  heart  to  perform  thy  statutes ; ” (w)  because  he  had 
devoted  himself  to  the  service  of  God  without  any  reluctance, 
but  with  a cheerful  readiness  of  mind.  Yet  he  boasts  not  of 
being  himself  the  author  of  this  inclination,  which  in  the  same 
psalm  he  acknowledges  to  be  the  gift  of  God.  (x)  We  should 
remember,  therefore,  the  admonition  of  Paul,  when  he  commands 
the  faithful  to  “ work  out  ” their  “ own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling;  for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in”  them  “both  to 
will  and  to  do.”  (y)  He  assigns  them  a part  to  perform,  that 
they  may  not  indulge  themselves  in  carnal  negligence ; but  by 
inculcating  “fear  and  trembling,”  he  humbles  them,  and  re- 
minds them  that  this  very  thing,  which  they  are  commanded 
to  do,  is  the  peculiar  work  of  God.  In  this  he  plainly  suggests 
that  the  faithful  act,  if  I may  be  allowed  the  expression,  pas- 
sively, inasmuch  as  they  are  furnished  with  strength  from 
heaven,  that  they  may  arrogate  nothing  at  all  to  themselves. 
Wherefore,  when  Peter  exhorts  us  to  “add  to  ” our  “faith,  vir- 
tue,” (z)  he  does  not  allot  us  an  under  part  to  be  performed,  as 
though  we  could  do  any  thing  separately,  of  ourselves  ; he 
only  arouses  the  indolence  of  the  flesh,  by  which  faith  itself  is 
frequently  extinguished.  To  the  same  purpose  is  the  exhorta- 
tion of  Paul : “ Gluench  not  the  Spirit ; ” (a)  for  slothfulness 
gradually  prevails  over  the  faithful,  unless  it  be  corrected.  But 
if  any  one  should  infer  from  this,  that  it  is  at  his  own  option  to 
cherish  the  light  offered  him,  his  ignorance  will  easily  be  refu- 
ted ; since  this  diligence  which  Paul  requires,  proceeds  only 
from  God.  For  we  are  also  frequently  commanded  to  “ cleanse 
ourselves  from  all  filthiness,”  (b)  wdiilst  the  Spirit  claims  the 
office  of  sanctifying  us  exclusively  to  himself.  In  short,  that 

(s)  Psalm  Ixxviii.  8.  (tc)  Psalm  cxix.  112.  (z)  2 Peter  i.  5. 

(t)  Psalm  xcv.  8.  (x)  Psalm  cxix.  33 — 40.  (o)  1 Thess.  v.  19. 

(v)  Prov.  xvi.  1.  (y)  Phil.  ii.  12.  (/*)  2 Cor.  vii.  1. 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  297 

what  properly  belongs  to  God  is,  by  concession,  transferred  to 
ns,  is  plain  from  the  words  of  John : “ He  that  is  begotten  of 
God,  keepeth  himself.”  (c)  The  preachers  of  free  will  lay 
hold  of  this  expression,  as  though  we  were  saved  partly  by  the 
Divine  power,  partly  by  our  own ; as  though  we  did  not  re- 
ceive from  heaven  this  very  preservation  which  the  Apostle 
mentions.  Wherefore  also  Christ  prays  that  his  Father  would 
‘^keep”  us  ‘Trom  evil ; ” {d)  and  we  know  that  the  pious,  in 
their  warfare  against  Satan,  obtain  the  victory  by  no  other 
arms  than  those  which  are  furnished  by  God.  Therefore  Pe- 
ter, having  enjoined  us  to  ‘‘purify”  our  “souls,  in  obeying  the 
truth,”  immediately  adds,  as  a correction,  “ through  the  Spi- 
rit.” (e)  Finally,  the  impotence  of  all  human  strength  in  the 
spiritual  conflict  is  briefly  demonstrated  by  John  when  he  says, 
“ Whosoever  is  born  of  God  cannot  sin  ; for  his  seed  remaineth 
in  him:”  (/)  and  in  another  place  he  adds  the  reason,  that 
“ this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our 
faith.”  {g) 

XII.  There  is  also  a testimony  cited  from  the  law  of  Moses, 
which  appears  directly  repugnant  to  our  solution.  For,  after 
having  published  the  law,  he  makes  the  following  solemn  de- 
claration to  the  people : “ This  commandment,  which  I com- 
mand thee  this  day,  it  is  not  hidden  from  thee,  neither  is  it  far 
off : it  is  not  in  heaven : but  the  word  is  very  nigh  unto  thee, 
in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart,  that  thou  mayest  do  it.”  {h) 
If  these  expressions  be  understood  merely  of  the  precepts,  I 
grant  that  they  have  much  weight  in  the  present  argument. 
For  although  we  might  easily  elude  their  force,  by  saying  that 
they  treat  of  the  facility  and  promptitude,  not  of  observance, 
but  of  knowledge,  yet  still  perhaps  they  might  leave  some 
doubt.  But  the  Apostle,  in  whose  expositions  there  is  no  am- 
biguity, removes  all  our  doubts,  by  affirming  that  Moses  here 
spake  of  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel.  (^)  But  if  any  one  should 
obstinately  contend,  that  Paul  has  violently  perverted  the  pas- 
sage from  its  genuine  meaning,  by  applying  it  to  the  gospel, 
although  his  presumption  could  not  be  acquitted  of  impiety, 
yet  there  is  enough  to  refute  him,  independently  of  the  autho- 
rity of  the  Apostle.  For,  if  Moses  spoke  only  of  the  precepts, 
he  was  deceiving  the  people  with  the  vainest  confidence.  For 
would  they  not  have  precipitated  themselves  into  ruin,  if  they 
had  attempted  the  observance  of  the  law  in  their  own  strength, 
as  a thing  of  no  difficulty  ? What,  then,  becomes  of  the  very 
obvious  facility  with  which  the  law  may  be  observed,  when 
there  appears  no  access  to  it  but  over  a fatal  precipice  ? Where- 

(f)  1 John  V.  18.  (/)  1 John  iii.  9,  (/?)  Deut.  xxx.  11 — 11. 

{(1)  John  xvii.  15.  {g)  1 John  v.  4.  (i)  Horn.  x.  8. 

(e)  1 Peter  i.  22. 

VOL.  I. 


38 


298  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  TI 

fore  nothing  is  more  certain,  than  that  Moses  in  these  words 
comprehended  the  covenant  of  mercy,  which  he  had  promul- 
gated together  with  the  precepts  of  the  law.  For  in  a pre- 
ceding verse  he  had  taught  that  our  hearts  must  be  circumcised 
by  God,  in  order  that  we  may  love  him.  (k)  Therefore  he 
placed  this  facility,  of  which  he  afterwards  speaks,  not  in  the 
strength  of  man,  but  in  the  assistance  and  protection  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  powerfully  accomplishes  his  work  in  our  in- 
firmity. However,  the  passage  is  not  to  be  understood  simply 
of  the  precepts,  but  rather  of  the  promises  of  the  gospel,  which 
are  so  far  from  maintaining  an  ability  in  us  to  obtain  righteous- 
ness, that  they  prove  us  to  be  utterly  destitute  of  it.  Paul, 
considering  the  same,  proves  by  this  testimony  that  salvation 
is  proposed  to  us  in  the  gospel,  not  under  that  hard,  difficult, 
and  impossible  condition,  prescribed  to  us  in  the  law,  which 
pronounces  it  attainable  only  by  those  who  have  fulfilled  all 
the  commandments,  but  under  a condition  easily  and  readily  to 
be  performed.  Therefore  this  testimony  contributes  nothing 
to  support  the  liberty  of  the  human  will. 

XIH.  Some  other  passage^  also  are  frequently  objected, 
which  show  that  God  sometimes  tries  men  by  withdrawing 
the  assistance  of  his  grace,  and  waits  to  see  what  course  they 
will  pursue ; as  in  Hosea : I will  go  and  return  to  my  place, 
till  they  acknowledge  their  offence,  and  seek  my  face.”  (1)  It 
would  be  ridiculous,  they  say,  for  the  Lord  to  consider,  whether 
Israel  would  seek  his  face,  unless  their  minds  were  flexible, 
capable  of  inclining  either  way,  according  to  their  own  pleasure  ; 
as  if  it  were  not  very  common  for  God,  in  the  Prophets,  to 
represent  himself  as  despising  and  rejecting  his  people,  till  they 
should  amend  their  lives.  But  what  will  our  adversaries  infer 
from  such  threats?  If  they  maintain,  that  those  who  are  de- 
serted by  God,  are  capable  of  converting  themselves,  they 
oppose  the  uniform  declarations  of  Scripture.  If  they  acknow- 
ledge that  the  grace  of  God  is  necessary  to  conversion,  what  is 
their  controversy  with  us  ? But  they  will  reply,  that  they 
concede  its  necessity  in  such  a sense  as  to  maintain  that  man 
still  retains  some  power.  How  do  they  prove  it  ? Certainly 
not  from  this  or  any  similar  passages.  For  it  is  one  thing  to 
depart  from  a man,  to  observe  what  he  will  do  when  forsaken 
and  left  to  himself,  and  another  to  assist  his  little  strength  in 
proportion  to  his  imbecility.  What,  then,  it  will  be  inquired, 
is  implied  in  such  forms  of  expression  ? I reply,  that  the  im- 
port of  them  is  just  as  if  God  had  said.  Since  admonitions,  ex- 
hortations, and  reproofs,  produce  no  good  effect  on  this  rebellious 
people,  I will  withdraw  myself  for  a little  while,  and  silently 


(/i)  Deut.  .xxx.  6. 


(0  Hos.  V.  15. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


299 


CHAP.  V.] 

leave  them  to  affliction.  I will  see  whether,  at  some  future 
period,  after  a series  of  calamities,  they  will  remember  me,  and 
seek  my  face.  The  departure  of  the  Lord  signifies  the  removal 
of  his  word.  His  observing  what  men  will  do,  signifies  his 
concealing  himself  in  silence,  and  exercising  them  for  a season 
with  various  afflictions.  He  does  both  to  humble  us  the  more  ; 
for  we  should  sooner  be  confounded  than  corrected  with  the 
scourges  of  adversity,  unless  he  rendered  us  docile  by  his  Spirit. 
Now,  when  the  Lord,  offended,  and,  as  it  were,  wearied  by  our 
extreme  obstinacy,  leaves  us  for  a time,  by  the  removal  of  his 
word,  in  which  he  is  accustomed  to  manifest  his  presence  with 
us,  and  makes  the  experiment,  what  we  shall  do  in  his  absence, 
— it  is  falsely  inferred  from  this,  that  there  is  some  po.wer  of  free 
will,  which  he  observes  and  proves ; since  he  acts  in  this  man- 
ner with  no  other  design  than  to  bring  us  to  a sense  and  ac- 
knowledgment of  our  own  nothingness. 

XIY.  They  argue 'also  from  the  manner  of  expression  which 
is  invariably  observed,  both  in  the  Scripture  and  in  the  com- 
mon conversation  of  mankind.  For  good  actions  are  called 
our  own,  and  we  are  said  to  perform  what  is  holy  and  pleasing 
to  the  Lord,  as  well  as  to  commit  sins.  But  if  sins  be  justly 
imputed  to  us,  as  proceeding  from  ourselves,  certainly  some 
share  ought  to  be,  for  the  same  reason,  assigned  to  us  also  in 
works  of  righteousness.  For  it  would  be  absurd  that  we 
should  be  said  to  do  those  things,  to  the  performance  of  which, 
being  incapable  of  any  exertion  of  our  own,  we  were  impelled 
by  God,  as  so  many  stones.  Wherefore,  though  we  allow  the 
grace  of  God  the  preeminence,  yet  these  expressions  indicate 
that  our  own  endeavours  hold  at  least  the  second  place.  If  it 
were  only  alleged,  that  good  works  are  called  our  own,  I 
would  reply,  that  the  bread  which  we  pray  to  God  to  give  us, 
is  called  ours.  What  will  they  prove  by  this  term,  but  that 
what  otherwise  by  no  means  belongs  to  us,  becomes  ours 
through  the  benignity  and^  gratuitous  munificence  of  God  ? 
Therefore  let  them  either  ridicule  the  same  absurdity  in  the 
Lord’s  prayer,  or  no  longer  esteem  it  ridiculous,  that  good 
works  are  denominated  ours,  in  which  we  have  no  propriety 
but  from  the  liberality  of  God.  But  there  is  rather  more  force 
in  what  follows;  that  the  Scripture  frequently  affirms  that  we 
ourselves  worship  God,  work  righteousness,  obey  the  law,  and 
perform  good  works.  These  being  the  proper  offices  of  the 
understanding  and  will,  how  could  they  justly  be  referred  to 
the  Spirit,  and  at  the  same  time  be  attributed  to  us,  if  there 
were  not  some  union  of  our  exertions  with  the  grace  of  God  ? 
We  shall  easily  extricate  ourselves  from  these  objections,  if  we 
properly  consider  the  manner  in  which  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
operates  in  the  saints.  The  similitude  with  which  they  try  to 


300  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

cast  an  odium  on  our  sentiments,  is  quite  foreign  to  the  sub- 
ject ; for  who  is  so  senseless  as  to  suppose  that  there  is  no 
difference  between  impelling  a man,  and  throwing  a stone  ? 
Nor  does  any  such  consequence  follow  from  our  doctrine. 
We  rank  among  the  natural  powers  of  man,  approving,  re- 
jecting ; willing,  nilling ; attempting,  resisting ; that  is,  a 
power  to  approve  vanity,  and  to  reject  true  excellence  ; to 
will  what  is  evil,  to  refuse  what  is  good ; to  attempt  iniquity, 
and  to  resist  righteousness.  What  concern  has  the  Lord  in 
this  ? If  it  be  his  will  to  use  this  depravity  as  an  instrument 
of  his  wrath,  he  directs  and  appoints  it  according  to  his  plea- 
sure, in  order  to  execute  his  good  work  by  means  of  a wicked 
hand.  Shall  we,  then,  compare  a wicked  man  who  is  thus  sub- 
servient to  the  Divine  power,  Avhile  he  only  studies  to  gratify 
his  own  corrupt  inclination,  to  a stone  which  is  hurled  by  an 
extrinsic  impulse,  and  driven  along  without  any  motion,  sense, 
or  will  of  its  own  ? We  perceive  what  a vast  difference  there 
is.  But  how  does  the  Lord  operate  in  good  men,  to  whom  the 
question  principally  relates  ? When  he  erects  his  kingdom 
within  them,  he  by  his  Spirit  restrains  their  will,  that  it  may 
not  be  hurried  away  by  unsteady  and  violent  passions,  accord- 
ing to  the  propensity  of  nature  ; that  it  may  be  inclined  to 
holiness  and  righteousness,  he  bends,  composes,  forms,  and 
directs  it  according  to  the  rule  of  his  own  righteousness  ; that 
it  may  not  stagger  or  fall,  he  establishes  and  confirms  it  by  the 
power  of  his  Spirit.  For  which  reason  Augustine  says,  “ You 
will  reply  to  me.  Then  we  are  actuated ; we  do  not  act.  Yes, 
you  both  act  and  are  actuated  ; and  you  act  well,  when  you 
are  actuated  by  that  which  is  good.  The  Spirit  of  God,  who 
actuates  you,  assists  those  who  act,  and  calls  himself  a helper, 
because  you  also  perform  something.”  In  the  first  clause  he 
inculcates  that  the  agency  of  man  is  not  destroyed  by  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit ; because  the  will,  which  is  guided  to 
aspire  to  what  is  good,  belongs  to  his  nature.  But  the  in- 
ference which  he  immediately  subjoins,  from  the  term  help, 
that  we  also  perform  something,  we  should  not  understand 
in  such  a sense,  as  though  he  attributed  any  thing  to  us  in- 
dependently ; but  in  order  to  avoid  encouraging  us  in  indo- 
lence, he  reconciles  the  Divine  agency  with  ours  in  this  way  ; 
that  to  will  is  from  nature,  to  will  what  is  good  is  from  grace. 
Therefore  he  had  just  before  said,  “ Without  the  assistance  of 
God,  we  shall  be  not  only  unable  to  conquer,  but  even  to 
contend.” 

XV.  Hence  it  appears  that  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  sense 
in  which  this  word  is  used  when  we  treat  of  regeneration,  is 
the  rule  of  the  Spirit  for  directing  and  governing  the  human 
will.  He  cannot  govern  it  unless  he  correct,  reform,  and  reno- 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  301 

vate  it ; whence  we  say  that  the  commencement  of  regenera- 
tion is  an  abolition  of  what  is  from  ourselves  ; nor  unless  he 
also  excite,  actuate,  impel,  support,  and  restrain  it  ; whence 
we  truly  assert,  that  all  the  actions  which  proceed  from  this  are 
entirely  of  the  Spirit.  At  the  same  time,  we  fully  admit  the 
truth  of  what  Augustine  teaches,  that  the  will  is  not  destroyed 
by  grace,  but  rather  repaired ; for  these  two  things  are  per- 
fectly consistent  — that  the  human  will  may  be  said  to  be 
repaired,  when,  by  the  correction  of  its  depravity  and  perverse- 
ness, it  is  directed  according  to  the  true  standard  of  righteous- 
ness ; and  also  that  a new  will  may  be  said  to  be  created  in 
man,  because  the  natural  will  is  so  vitiated  and  corrupted,  that 
it  needs  to  be  formed  entirely  anew.  Now,  there  is  no  reason 
why  we  may  not  justly  be  said  to  perform  that  which  the 
Spirit  of  God  performs  in  us,  although  our  own  will  contributes 
nothing  of  itself,  independently  of  his  grace.  And,  therefore, 
we  should  remember  what  we  have  before  cited  from  Augus- 
tine, that  many  persons  labour  in  vain  to  find  in  the  human 
will  some  good,  properly  its  own.  For  whatever  mixture  men 
study  to  add  from  the  power  of  free  will  to  the  grace  of  God, 
is  only  a corruption  of  it ; just  as  if  any  one  should  dilute 
good  wine  with  dirty  or  bitter  water.  But  although  whatever 
good  there  is  in  the  human  will,  proceeds  wholly  from  the 
internal  influence  of  the  Spirit,  yet  because  we  have  a natural 
faculty  of  willing,  we  are,  not  without  reason,  said  to  do  those 
things,  the  praise  of  which  God  justly  claims  to  himself;  first, 
because  whatever  God  does  in  us,  becomes  ours  by  his  be- 
nignity, provided  we  do  not  apprehend  it  to  originate  from 
ourselves ; secondly,  because  the  understanding  is  ours,  the 
will  is  ours,  and  the  effort  is  ours,  which  are  all  directed  by 
him  to  that  which  is  good. 

XVI.  The  other  testimonies,  which  they  rake  together  from 
every  quarter,  will  not  much  embarrass  even  persons  of  mo- 
derate capacities,  who  have  well  digested  the  answers  already 
given.  They  quote  this  passage  from  Genesis  : Unto  thee 
shall  be  his  desire,  and  thou  shalt  rule  over  him  ; ” (m)  or,  as 
they  would  translate  the  words,  Subject  to  thee  shall  be  its 
appetite,  and  thou  shalt  rule  over  it ; ” which  they  explain  to 
relate  to  sin,  as  though  the  Lord  promised  Cain,  that  the 
power  of  sin  should  not  obtain  dominion  over  his  mind,  if  he 
would  labour  to  overcome  it.  But  we  say  that  it  is  more 
agreeable  to  the  tenor  of  the  context,  to  understand  it  to  be 
spoken  concerning  Abel.  For  the  design  of  God  in  it  is  to 
prove  the  iniquity  of  that  envy,  which  Cain  had  conceived 
against  his  brother.  This  he  does  by  two  reasons  : first,  that 


(m)  Gen.  iv.  7. 


302  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  Xl 

it  was  in  vain  for  him  to  meditate  crimes  in  order  to  excel  his 
brother  in  the  sight  of  God,  with  whom  no  honour  is  given 
but  to  righteousness ; secondly,  that  he  was  extremely  un- 
grateful for  the  favours  God  had  already  conferred  on  him, 
since  he  could  not  bear  his  brother,  even  though  subject  to  his 
authority.  But  that  we  may  not  appear  to  adopt  this  explana- 
tion, merely  because  the  other  is  unfavourable  to  our  tenets, 
let  us  admit  that  God  spake  concerning  sin.  If  it  be  so,  then 
what  the  Lord  there  declares,  is  either  promised  or  commanded 
by  him.  If  it  be  a command,  we  have  already  demonstrated 
that  it  affords  no  proof  of  the  power  of  men  : if  it  be  a promise, 
where  is  the  completion  of  the  promise,  seeing  that  Cain  fell 
under  the  dominion  of  sin,  over  which  he  ought  to  have  pre- 
vailed ? They  will  say,  that  the  promise  includes  a tacit  con- 
dition, as  though  it  had  been  declared  to  him  that  he  should 
obtain  the  victory  if  he  would  contend  for  it ; but  who  can 
admit  these  subterfuges  ? For  if  this  dominion  be  referred  to 
sin,  the  speech  is  doubtless  a command,  expressive,  not  of  our 
ability,  but  of  our  duty,  which  remains  our  duty  even  though 
it  exceed  our  ability.  But  the  subject  itself,  and  grammatical 
propriety,  require  a comparison  to  be  made  between  Cain  and 
Abel ; in  which  the  elder  brother  would  not  have  been  placed 
below  the  younger,  if  he  had  not  degraded  himself  by  his  own 
wickedness. 

XYII.  They  adduce  also  the  testimony  of  the  Apostle,  who 
says,  that  “it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  run- 
neth, but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy  ; ” (n)  whence  they 
conclude,  that  there  is  something  in  the  will  and  endeavour, 
which,  though  ineffectual  of  itself,  is  rendered  successful  by 
the  assistance  of  the  Divine  mercy.  But  if  they  would  soberly 
examine  the  subject  there  treated  by  Paul,  they  would  not  so 
inconsiderately  pervert  this  passage.  I know  that  they  can 
allege  the  suffrages  of  Origen  and  Jerome  in  defence  of  their 
exposition  ; and  in  opposition  to  them,  I could  produce  that  of 
Augustine.  But  their  opinions  are  of  no  importance  to  us  if 
we  can  ascertain  what  was  the  meaning  of  Paul.  He  is  there 
teaching,  that  salvation  is  provided  for  them  alone,  whom  the 
Lord  favours  with  his  mercy ; but  that  ruin  and  perdition 
await  all  those  whom  he  has  not  chosen.  He  had  shown,  by 
the  example  of  Pharaoh,  the  condition  of  the  reprobate  ; and 
had  confirmed  the  certainty  of  gratuitous  election  by  the  tes- 
timony of  Moses  : “I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I will  have 
mercy.*’  His  conclusion  is,  that  “ it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth, 
nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy.” 
If  this  be  understood  to  imply  that  our  will  and  endeavour  are 


(n)  Rom.  ix.  16. 


CHAP.  V.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


303 


not  sufficient,  because  they  are  not  equal  to  so  great  a work, 
Paul  has  expressed  himself  with  great  impropriety.  Away,  there- 
fore, with  these  sophisms  : ‘‘It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of 
him  that  runneth  ; ” therefore  there  is  some  willing  and  some  run- 
ning. For  the  meaning  of  Paul  is  more  simple  — It  is  neither 
our  willing  nor  our  running,  which  procures  for  us  a way  of 
salvation,  but  solely  the  mercy  of  God.  For  he  expresses  here 
the  same  sentiment  as  he  does  to  Titus,  when  he  says,  “ that 
the  kindness  and  love  of  God  towards  man  appeared,  not  by 
works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to 
his  mercy.”  (o)  The  very  persons,  who  argue  that  Paul,  in 
denying  that  it  is  of  him  that  willeth  or  of  him  that  runneth,  im- 
plies that  there  is  some  willing  and  some  running,  would  not 
allow  me  to  use  the  same  mode  of  reasoning,  that  we  have 
done  some  good  works,  because  Paul  denies  that  we  have  ob- 
tained the  favour  of  God  by  any  works  which  we  have  done. 
But  if  they  perceive  a flaw  in  this  argumentation,  let  them 
open  their  eyes,  and  they  will  perceive  a similar  fallacy  in 
their  own.  For  the  argument  on  which  Augustine  rests  the 
dispute  is  unanswerable  : “If  it  be  said,  that  it  is  not  of  him 
that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  merely  because  neither 
our  willing  nor  our  running  is  sufficient,  it  may,  on  the  con- 
trary, be  retorted,  that  it  is  not  of  the  mercy  of  God,  because 
that  does  not  act  alone.”  (j9)  The  latter  position  being  absurd, 
Augustine  justly  concludes  the  meaning  of  this  passage  to  be, 
that  there  is  no  good  will  in  man,  unless  it  be  prepared  by  the 
Lord ; not  but  that  we  ought  to  will  and  to  run,  but  because 
God  works  in  us  both  the  one  and  the  other.  With  similar 
want  of  judgment,  some  pervert  this  declaration  of  Paul,  “ We 
are  labourers  together  with  God  ; ” {q)  which,  without  doubt,  is 
restricted  solely  to  ministers,  who  are  denominated  “ workers 
with  him,”  not  that  they  contribute  any  thing  of  themselves, 
but  because  God  makes  use  of  their  agency,  after  he  has  qua- 
lified them  and  furnished  them  with  the  necessary  talents. 

XVIII.  They  produce  a passage  from  Ecclesiasticus,  which 
is  well  known  to  be  a book  of  doubtful  authority.  But  though 
we  should  not  reject  it,  which,  nevertheless,  if  we  chose,  we 
might  justly  do,  what  testimony  does  it  aflbrd  in  support  of 
free  will  ? The  writer  says,  that  man,  as  soon  as  he  was 
created,  was  left  in  the  power  of  his  own  will  ; that  precepts 
were  given  to  him,  which  if  he  kept,  he  should  also  be  k<jpt 
by  them  ; that  he  had  life  and  death,  good  and  evil,  set  before 
him  ; and  that  whatever  he  desired,  would  be  given  him.  (r) 
Let  it  be  granted,  that  man  at  his  creation  was  endowed  with 
a power  of  choosing  life  or  death.  What  if  we  reply,  that  he 


(o)  Tit.  iii.  4,  5. 

ip)  Epist.  107,  ad  Vital. 


{q)  1 Cor.  iii.  9. 

(/•)  Ecclus.  XV.  14. 


304  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

has  lost  it  ? I certainly  do  not  intend  to  contradict  Solomon, 
who  asserts  that  God  hath  made  man  upright ; but  they  have 
' sought  out  many  inventions.”  (s)  But  man,  by  his  degeneracy, 
having  shipwrecked  both  himself  and  all  his  excellences, 
whatever  is  attributed  to  his  primitive  state,  it  does  not  imme- 
diately follow  that  it  belongs  to  his  vitiated  and  degenerated 
nature.  Therefore  I reply,  not  only  to  them,  but  also  to 
Ecclesiasticus  himself,  whoever  he  be  : If  you  design  to  teach 
man  to  seek  within  himself  a power  to  attain  salvation,  your 
authority  is  not  so  great  in  our  estimation  as  to  obtain  even 
the  smallest  degree  of  credit,  in  opposition  to  the  undoubted 
word  of  God.  But  if  you  only  aim  to  repress  the  malignity  of 
the  flesh,  which  vainly  attempts  to  vindicate  itself  by  trans- 
ferring its  crimes  to  God,  and  you  therefore  reply,  that  man 
was  originally  endued  with  rectitude,  from  which  it  is  evident 
that  he  was  the  cause  of  his  own  ruin,  I readily  assent  to  it ; 
provided  we  also  agree  in  this,  that  through  his  own  guilt  he 
is  now  despoiled  of  those  ornaments  with  which  God  invested 
him  at  the  beginning ; and  so  unite  in  confessing,  that  in  his 
present  situation  he  needs  not  an  advocate,  but  a physician. 

XIX.  But  there  is  nothing  which  our  adversaries  have  more 
frequently  in  their  mouths,  than  the  parable  of  Christ  concern- 
ing the  traveller,  who  was  left  by  robbers  in  the  road  half 
dead.  (1)  I know  it  is  the  common  opinion  of  almost  all  wri- 
ters, that  the  calamity  of  the  human  race  is  represented  under 
the  type  of  this  traveller.  Hence  they  argue,  that  man  is  not 
so  mutilated  by  the  violence  of  sin  and  the  devil,  but  that  he 
still  retains  some  relics  of  his  former  excellences,  since  he  is 
said  to  have  been  left  only  half  dead  ; for  what  becomes  of  the 
remaining  portion  of  life,  unless  there  remain  some  rectitude 
both  of  reason  and  will  ? In  the  first  place,  what  could  they 
say,  if  I refused  to  admit  their  allegory?  For  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  this  interpretation,  invented  by  the  fathers,  is 
foreign  to  the  genuine  sense  of  our  Lord’s  discourse.  Allego- 
ries ought  to  be  extended  no  further  than  they  are  supported 
by  the  authority  of  Scripture ; for  they  are  far  from  affording 
of  themselves  a sufficient  foundation  for  any  doctrines.  Nor 
is  there  any  want  of  arguments  by  which,  if  I chose,  I could 
completely  confute  this  erroneous  notion  ; for  the  Avord  of  God 
does  not  leave  man  in  the  possession  of  a proportion  of  life, 
but  teaches,  that  as  far  as  respects  happiness  of  life,  he  is 
wholly  dead.  Paul,  when  speaking  of  our  redemption,  says, 
not  that  we  were  recovered  when  half  dead,  but  that  even 
when  we  were  dead,  we  were  raised  up.”  He  calls  not  on  the 
half  dead,  but  on  those  who  are  in  the  grave,  sleeping  the 


(s)  Eccles.  vii.  29. 


(f)  Luke  X.  30. 


CHAP.  VI.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


305 


sleep  of  death,  to  receive  the  illumination  of  Christ,  {u)  And 
the  Lord  himself  speaks  in  a similar  manner,  when  he  says, 
that  “ the  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God ; and  they  that  hear  shall 
live.”(2^;)  With  what  face  can  they  oppose  a slight  allusion 
against  so  many  positive  expressions?  Yet  let  this  allegory 
even  be  admitted  as  a clear  testimony ; what  will  it  enable 
them  to  extort  from  us?  Man,  they  will  say,  is  but  half  dead  ; 
therefore  he  has  some  faculty  remaining  entire.  I grant  that 
he  has  a mind  capable  of  understanding,  though  it  attains  not 
to  heavenly  and  spiritual  wisdom  ; he  has  some  idea  of  virtue  ; 
he  has  some  sense  of  the  Deity,  though  he  acquires  not  the 
true  knowledge  of  God.  But  what  is  to  be  concluded  from  all 
this  ? It  certainly  does  not  disprove  the  assertion  of  Augustine, 
which  has  received  the  general  approbation  even  of  the  schools, 
that  man,  since  his  fall,  has  been  deprived  of  the  gifts  of  grace 
on  which  salvation  depends  ; but  that  the  natural  ones  are 
corrupted  and  polluted.  Let  us  hold  this,  then,  as  an  undoubted 
truth,  which  no  opposition  can  ever  shake  — that  the  mind  of 
man  is  so  completely  alienated  from  the  righteousness  of  God, 
that  it  conceives,  desires,  and  undertakes  every  thing  that  is 
impious,  perverse,  base,  impure,  and  flagitious  ; that  his  heart 
is  so  thoroughly  infected  by  the  poison  of  sin,  that  it  cannot 
produce  any  thing  but  what  is  corrupt  ,*  and  that  if  at  any  time 
men  do  any  thing  apparently  good,  yet  the  mind  always  re- 
mains involved  in  hypocrisy  and  fallacious  obliquity,  and  the 
heart  enslaved  by  its  inward  perverseness. 


CHAPTER  YI. 


REDEMPTION  FOR  LOST  MAN  TO  BE  SOUGHT  IN  CHRIST. 

The  whole  human  race  having  perished  in  the  person  of 
Adam,  our  original  excellence  and  dignity,  which  we  have 
noticed,  so  far  from  being  advantageous  to  us,  only  involves  us 
in  greater  ignominy,  till  God,  who  does  not  acknowledge  the 
pollution  and  corruption  of  man  by  sin  to  be  his  work,  appears 
as  a Redeemer  in  the  person  of  his  only  begotten  Son.  There- 
fore, since  we  are  fallen  from  life  into  death,  all  that  knowledge 
of  God  as  a Creator,  of  which  we  have  been  treating,  would 
bo  useless,  unless  it  were  succeeded  by  faith  exhibiting  God  to 


VOL.  I. 


(m)  Eph.  ii.  5 ; v.  14. 

39 


(mj)  John  V.  25. 


306  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

US  as  a Father  in  Christ.  This,  indeed,  was  the  genuine  order 
of  nature,  that  the  fabric  of  the  world  should  be  a school  in 
which  we  might  learn  piety,  and  thence  be  conducted  to  eternal 
life  and  perfect  felicity.  But  since  the  fall,  whithersoever 
we  turn  our  eyes,  the  curse  of  God  meets  us  on  every  side, 
which,  whilst  it  seizes  innocent  creatures  and  involves  them  in 
our  guilt,  must  necessarily  overwhelm  our  souls  with  despair. 
For  though  God  is  pleased  still  to  manifest  his  paternal  kind- 
ness to  us  in  various  ways,  yet  we  cannot,  from  a contempla- 
tion of  the  world,  conclude  that  he  is  our  Father,  when  our 
conscience  disturbs  us  within,  and  convinces  us  that  our  sins 
afford  a just  reason  why  God  should  abandon  us,  and  no  longer 
esteem  us  as  his  children.  We  are  also  chargeable  with  stu- 
pidity and  ingratitude  ; for  our  minds,  being  blinded,  do  not 
perceive  the  truth  ; and  all  our  senses  being  corrupted,  we 
wickedly  defraud  God  of  his  glory.  We  must  therefore  sub- 
scribe to  the  declaration  of  Paul : For  after  that  in  the  wisdom 
of  God,  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God 
by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  them  that  believe.”  {x) 
What  he  denominates  the  wisdom  of  God,  is  this  magnificent 
theatre  of  heaven  and  earth,  which  is  replete  with  innumerable 
miracles,  and  from  the  contemplation  of  which  we  ought  wisely 
to  acquire  the  knowledge  of  God.  But  because  we  have  made 
so  little  improvement  in  this  way,  he  recalls  us  to  the  faith  of 
Christ,  which  is  despised  by  unbelievers  on  account  of  its  appa- 
rent folly.  Wherefore,  though  the  preaching  of  the  cross  is 
not  agreeable  to  human  reason,  we  ought,  nevertheless,  to  em- 
brace it  with  all  humility,  if  we  desire  to  return  to  God  our 
Creator,  from  whom  we  have  been  alienated,  and  to  have  him 
reassume  the  character  of  our  Father.  Since  the  fall  of  the 
first  man,  no  knowledge  of  God,  without  the  Mediator,  has 
been  available  to  salvation.  For  Christ  speaks  not  of  his  own 
time  only,  but  comprehends  all  ages,  when  he  says  that  this 
is  life  eternal,  to  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent.”  {y)  And  this  aggravates  the 
stupidity  of  those  who  set  open  the  gate  of  heaven  to  all  un- 
believers and  profane  persons,  without  the  grace  of  Christ, 
whom  the  Scripture  universally  represents  as  the  only  door  of 
entrance  into  salvation.  But  if  any  man  would  restrict  this 
declaration  of  Christ  to  the  period  of  the  first  promulgation  of 
the  gospel,  we  are  prepared  with  a refutation.  For  it  has 
been  a common  opinion,  in  all  ages  and  nations,  that  those  who 
are  alienated  from  God,  and  pronounced  accursed,  and  children 
of  wrath,  cannot  please  him  without  a reconciliation.  Here 
add  the  answer  of  Christ  to  the  woman  of  Samaria:  ‘‘Ye 


{x)  1 Cor.  i.  21. 


(?/)  John  xvii.  3. 


CHAP.  VI.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  307 

worship  ye  know  not  what : we  know  what  we  worship  ; for 
salvation  is  of  the  Jews.”  (z)  In  these  words  he  at  once  con- 
demns all  the  religions  of  the  Gentiles  as  false,  and  assigns  a 
reason  for  it  ; because  under  the  law  the  Redeemer  was 
promised  only  to  the  chosen  people  ; whence  it  follows  that  no 
worship  has  ever  been  acceptable  to  God,  unless  it  had  respect 
to  Christ.  Hence  also  Paul  affirms  that  all  the  Gentiles  were 
without  God,  and  destitute  of  the  hope  of  life,  (a)  Now.  as  John 
teaches  us  that  life  was  from  the  beginning  in  Christ,  and  that 
the  whole  world  are  fallen  from  it,  (6)  it  is  necessary  to  return 
to  that  fountain  : and  therefore  Christ  asserts  himself  to  be  the 
life,  as  he  is  the  author  of  the  propitiation.  And,  indeed,  the 
celestial  inheritance  belongs  exclusively  to  the  children  of  God. 
But  it  is  very  unreasonable  that  they  should  be  considered  in 
the  place  and  order  of  his  children,  who  have  not  been  engraft- 
ed into  the  body  of  his  only  begotten  Son.  And  John  plainly 
declares  that  “ they  who  believe  in  his  name  become  the  sons 
of  God.”  (c)  But  as  it  is  not  my  design  in  this  place  to  treat 
professedly  of  faith  in  Christ,  these  cursory  hints  shall  at 
present,  suffice. 

II.  Therefore  God  never  showed  himself  propitious  to  his 
ancient  people,  nor  afforded  them  any  hope  of  his  favour,  with- 
out a Mediator.  I forbear  to  speak  of  the  legal  sacrifices,  by 
which  the  faithful  were  plainly  and  publicly  instructed  that 
salvation  was  to  be  sought  solely  in  that  expiation,  which  has 
been  accomplished  by  Christ  alonei  I only  assert,  that  the 
happiness  of  the  Church  has  always  been  founded  on  the 
person  of  Christ.  For  though  God  comprehended  in  his 
covenant  all  the  posterity  of  Abraham,  yet  Paul  judiciously 
reasons,  that  Christ  is  in  reality  that  Seed  in  whom  all  the 
nations  were  to  be  blessed ; (d)  since  we  know  that  the  natural 
descendants  of  that  patriarch  were  not  reckoned  as  his  seed.  For, 
to  say  nothing  of  Ishmael  and  others,  what  was  the  cause,  that 
of  the  two  sons  of  Isaac,  the  twin-brothers  Esau  and  Jacob, 
even  when  they  were  yet  unborn,  one  should  be  chosen  and 
the  other  rejected  ? How  came  it  to  pass  that  the  first-born 
was  rejected,  and  that  the  younger  obtained  his  birthright  ? 
How  came  the  majority  of  the  people  to  be  disinherited  ? It 
is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  seed  of  Abraham  is  reckoned 
principally  in  one  person,  and  that  the  promised  salvation  was 
not  manifested  till  the  coming  of  Christ,  whose  office  it  is  to 
collect  what  had  been  scattered  abroad.  The  first  adoption, 
therefore,  of  the  chosen  people,  depended  on  the  grace  of  the 
Mediator  ; which,  though  it  is  not  so  plainly  expressed  by 


(z)  John  iv.  22.  (a)  Ephes.  ii.  12.  (b)  John  i.  4. 

(c)  John  i.  12.  (d)  Gal.  iii.  16. 


308  INSTITUTES  or  THE  [bOOK  11. 

MoseSj  yet  appears  to  have  been  generally  well  known  to  all 
the  pious.  For  before  the  appointment  of  any  king  in  the  na- 
tion, Hannah,  the  mother  of  Samuel,  speaking  o^  the  felicity 
of  the  faithful,  thus  expressed  herself  in  her  song  : The  Lord 
shall  give  strength  unto  his  king,  and  exalt  the  horn  of  his 
anointed.”  (e)  Her-meaniug  in  these  words  is,  that  God  will 
bless  his  Church.  And  to  tliis  agrees  the  oracle,  which  is  soon 
after  introduced  : ‘‘  I will  raise  me  up  a faithful  priest,  and  he 
shall  walk  before  mine  anointed.”  And  there  is  no  doubt  that 
it  was  the  design  of  the  heavenly  Father  to  exhibit  in  David 
and  his  posterity  a lively  image  of  Christ.  With  a design  to 
exhort  the  pious,  therefore,  to  the  fear  of  God,  he  enjoins  them 
to  “ kiss  the  Son  ; ” (/)  which  agrees  with  this  declaration  of 
the  gospel : “ He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son  honoureth  not  the 
Father.”  (g)  Therefore,  though  the  kingdom  was  weakened  by 
the  revolt  of  the  ten  tribes,  yet  the  covenant,  which  God  had 
made  with  David  and  his  successors,  could  not  but  stand,  as  he 
also  declared  by  the  Prophets : “I  will  not  rend  away  all  the 
kingdom,  but  will  give  one  tribe  to  thy  son,  for  David  my  ser- 
vant’s sake,  and  for  Jerusalem’s  sake  which  I have  chosen.”  (A) 
This  is  repeated  again  and  again.  It  is  also  expressly  added,  I 
will  for  this  afflict  the  seed  of  David,  but  not  for  ever.”  (^)  At  a 
little  distance  of  time  it  is  said,  ‘‘  For  David’s  sake  did  the  Lord 
his  God  give  him  a lamp  in  Jerusalem,  to  set  up  his  son  after 
him,  and  to  establish  Jerusalem.”  (A)  Even  when  the  state  was 
come  to  the  verge  of  ruin,  it  was  again  said,  ‘‘  The  Lord  would 
not  destroy  Judah,  for  David  his  servant’s  sake,  as  he  promised 
him  to  give  him  alway  a light,  and  to  his  children.”  (/)  The 
sum  of  the  whole  is  this  — that  David  alone  was  chosen,  to  the 
rejection  of  all  others,  as  the  perpetual  object  of  the  Divine 
favour;  as  it  is  said,  in  another  place,  ‘^He  forsook  the  ta- 
bernacle of  Shiloh  ; he  refused  the  tabernacle  of  Joseph,  and 
chose  not  the  tribe  of  Ephraim ; but  chose  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
the  mount  Zion,  which  he  loved.  He  chose  David  also  his 
servant,  to  feed  Jacob  his  people,  and  Israel  his  inheritance.”  (??i) 
Finally,  it  pleased  God  to  preserve  his  Church  in  such  a way, 
that  its  security  and  salvation  should  depend  on  that  head. 
David  therefore  exclaims,  The  liOrd  is  their  strength,  and  he 
is  the  saving  strength  of  his  anointed;  ” (?i)  and  immediately 
adds  this  petition : Save  thy  people,  and  bless  thine  inherit- 
ance ; ” signifying  that  the  state  of  the  Church  is  inseparably 
connected  with  the  government  of  Christ.  In  the  same  sense 
he  elsewhere  says,  “ Save,  Lord ; let  the  king  hear  us  when 

(e)  1 Sam.  ii.  10.  (/)  Psalm  ii.  12.  (^)  John  v.  24. 

(//)  1 Kings  xi.  is.  (i)  1 Kings  xi.  30. 

(k)  1 Kings  XV.  4.  (1)  2 Kings  viii.  19.  (m)  Psalm  Ixxviii.  00,67,68,70,71, 

(n)  Psalm  xxviii.  8. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


309 


CHAP.  VI.] 

we  call.”  (o)  In  these  words  he  clearly  teaches  us  that  the 
faithful  resort  to  God  for  assistance,  with  no  other  confidence 
than  because  they  are  sheltered  under  the  protection  of  the 
king.  This  is  to  be  inferred  from  another  psalm  : Save,  O 
Lord  ! Blessed  be  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord ; ” (jo) 
where  it  is  sufficiently  evident  that  the  faithful  are  invited  to 
Christ,  that  they  may  hope  to  be  saved  by  the  power  of  God. 
The  same  thing  is  alluded  to  in  another  prayer,  where  the 
whole  Church  implores  the  mercy  of  God  : “ Let  thy  hand  be 
upon  the  man  of  thy  right  hand,  upon  the  Son  of  man  whom 
thou  madest  strong  for  thyself.”  (q)  For  though  the  author 
of  the  psalm  deplores  the  dissipation  of  all  the  people,  yet  he 
ardently  prays  for  their  restoration  in  their  head  alone.  But 
when  Jeremiah,  after  the  people  were  driven  into  exile,  the 
land  laid  waste,  and  all  things  apparently  ruined,  bewails  the 
miseries  of  the  Church,  he  principally  laments  that  by  the 
subversion  of  the  kingdom,  the  hope  of  the  faithful  was  cut 
off.  “ The  breath  of  our  nostrils,  the  anointed  of  the  Lord, 
was  taken  in  their  pits,  of  whom  we  said,  Under  his  shadow 
we  shall  live  among  the  heathen.”  (r)  Hence  it  is  sufficiently 
evident,  that  since  God  cannot  be  propitious  to  mankind  but 
through  the  Mediator,  Christ  was  always  exhibited  to  the  holy 
fathers  under  the  law,  as  the  object  to  which  they  should  di- 
rect their  faith. 

III.  Now,  when  consolation  is  promised  in  affliction,  but 
especially  when  the  deliverance  of  the  Church  is  described,  the 
standard  of  confidence  and  hope  is  erected  in  Christ  alone. 
‘‘  Thou  wentest  forth  for  the  salvation  of  thy  people,  even  for 
salvation  with  thine  anointed,”  (s)  says  Habakkuk.  And 
whenever  the  Prophets  mention  the  restoration  of  the  Church, 
they  recall  the  people  to  the  promise  given  to  David  concern- 
ing the  perpetuity  of  his  kingdom.  Nor  is  this  to  be  wondered 
at ; for  otherwise  there  would  be  no  stability  in  the  covenant. 
To  this  refers  the  memorable  answer  of  Isaiah.  For  when  he 
saw  that  his  declaration  concerning  the  raising  of  the  siege, 
and  the  present  deliverance  of  Jerusalem,  was  rejected  by  that 
unbelieving  king,  Ahaz,  he  makes  rather  an  abrupt  transition 
to  the  Messiah  : Behold,  a virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a 
son  ; ” (t)  indirectly  suggesting,  that  although  the  king  and 
the  people,  in  their  perverseness,  rejected  the  promise  which 
had  been  given  them,  as  though  they  would  purposely  labour 
to  invalidate  the  truth  of  God,  yet  that  his  covenant  would 
not  be  frustrated,  but  that  the  Redeemer  should  come  at  his 
appointed  time.  Finally,  all  the  Prophets,  in  order  to  display 


(o)  Psalm  XX.  9. 

Ip)  Psalm  cxviii.  2^,  %. 


(q)  Psalm  Ixxx.  17. 
{r)  Lam.  iv.  20. 


(s)  Hab._iii.  l3. 
(1)  Isaiah,  vii.  14. 


310  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

the  Divine  mercy,  were  constantly  careful  to  exhibit  to  view 
that  kingdom  of  David,  from  which  redemption  and  eternal 
salvation  were  to  proceed.  Thus  Isaiah  : “ I will  make  an 
everlasting  covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David. 
Behold,  I have  given  him  for  a witness  to  the  people  ; ” (v) 
because  in  desperate  circumstances  the  faithful  could  have  no 
hope,  any  otherwise  than  by  his  interposition  as  a witness, 
that  God  would  be  merciful  to  them.  Thus  also  Jeremiah,  to 
comfort  them  who  were  in  despair,  says,  “ Behold,  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I will  raise  unto  David  a righteous 
Branch.  In  his  days  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel  shall 
dwell  safely.”  (w)  And  Ezekiel  r ‘‘  I will  set  up  one  Shep- 
herd over  them,  and  he  shall  feed  them,  even  my  servant 
David.  And  I the  Lord  will  be  their  God,  and  my  servant 
David  a prince  among  them ; and  I will  make  with  them  a 
covenant  of  peace.”  (.t)  Again,  in  another  place,  having 
treated  of  their  incredible  renovation,  he  says,  “ David  my 
servant  shall  be  king  over  them  ; and  they  all  shall  have  one 
Shepherd.  Moreover  I will  make  a covenant  of  peace  with 
them  ; it  shall  be  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them.”  (i/)  I 
select  a few  passages  out  of  many,  because  I only  wish  to 
apprize  the  reader,  that  the  hope  of  the  pious  has  never  been 
placed  any  where  but  in  Christ.  All  the  other  Prophets  also 
uniformly  speak  the  same  language.  As  Hosea  : Then  shall 
the  children  of  Judah  and  the  children  of  Israel  be  gathered 
together,  and  appoint  themselves  one  head.”  (z)  And  in  a 
subsequent  chapter  he  is  still  more  explicit  : “ The  children 
of  Israel  shall  return,  and  seek  the  Lord  their  God,  and  David 
their  king.”  (a)  Micah  also,  discoursing  on  the  return  of  the 
people,  expressly  declares,  “ their  king  shall  pass  before  them, 
and  the  Lord  on  the  head  of  them.”  (b)  Thus  Amos,  intend- 
ing to  predict  the  restoration  of  the  people,  says,  In  that  day 
I will  raise  up  the  tabernacle  of  David  that  is  fallen,  and  close 
up  the  breaches  thereof ; and  I will  raise  up  his  ruins.”  (c) 
This  implies  that  the  only  standard  of  salvation  was  the  res- 
toration of  the  regal  dignity  in  the  family  of  David,  which  was 
accomplished  in  Christ.  Zechariah,  therefore,  living  nearer  to 
the  time  of  the  manifestation  of  Christ,  more  openly  exclaims. 
Rejoice  greatly,  O daughter  of  Zion  ; shout,  O daughter  of 
Jerusalem  : behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee  : he  is  just, 
and  having  salvation.”  (d)  This  corresponds  with  a passage 
from  a psalm,  already  cited  : “ The  Lord  is  the  saving  strength 
of  his  anointed.  Save  thy  people  ; ” (e)  where  salvation  is 
extended  from  the  head  to  the  whole  body. 

(r)  Isaiah  Iv.  3.  (w)  Jer.  xxiii.  5,  6.  (^r)  Ezek.  xxxiv.  23 — 25. 

(7j)  Ezek.  xxxvii.  24,  2G.  (z)  Hos.  i.  11. 

(a)  Hos.  iii.  5.  (i)  Mic.  ii.  13.  (r)  Amos  ix.  11. 

(d)  Zech.  ix.  9.  (c)  Psalm  xxviii.  8,  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


311 


CHAP.  VI.] 

IV.  It  was  tne  will  of  God  that  the  Jews  should  be  in- 
structed by  these  prophecies,  so  that  they  might  direct  their 
eyes  to  Christ  whenever  they  wanted  deliverance.  Nor,  in- 
deed, notwithstanding  their  shameful  degeneracy,  could  the 
memory  of  this  general  principle  ever  be  obliterated  — that 
God  would  be  the  deliverer  of  the  Church  by  the  hand  of 
Christ,  according  to  his  promise  to  David ; and  that  in  this 
manner  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  which  God  had  adopted 
his  elect,  would  at  length  be  confirmed.  Hence  it  came  to 
pass,  that  when  Christ,  a little  before  his  death,  entered  into 
Jerusalem,  that  song  was  heard  from  the  mouths  of  children, 
‘‘  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David.”  (/)  For  the  subject  of  their 
song  appears  to  have  been  derived  from  a sentiment  generally 
received  and  avowed  by  the  people,  that  there  remained  to 
them  no  other  pledge  of  the  mercy  of  God,  but  in  the  advent 
of  the  Redeemer.  For  this  reason  Christ  commands  his  dis- 
ciples to  believe  in  him,  that  they  may  distinctly  and  perfectly 
believe  in  God  : ‘‘Ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me.”  (^) 
For  though,  strictly  speaking,  faith  ascends  from  Christ  to  the 
Father,  yet  he  suggests,  that  though  it  were  even  fixed  on 
God,  yet  it  would  gradually  decline,  unless  he  interposed,  to 
preserve  its  stability.  The  majesty  of  God  is  otherwise  far 
above  the  reach  of  mortals,  who  are  like  worms  crawling  upon 
the  earth.  Wherefore,  though  I do  not  reject  that  common 
observation  that  God  is  the  object  of  faith,  yet  I consider  it  as 
requiring  some  correction.  For  it  is  not  without  reason  that 
Christ  is  called  “ the  image  of  the  invisible  God  ; ” {h)  but  by 
this  appellation  we  are  reminded,  that  unless  God  reveal  him- 
self to  us  in  Christ,  we  cannot  have  that  knowledge  of  him 
which  is  necessary  to  salvation.  For  although  among  the 
Jews  the  scribes  had  by  false  glosses  obscured  the  declarations 
of  the  Prophets  concerning  the  Redeemer,  yet  Christ  assumed 
it  for  granted,  as  if  allowed  by  common  consent,  that  there 
was  no  other  remedy  for  the  confusion  into  which  the  Jews 
had  fallen,  nor  any  other  mode  of  deliverance  for  the  Church, 
but  the  exhibition  of  the  Mediator.  There  was  not,  indeed, 
such  a general  knowledge  as  there  ought  to  have  been,  of  the 
principle  taught  by  Paul,  that  “ Christ  is  the  end  of  the 
law  ; ” [i)  but  the  truth  and  certainty  of  this  evidently  appears 
both  from  the  law  itself  and  from  the  Prophets.  I am  not  yet 
treating  of  faith  ; there  will  be  a more  suitable  place  for  that 
subject  in  another  part  of  the  work.  Only  let  this  be  well 
fixed  in  the  mind  of  the  reader ; that  the  first  step  to  piety  is 
to  know  that  God  is  our  Father,  to  protect,  govern,  and  sup- 
port us  till  he  gathers  us  into  the  eternal  inheritance  of  his 

(/)  Matt.  xxi.  9.  (g)  John  xiv.  1.  (h)  Col.  i.  15.  (i)  Rom.  x.  4. 


312  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

kingdom  ; that  hence  it  is  plain,  as  we  have  before  asserted 
that  there  can  be  no  saving  knowledge  of  God  without  Christ ; 
and  consequently  that  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  he  has 
always  been  manifested  to  all  the  elect,  that  they  might  look 
to  him,  and  repose  all  their  confidence  in  him.  In  this  sense 
Ireneeus  says  that  the  Father,  who  is  infinite  in  himself,  be- 
comes finite  in  the  Son  ; because  he  has  accommodated  him- 
self to  our  capacity,  that  he  may  not  overwhelm  our  minds 
with  the  infinity  of  his  glory,  (/c)  And  fanatics,  not  consider- 
ing this,  pervert  a useful  observation  into  an  impious  reverie, 
as  though  there  were  in  Christ  merely  a portion  of  Deity,  an 
emanation  from  the  infinite  perfection ; whereas  the  sole  mean- 
ing of  that  writer  is,  that  God  is  apprehended  in  Christ,  and  in 
him  alone.  The  assertion  of  John  has  been  verified  in  all 
ages,  Whosoever  denieth  the  Son,  the  same  hath  not  the 
Father.”  (Z)  For  though  many  in  ancient  times  gloried  in 
being  worshippers  of  the  Supreme  Deity,  the  Creator  of  heaven 
and  earth,  yet,  because  they  had  no  Mediator,  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  them  to  have  any  real  acquaintance  with  the  mercy 
of  God,  or  persuasion  that  he  was  their  Father.  Therefore,  as 
they  did  not  hold  the  head,  that  is,  Christ,  all  their  knowledge 
of  God  was  obscure  and  unsettled ; whence  it  came  to  pass, 
that  degenerating  at  length  into  gross  and  vile  superstitions, 
they  betrayed  their  ignorance,  like  the  Turks  in  modern 
times ; who,  though  they  boast  of  having  the  Creator  of 
heaven  and  earth  for  their  God,  yet  ordy  substitute  an  idol 
instead  of  the  true  God  as  long  as  they  remain  enemies  to 
Christ. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  LAW  GIVEN,  NOT  TO  CONFINE  THE  ANCIENT  PEOPLE  TO  IT- 
SELF, BUT  TO  ENCOURAGE  THEIR  HOPE  OF  SALVATION  IN 
CHRIST,  TILL  THE  TIME  OF  HIS  COMING. 

From  the  deduction  we  have  made,  it  may  easily  be  in- 
ferred, that  the  law  was  superadded  about  four  hundred  years 
after  the  death  of  Abraham,  not  to  draw  away  the  attention  of 
the  chosen  people  from  Christ,  but  rather  to  keep  their  minds 
waiting  for  his  advent,  to  inflame  their  desires  and  confirm 
their  expectations,  that  they  might  not  be  discouraged  by  so 


(k)  Lib.  4,  c.  8. 


(1)  1 John  ii.  23. 


CHAP.  VII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


313 


long  a delay.  By  the  word  laxo^  I intend,  not  only  the  de- 
calogue, which  prescribes  the  rule  of  a pious  and  righteous  life, 
but  the  form  of  religion  delivered  from  God  by  the  hands  of 
Moses.  For  Moses  was  not  made  a legislator  to  abolish  the 
blessing  promised  to  the  seed  of  Abraham  ; on  the  contrary, 
we  see  him  on  every  occasion  reminding  the  Jews  of  that 
gracious  covenant  made  with  their  fathers,  to  which  they 
were  heirs  ,*  as  though  the  object  of  his  mission  had  been  to 
renew  it.  It  was  very  clearly  manifested  in  the  ceremonies. 
For  what  could  be  more  vain  or  frivolous  than  for  men  to  offer 
the  fetid  stench  arising  from  the  fat  of  cattle,  in  order  to 
reconcile  themselves  to  God  ? or  to  resort  to  any  aspersion  of 
water  or  of  blood,  to  cleanse  themselves  from  pollution  ? In 
short,  the  whole  legal  worship,  if  it  be  considered  in  itself,  and 
contain  no  shadows  and  figures  of  correspondent  truths,  will 
appear  perfectly  ridiculous.  Wherefore*  it  is  not  without 
reason,  that  both  in  the  speech  of  Stephen  and  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews,  that  passage  is  so  carefully  stated,  in  which 
God  commands  Moses  to  make  all  things  pertaining  to  the 
tabernacle  “ according  to  the  pattern  showed  to  him  in  the 
mount.”  [m)  For  unless  there  had  been  some  spiritual  design, 
to  which  they  were  directed,  the  Jews  would  have  laboured  to 
no  purpose  in  these  observances,  as  the  Gentiles  did  in  their 
mummeries.  Profane  men,  who  have  never  seriously  devoted 
themselves  to  the  pursuit  of  piety,  have  not  patience  to  hear  of 
such  various  rites : they  not  only  wonder  why  God  should 
weary  his  ancient  people  with  such  a mass  of  ceremonies,  but 
they  even  despise  and  deride  them  as  puerile  and  ludicrous. 
This  arises  from  inattention  to  the  end  of  the  legal  figures, 
from  which  if  those  figures  be  separated,  they  must  be  con- 
demned as  vain  and  useless.  But  the  pattern,”  which  is 
mentioned,  shows  that  God  commanded  the  sacrifices,  not 
with  a design  to  occupy  his  worshippers  in  terrestrial  exercises, 
but  rather  that  he  might  elevate  their  minds  to  sublimer  ob- 
jects. This  may  be  likewise  evinced  by  his  nature  ; for  as  he 
is  a Spirit,  he  is  pleased  with  none  but  spiritual  worship. 
Testimonies  of  this  truth  may  be  found  in  the  numerous 
passages  of  the  Prophets,  in  which  they  reprove  the  stupidity 
of  the  Jews  for  supposing  that  sacrifices  possess  any  real  value 
in  the  sight  of  God.  Do  they  mean  to  derogate  from  the  law  ? 
Not  at  all ; but  being  true  interpreters  of  it,  they  designed  by 
this  method  to  direct  the  eyes  of  the  people  to  that  point  from 
which  the  multitude  were  wandering.  Now,  from  the  grace 
offered  to  the  Jews,  it  is  inferred  as  a certain  truth,  that  the 
law  was  not  irrespective  of  Christ ; for  Moses  mentioned  to 

(m)  Acts  vii.  44.  Heb.  viii.  5.  E.x.  xxv.  40. 

VOL.  I.  40 


314 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

them  this  end  of  their  adoption,  that  they  might  “he  unto 
God  a kingdom  of  priests ; ” (w)  which  could  not  be  attained 
without  a greater  and  more  excellent  reconciliation  than  could 
arise  from  the  blood  of  beasts.  For  what  is  more  improbable 
than  that  the  sons  of  Adam,  who  by  hereditary  contagion  are 
all  born  the  slaves  of  sin,  should  be  exalted  to  regal  dignity, 
and  thus  become  partakers  of  the  glory  of  God,  unless  such 
an  eminent  blessing  proceeded  from  some  other  source  than 
themselves  ? How  also  could  the  right  of  the  priesthood  re- 
main among  them,  the  pollution  of  whose  crimes  rendered 
them  abominable  to  God,  unless  they  had  been  consecrated  in 
a holy  head  ? Wherefore  Peter  makes  a beautiful  application 
of  this  observation  of  Moses,  suggesting  that  the  plenitude  of 
that  grace,  of  which  the  Jews  enjoyed  a taste  under  the  law,  is 
exhibited  in  Christ.  “Ye  are,”  says  he,  “a  chosen  generation, 
a royal  priesthood.”  (o)  This  application  of  the  words  tends 
to  show,  that  they,  to  whom  Christ  has  appeared  under  the 
gospel,  have  obtained  more  than  their  forefathers  ; because 
they  are  all  invested  with  sacerdotal  and  regal  honours,  that  in 
a dependence  on  their  Mediator  they  may  venture  to  come 
boldly  into  the  presence  of  God. 

II.  And  here  it  must  be  remarked,  by  the  way,  that  the 
kingdom,  which  at  length  was  erected  in  the  family  of  David, 
is  a part  of  the  law,  and  comprised  under  the  ministry  of 
Moses ; whence  it  follows,  that  both  in  the  posterity  of  David, 
and  in  the  whole  Levitical  tribe,  as  in  a twofold  mirror,  Christ 
was  exhibited  to  the  view  of  his  ancient  people.  For,  as  I 
have  just  observed,  it  was  otherwise  impossible  that  in  the 
Divine  view  they  should  be  kings  and  priests,  who  were  the 
slaves  of  sin  and  death,  and  polluted  by  their  own  corruptions. 
Hence  appears  the  truth  of  the  assertion  of  Paul,  that  the 
Jews  were  subject,  as  it  were,  to  the  authority  of  a school- 
master, till  the  advent  of  that  seed,  for  whose  sake  the  promise 
was  given,  (p)  For  Christ  being  not  yet  familiarly  discovered, 
they  were  like  children,  whose  imbecility  could  not  yet  bear 
the  full  knowledge  of  heavenly  things.  But  how  they  were 
led  to  Christ  by  the  ceremonies,  has  been  already  stated,  and 
may  be  better  learned  from  the  testimonies  of  the  Prophets. 
For  although  they  were  obliged  every  day  to  approach  God 
with  new  sacrifices,  in  order  to  appease  him,  yet  Isaiah  pro- 
mises them  the  expiation  of  all  their  transgressions  by  a single 
sacrifice,  (^)  which  is  confirmed  by  Daniel,  (r)  The  priests 
chosen  from  the  tribe  of  Levi,  used  to  enter  into  the  sanctuary ; 
but  concerning  that  one  priest  it  was  once  said,  that  he  was 

(n)  Exod.  xlx.  6.  (o)  1 Peter  ii.  9.  (p)  Gal.  iii.  24. 

(q)  Isaiah  liii.  5,  &c.  (r)  Dan.  ix.  26,  &c. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


315 


CHAP.  VII.] 

divinely  chosen  with  an  oath,  to  be  a priest  for  ever  after 
the  order  of  Melcliisedec.”  (s)  There  was,  then,  an  unction 
of  visible  oil ; but  Daniel,  from  his  vision,  foretells  an  unction 
of  a different  kind.  But  not  to  insist  on  many  proofs,  the 
author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  from  the  fourth  chapter 
to  the  eleventh,  demonstrates  in  a manner  sufficiently  copious 
and  clear,  that,  irrespective  of  Christ,  all  the  ceremonies  of  the 
law  are  worthless  and  vain.  And  in  regard  to  the  decalogue, 
we  should  attend  to  the  declaration  of  Paul,  that  Christ  is 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believ- 
eth  ; ” (t)  and  also  that  Christ  is  the  Spirit,”  who  gives  life  ” 
to  the  otherwise  dead  letter,  (v)  For  in  the  former  passage  he 
signifies  that  righteousness  is  taught  in  vain  by  the  precepts, 
till  Christ  bestows  it  both  by  a gratuitous  imputation,  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  regeneration.  Wherefore  he  justly  denominates 
Christ  the  completion  or  end  of  the  law ; for  we  should  derive 
no  benefit  from  a knowledge  of  what  God  requires  of  us,  un- 
less we  were  succoured  by  Christ  when  labouring  and  op- 
pressed under  its  yoke  and  intolerable  burden.  In  another 
place,  he  states  that  ‘‘  the  law  was  added  because  of  transgres- 
sions ; ” (w)  that  is,  to  humble  men,  by  convicting  them  of  being 
the  causes  of  their  own  condemnation.  Now,  this  being  the 
true  and  only  preparation  for  seeking  Christ,  the  various  de- 
clarations which  he  makes  are  in  perfect  unison  with  each 
other.  But  as  he  was  then  engaged  in  a controversy  with 
erroneous  teachers,  who  pretended  that  we  merit  righteousness 
by  the  works  of  the  law,  — in  order  to  refute  their  error,  he  was 
sometimes  obliged  to  use  the  term  law  in  a more  restricted 
sense,  as  merely  preceptive,  although  it  was  otherwise  con- 
nected with  the  covenant  of  gratuitous  adoption. 

III.  But  it  is  worthy  of  a little  inquiry,  how  we  are  ren- 
dered more  inexcusable  by  the  instructions  of  the  moral  law, 
in  order  that  a sense  of  our  guilt  may  excite  us  to  supplicate 
for  pardon.  If  it  be  true  that  the  law  displays  a perfection 
of  righteousness,  it  also  follows  that  the  complete  observation 
of  it,  is  in  the  sight  of  God  a perfect  righteousness,  in  which  a 
man  would  be  esteemed  and  reputed  righteous  at  the  tribunal 
of  heaven.  Wherefore  Moses,  when  he  had  promulgated  the 
law,  hesitated  not  to  call  heaven  and  earth  to  record  ” {x) 
that  he  had  proposed  to  the  Israelites  life  and  death,  good  and 
evil.  Nor  can  we  deny  that  the  reward  of  eternal  life  awaits 
a righteous  obedience  to  the  law,  according  to  the  Divine  pro- 
mise. But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  proper  to  examine  whether 
we  perform  that  obedience,  the  merit  of  which  can  warrant 

{s)  Psalm  cx.  4.  {t)  Rom.  x.  4.  , (v)  2 Cor.  iii  17. 

{w)  Gal.  iii.  19.  (x)  Deut.  xxx.  15,  19. 


316 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

our  confident  expectation  of  that  reward.  For  how  unim- 
portant is  it,  to  discover  that  the  reward  of  eternal  life  depends 
on  the  observance  of  the  law,  unless  we  also  ascertain  whether 
it  be  possible  for  us  to  arrive  at  eternal  life  in  that  way ! But 
in  this  point  the  weakness  of  the  law  is  manifest.  For  as 
none  of  us  are  found  to  observe  the  law,  we  are  excluded  from 
the  promises  of  life,  and  fall  entirely  under  the  curse.  I am 
now  showing,  not  only  what  does  happen,  but  what  necessa- 
rily must  happen.  For  the  doctrine  of  the  law  being  far 
above  human  ability,  man  may  view  the  promises,  indeed,  from 
a distance,  but  cannot  gather  any  fruit  from  them.  It  only 
remains  for  him,  from  their  goodness  to  form  a truer  estimate 
of  his  own  misery,  while  he  reflects  that  all  hope  of  salvation 
is  cut  off,  and  that  he  is  in  imminent  danger  of  death.  On 
the  other  hand,  we  are  urged  with  terrible  sanctions,  which 
bind,  not  a few  of  us,  but  every  individual  of  mankind ; they 
urge,  I say,  and  pursue  us  with  inexorable  rigour,  so  that  in 
the  law  we  see  nothing  but  present  death. 

IV.  Therefore,  if  we  direct  our  views  exclusively  to  the 
law,  the  effects  upon  our  minds  will  only  be  despondency, 
confusion,  and  despair,  since  it  condemns  and  curses  us  all, 
and  keeps  us  far  from  that  blessedness  which  it  proposes  to 
them  who  observe  it.  Does  the  Lord,  then,  you  will  say,  in 
this  case  do  nothing  but  mock  us?  For  how  little  does  it 
differ  from  mockery,  to  exhibit  a hope  of  felicity,  to  invite 
and  exhort  to  it,  to  declare  that  it  is  ready  for  our  reception, 
whilst  the  way  to  it  is  closed  and  inaccessible  ! I reply,  al- 
though the  promises  of  the  law,  being  conditional,  depend  on 
a perfect  obedience  to  the  law,  which  can  nowhere  be  found, 
yet  they  have  not  been  given  in  vain.  For  when  we  have 
learned  that  they  will  be  vain  and  inefficacious  to  us,  unless 
God  embrace  us  with  his  gratuitous  goodness,  without  any  re- 
gard to  our  works,  and  unless  we  have  also  embraced  by  faith 
that  goodness,  as  exhibited  to  us  in  the  gospel, — then  these 
promises  are  not  without  their  use,  even  with  the  condition 
annexed'  to  them.  For  then  he  gratuitously  confers  every 
thing  upon  us,  so  that  he  adds  this  also  to  the  number  of  his 
favours,  that  not  rejecting  our  imperfect  obedience,  but  par- 
doning its  deficiencies,  he  gives  us  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  the 
legal  promises,  just  as  if  we  had  fulfilled  the  condition  our- 
selves. But  as  we  shall  more  fully  discuss  this  question  when 
we  treat  of  the  justification  of  faith,  we  shall  pinsue  it  no 
further  at  present. 

V.  Our  assertion,  respecting  the  impossibility  of  observing 
the  law,  must  be  briefly  explained  and  proved ; for  it  is  gene- 
rally esteemed  a very  absurd  sentiment,  so  that  Jerome  has  not 
scrupled  to  denounce  it  as  accursed.  What  was  the  opinion  of 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


317 


CHAP.  VII.] 

Jerome,  I regard  not ; let  us  inquire  what  is  truth.  1 shall  not 
here  enter  into  a long  discussion  of  the  various  species  of  pos- 
sibility ; I call  that  impossible  which  has  never  happened  yet, 
and  which  is  prevented  by  the  ordination  and  decree  of  God 
from  ever  happening  in  future.  If  we  inquire  from  the  remo- 
test period  of  antiquity,  I assert  that  there  never  has  existed  a 
saint,  who,  surrounded  with  a body  of  death,  could  attain  to 
such  a degree  of  love,  as  to  love  God  with  all  his  heart,  with 
all  his  soul,  and  with  all  his  mind ; and,  moreover,  that  there 
never  has  been  one,  who  was  not  the  subject  of  some  inordi- 
nate desire,  '^^ho  can  deny  this  ? I know,  indeed,  what  sort 
of  saints  the  lolly  of  superstition  imagines  to  itself,  such  as 
almost  excel  even  the  angels  of  heaven  in  purity ; but  such  an  , 
imagination  is  repugnant  both  to  Scripture  and  to  the  dictates 
of  experience.  I assert  also  that  no  man,  who  shall  exist  in 
future,  will  reach  the  standard  of  true  perfection,  unless  re- 
leased from  the  burden  of  the  body.  This  is  established  by 
clear  testimonies  of  Scripture  : Solomon  says,  There  is  not 
a just  man  upon  earth,  that  doeth  good  and  sinneth  not.”  (i/) 
David;  ‘‘In  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified.”  (2;) 
Job  in  many  passages  affirms  the  same  thing;  (a)  but  Paul 
most  plainly  of  all,  that  “ the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit, 
and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh.”  (b)  Nor  does  he  prove,  that 
“as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under  the  curse,” 
by  any  other  reason  but  because  “it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every 
one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them ; ” (c)  evidently  suggesting,  and 
even  taking  it  for  granted,  that  no  one  can  continue  in  them. 
Now,  whatever  is  predicted  in  the  Scriptures,  must  be  consi- 
dered as  perpetual,  and  even  as  necessary.  With  a similar  fal- 
lacy Augustine  used  to  be  teased  by  the  Pelagians,  who  main- 
tained that  it  is  an  injury  to  God,  to  say  that  he  commands 
more  than  the  faithful  through  his  grace  are  able  to  perform. 
To  avoid  their  cavil,  he  admitted  that  the  Lord  might,  if  he 
chose,  exalt  a mortal  man  to  the  purity  of  angels ; but  that  he 
neither  had  ever  done  it,  nor  would  ever  do  it,  because  he  had 
declared  otherwise  in  the  Scriptures,  (cl)  This  I do  not  deny  ; 
but  I add  that  it  is  absurd  to  dispute  concerning  the  power  of 
God,  in  opposition  to  his  veracity ; and  that,  therefore,  it  af- 
fords no  room  for  cavilling,  when  any  one  maintains  that  to 
be  impossible,  which  the  Scriptures  declare  will  never  happen. 
But  if  the  dispute  be  about  the  term,  the  Lord,  in  reply  to  an 
inquiry  of  his*  disciples,  “ Who,  then,  can  be  saved  ? ” says, 
“With  men  this  is  impossible ; but  with  God  all  things  are 

(?/)  Eccles.  vii.  20.  (z)  Psalm  cxliii.  2.  (a)  Job  iv.  17 ; ix.  2 ; xv.  14  ; xxv  4. 

(b)  Gal.  V.  17.  (c)  Gal.  iii.  10.  (d)  Lib.  de  Nat.  et  Grat. 


318  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  li 

possible.”  (e)  Augustine  contends,  with  a very  powerful  ar- 
gument, that  in  this  flesh  we  never  render  to  God  the  legiti- 
mate love  which  we  owe  to  him.  “ Love,”  says  he,  ^Gs  an 
efiect  of  knowledge,  so  that  no  man  can  perfectly  love  God, 
who  has  not  first  a complete  knowledge  of  his  goodness. 
During  our  pilgrimage  in  this  world,  we  see  through  an  ob- 
scure medium ; the  consequence  of  this,  then,  is,  that  our  love 
is  imperfect.”  It  ought,  therefore,  to  be  admitted  without 
controversy,  that  it  is  impossible  in  this  carnal  state  to  fulfil 
the  law,  if  we  consider  the  impotence  of  our  nature,  as  will 
elsewhere  be  proved  also  from  Paul.  (/) 

VI.  But  for  the  better  elucidation  of  the  subject,  let  us  state, 
.in  a compendious  order,  the  office  and  use  of  what  is  called  the 
moral  law.  It  is  contained,  as  far  as  I understand  it,  in  these 
three  points.  The  first  is,  that  while  it  discovers  the  right- 
eousness of  God,  that  is,  the  only  righteousness  which  is  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  it  warns  every  one  of  his  own  unrighteousness, 
places  it  beyond  all  doubt,  convicts,  and  condemns  him.  For 
it  is  necessary  that  man,  blinded  and  inebriated  with  self-love, 
should  thus  be  driven  into  a knowledge  of  himself,  and  a con- 
fession of  his  own  imbecility  and  impurity.  Since,  unless  his 
vanity  be  evidently  reproved,  he  is  inflated  with  a foolish  con- 
fidence in  his  strength,  and  can  never  be  brought  to  perceive 
its  feebleness  as  long  as  he  measures  it  by  the  rule  of  his  own 
fancy.  But  as  soon  as  he  begins  to  compare  it  to  the  difficulty 
of  the  law,  he  finds  his  insolence  and  pride  immediately  abate. 
For  how  great  soever  his  preconceived  opinion  of  it,  he  per- 
ceives it  immediately  pant  under  so  heavy  a load,  and  then 
totter,  and  at  length  fall.  Thus,  being  instructed  under  the 
tuition  of  the  law,  he  lays  aside  that  arrogance  with  which  he 
was  previously  blinded.  He  must  also  be  cured  of  the  other 
disease,  of  pride,  with  which,  we  have  observed,  he  is  afflicted. 
As  long  as  he  is  permitted  to  stand  in  his  own  judgment,  he 
substitutes  hypocrisy  instead  of  righteousness  ; contented  with 
which,  he  rises  up  with  I know  not  what  pretended  righteous- 
nesses, in  opposition  to  the  grace  of  God.  But  when  he  is  con- 
strained to  examine  his  life  according  to  the  rules  of  the  law, 
he  no  longer  presumes  on  his  counterfeit  righteousness,  but 
perceives  that  he  is  at  an  infinite  distance  from  holiness  ; and  also 
that  he  abounds  with  innumerable  vices,  from  which  he  before 
supposed  himself  to  be  pure.  For  the  evils  of  concupiscence 
are  concealed  in  such  deep  and  intricate  recesses,  as  easily  to 
elude  the  view  of  man.  And  it  is  not  without  'cause  that  the 
Apostle  says,  I had  not  known  lust,  except  the  law  had  said, 
Thou  shalt  not  covet ; ” (g-)  because,  unless  it  be  stripped  of  its 


(e)  Matt.  xix.  25,  26. 


(/)  Rom.  viii.  3,  &c. 


(ff)  Rom.  vii.  7. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


319 


CHAP.  VII.] 

disguises,  and  brought  to  light  by  the  law,  it  destroys  the 
miserable  man  in  so  secret  a manner,  that  he  does  not  perceive 
its  fatal  dart. 

VII.  Thus  the  law  is  like  a mirror,  in  which  we  behold,  first, 
our  impotence  ; secondly,  our  iniquity,  which  proceeds  from  it ; 
and  lastly,  the  consequence  of  both,  our  obnoxiousness  to  the 
curse  ; just  as  a mirror  represents  to  us  the  spots  on  our  face. 
For  when  a man  is  destitute  of  power  to  practise  righteousness, 
he  must  necessarily  fall  into  the  habits  of  sin.  And  sin  is  im- 
mediately followed  by  the  curse.  Therefore  the  greater  the 
transgression  of  which  the  law  convicts  us,  the  more  severe  is 
the  judgment  with  which  it  condemns  us.  This  appears  from 
the  observation  of  the  Apostle,  that  by  the  law  is  the  know- 
ledge of  sin.”  (h)  For  he  there  speaks  only  of  the  first  office 
of  the  law,  which  is  experienced  in  sinners  not  yet  regenerated. 
The  same  sentiment  is  conveyed  in  the  following  passages : 
that  the  law  entered,  that  the  offence  might  abound  ; ” (i)  and 
that  it  is  therefore  ^‘the  ministration  of  death,  which  worketh 
wrath  and  slayeth.”  {k)  For  iniquity  undoubtedly  increases 
more  and  more,  in  proportion  to  the  clearness  of  that  sense  of 
sin  which  strikes  the  conscience ; because  to  transgression  of 
the  law,  there  is  then  added  contumacy  against  the  lawgiver. 
It  remains,  therefore,  that  the  law  arm  the  Divine  wrath  against 
the  sinner;  for  of  itself  it  can  only  accuse,  condemn,  and 
destroy.  And,  as  Augustine  says,  if  we  have  not  the  Spirit  of 
grace,  the  law  serves  only  to  convict  and  slay  us.  But  this 
assertion  neither  reflects  dishonour  on  the  law,  nor  at  all  dero- 
gates from  its  excellence.  Certainly,  if  our  will  were  wholly 
conformed  to  the  law,  and  disposed  to  obey  it,  the  mere  know- 
ledge of  it  would  evidently  be  sufficient  to  salvation.  But 
since  our  carnal  and  corrupt  nature  is  in  a state  of  hostility 
against  the  spirituality  of  the  Divine  law,  and  not  amended  by 
its  discipline,  it  follows  that  the  law,  which  was  given  for 
salvation,  if  it  could  have  found  adequate  attention,  becomes 
an  occasion  of  sin  and  death.  For  since  we  are  all  convicted 
of  having  transgressed  it,  the  more  clearly  it  displays  the 
righteousness  of  God,  so,  on  the  contrary,  the  more  it  detects 
our  iniquity,  and  the  more  certainly  it  confirms  the  reward  of 
life  and  salvation  reserved  for  the  righteous,  so  much  the  more 
certain  it  makes  the  perdition  of  the  wicked.  These  expres- 
sions, therefore,  are  so  far  from  being  dishonourable  to  the  law, 
that  they  serve  more  illustriously  to  recommend  the  Divine 
goodness.  For  hence  it  really  appears,  that  our  iniquity  and 
depravity  prevent  us  from  enjoying  that  blessed  life  which  is 
revealed  to  all  men  in  the  law.  Hence  the  grace  of  God,  whi(di 


(h)  Rom.  iii.  20. 


(i)  Rom.  V.  20. 


(k)  2 Cor.  iii.  7,  Rom.  iv.  15. 


320 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II, 

succours  US  without  the  assistance  of  the  law,  is  rendered 
sweeter ; and  his  mercy,  which  confers  it  on  us,  more  amiable ; 
from  which  we  learn  that  he  is  never  wearied  with  repeating 
his  blessings  and  loading  us  with  new  favours. 

VIII.  But  though  the  iniquity  and  condemnation  of  us  all 
are  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  the  law,  this  is  not  done  (at 
least  if  we  properly  profit  by  it)  in  order  to  make  us  sink  into 
despair,  and  fall  over  the  precipice  of  despondency.  It  is  true 
that  the  wicked  are  thus  confounded  by  it,  but  this  is  occa- 
sioned by  the  obstinacy  of  their  hearts.  With  the  children  of 
God,  its  instructions  must  terminate  in  a different  manner. 
The  Apostle  indeed  declares  that  we  are  all  condemned  by  the 
sentence  of  the  law,  “ that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and 
all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God.”  (1)  Yet  the 
same  Apostle  elsewhere  informs  us,  that  ‘‘God  hath  concluded 
them  all  in  unbelief,”  not  that  he  might  destroy  or  suffer  all  to 
perish,  but  “that  he  might  have  mercy  upon  all ; ” (m)  that  is, 
that  leaving  their  foolish  opinion  of  their  own  strength,  they 
may  know  that  they  stand  and  are  supported  only  by  the 
power  of  God ; that  being  naked  and  destitute,  they  may  resort 
for  assistance  to  his  mercy,  recline  themselves  wholly  upon  it, 
hide  themselves  entirely  in  it,  and  embrace  it  alone  for  right- 
eousness and  merits,  since  it  is  offered  in  Christ  to  all  who  with 
true  faith  implore  it  and  expect  it.  For  in  the  precepts  of  the 
law,  God  appears  only,  on  the  one  hand,  as  the  rewarder  of  per- 
fect righteousness,  of  which  we  are  all  destitute ; and  on  the 
other,  as  the  severe  judge  of  transgressions.  But  in  Christ,  his 
face  shines  with  a plenitude  of  grace  and  lenity,  even  towards 
miserable  and  unworthy  sinners. 

IX.  Of  making  use  of  the  law  to  implore  the  assistance  of 
God,  Augustine  frequently  treats  ; as  when  he  writes  to  Hilary  : 
“ The  law  gives  commands,  in  order  that,  endeavouring  to 
perform  them,  and  being  wearied  through  our  infirmity  under 
the  law,  we  may  learn  to  pray  for  the  assistance  of  grace.” 
Also  to  Asellius : “ The  utility  of  the  law  is  to  convince  man 
of  his  own  infirmity,  and  to  compel  him  to  pray  for  the  gra- 
cious remedy  provided  in  Christ.”  Also  to  Innocentius  Ro- 
manus  : “ The  law  commands  : grace  furnishes  strength  for  the 
performance.”  Again,  to  Valentine:  “God  commands  what 
we  cannot  perform,  that  we  may  know  for  what  blessings  we 
ought  to  supplicate  him.”  Again:  “The  law  was  given  to 
convict  you  ; that  being  convicted  you  might  fear,  that  fearing 
you  might  pray  for  pardon,  and  not  presume  on  your  own 
strength.”  Again:  “The  end  for  which  the  law  was  given, 
was  to  diminish  that  which  was  great,  to  demonstrate  that  you 


(l)  Rom.  iii.  19. 


(m)  Rom.  xi.  32. 


CHAP.  VII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  321 

have  of  yourself  no  ability  to  work  righteousness,  that  thus, 
being  poor,  indigent,  and  destitute,  you  might  have  recourse 
to  grace  for  relief.”  Afterwards  he  addresses  himself  to  God: 

Thus  do,  O Lord ! thus  do,  O merciful  Lord ! command  that 
which  cannot  be  performed : even  command  that  which  cannot 
be  performed  without  thy  grace : that  when  men  cannot  per- 
form it  in  their  own  strength,  every  mouth  may  be  stopped, 
and  no  man  appear  great  in  his  own  estimation.  Let  all  men 
be  mean,  and  let  all  the  world  be  proved  guilty  before  God.” 
But  I am  not  wise  in  collecting  so  many  testimonies,  when  this 
holy  man  has  written  a treatise  expressly  on  this  subject,  which 
he  has  entitled  De  Spiritu  et  Litera^  On  the  Spirit  and  Letter. 
The  second  use  of  the  law  he  does  not  so  clearly  describe, 
either  because  he  knew  that  it  depends  on  the  first,  or  because 
he  did  not  so  fully  understand  it,  or  because  he  wanted  words 
to  explain  it  with  distinctness  and  perspicuity  adequate  to  his 
ideas  of  it.  Yet  this  first  office  of  the  law  is  not  confined  to 
the  pious,  but  extends  also  to  the  reprobate.  For  though  they 
do  not,  with  the  children  of  God,  advance  so  far  as,  after  the 
mortification  of  the  flesh,  to  be  renewed,  and  to  flourish  again 
in  the  inner  man,  but,  confounded  with  the  first  horrors  of  con- 
science, remain  in  despair,  yet  they  contribute  to  manifest  the 
equity  of  the  Divine  judgment,  by  their  consciences  being 
agitated  with  such  violent  emotions.  For  they  are  always 
desirous  of  cavilling  against  the  judgment  of  God  ; but  now, 
while  it  is  not  yet  manifested,  they  are,  nevertheless,  so  con- 
founded with  the  testimony  of  the  law  and  of  their  own  con- 
science, that  they  betray  in  themselves  what  they  have  deserved. 

X.  The  second  office  of  the  law  is,  to  cause  those  who, 
unless  constrained,  feel  no  concern  for  justice  and  rectitude, 
when  they  hear  its  terrible  sanctions,  to  be  at  least  restrained 
by  a fear  of  its  penalties.  And  they  are  restrained,  not  because 
it  internally  influences  or  affects  their  minds,  but  because,  be- 
ing chainecJ^  as  it  were,  they  refrain  from  external  acts,  and 
repress  their  depravity  within  them,  which  otherwise  they 
would  have  wantonly  discharged.  This  makes  them  neither 
better  nor  more  righteous  in  the  Divine  view.  For  although, 
being  prevented  either  by  fear  or  by  shame,  they  dare  not  exe- 
cute what  their  minds  have  contrived,  nor  openly  discover  the 
fury  of  their  passions,  yet  their  hearts  are  not  disposed  to  fear 
and  obey  God  ; and  the  more  they  restrain  themselves,  the 
more  violently  they  are  inflamed  within  ; they  ferment,  they 
boil,  ready  to  break  out  into  any  external  acts,  if  they  were 
not  prevented  by  this  dread  of  the  law.  And  not  only  so,  they 
also  inveterately  hate  the  law  itself,  and  execrate  God  the  law- 
giver, so  that,  if  they  could,  they  would  wish  to  annihilate  him 
whom  they  cannot  bear,  either  in  commanding  that  which  is 
VOL.  I.  41 


322  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

right,  or  in  punishing  the  despisers  of  his  majesty.  In  some, 
indeed,  this  state  of  mind  is  more  evident,  in  others  more  con- 
cealed ; but  it  is  really  the  case  of  all  who  are  yet  unregenerate, 
that  they  are  induced  to  attend  to  the  law,  not  by  a voluntary 
submission,  but  with  reluctance  and  resistance,  only  by  the 
violence  of  fear.  But  yet  this  constrained  and  extorted  right- 
eousness is  necessary  to  the  community,  whose  public  tran- 
quillity is  provided  for  by  God  in  this  instance,  while  he  pre- 
vents all  things  being  involved  in  confusion,  which  would 
certainly  be  the  case,  if  all  men  were  permitted  to  pursue 
their  own  inclinations.  Moreover,  it  is  useful  even  to  the 
children  of  God,  to  be  exercised  by  its  discipline  before  their 
vocation,  while  they  are  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of  sanctification, 
and  are  absorbed  in  carnal  folly.  For  when  the  dread  of  Di- 
vine vengeance  restrains  them  even  from  external  licentious- 
ness, although,  their  minds  being  not  yet  subdued,  they  make 
but  a slow  progress  at  present,  yet  they  are  in  some  measure 
accustomed  to  bear  the  yoke  of  righteousness  ; so  that  when 
they  are  called,  they  may  not  be  entirely  unaccustomed  to  its 
discipline,  as  a thing  altogether  unknown.  To  this  office  of 
the  law  the  Apostle  appears  particularly  to  have  referred,  when 
he  says,  that  the  law  is  not  made  for  a righteous  man,  but  for 
the  lawless  and  disobedient ; for  the  ungodly  and  for  sinners  ; 
for  unholy  and  profane  ; for  murderers  of  fathers  and  murderers 
of  mothers ; for  manslayers,  for  whoremongers,  for  them  that 
defile  themselves  with  mankind,  for  men-stealers,  for  liars,  for 
perjured  persons,  and  if  there  be  any  other  thing  that  is  con- 
trary to  sound  doctrine.”  (n)  For  he  here  signifies  that  it 
restrains  the  violence  of  the  carnal  desires,  which  would  other- 
wise indulge  themselves  in  the  most  unbounded  licentiousness. 

XL  But  we  may  apply  to  both  what  he  elsewhere  asserts, 
that  to  the  Jews  “ the  law  was  a schoolmaster  to  bring  them  to 
Christ ; ” (o)  for  there  are  two  kinds  of  persons  wj^o  are  led  to 
Christ  by  its  discipline.  Some,  whom  we  mentioned  in  the 
first  place,  from  too  much  confidence  either  in  their  own 
strength  or  in  their  own  righteousness,  are  unfit  to  receive  the 
grace  of  Christ,  till  they  have  first  been  stripped  of  every  thing. 
The  law,  therefore,  reduces  them  to  humility  by  a knowledge 
of  their  own  misery,  that  thus  they  may  be  prepared  to  pray 
for  that  of  which  they  before  supposed  themselves  not  desti- 
tute. Others  need  a bridle  to  restrain  them,  lest  they  abandon 
themselves  to  carnal  licentiousness,  to  such  a degree  as  wholly 
to  depart  from  all  practice  of  righteousness.  For  where  the 
Spirit  does  not  yet  reign,  there  is  sometimes  such  a violent 
ebullition  of  the  passions,  as  to  occasion  great  danger  of  the  soul 
that  is  under  their  influence  being  swallowed  up  in  forget- 

(n)  1 Tim.  i.  9,  10.  (o)  Gal.  iii.  24. 


CHAP.  VII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  323 

full! OSS  and  contempt  of  God ; which  would  certainly  be  the 
case,  if  the  Lord  did  not  provide  this  remedy  against  it. 
Those,  therefore,  whom  he  has  destined  to  the  inheritance 
of  his  kingdom,  if  he  do  not  immediately  regenerate  them, 
he  keeps  under  fear  by  the  works  of  the  law  till  the  time 
of  his  visitation ; not  that  chaste  and  pure  fear  which  ought  to 
be  felt  by  his  children,  but  a fear  which  is,  neverthelows,  useful 
to  train  them,  according  to  their  capacity,  to  true  piety.  Of 
this  we  have  so  many  proofs,  that  there  is  no  need  to  adduce 
any  example.  For  all  who  have  lived  for  a considerable  time 
in  ignorance  of  God  will  confess  it  to  have  been  their  experi- 
ence, that  they  were  constrained  by  the  law  to  a certain  kind 
of  fear  and  reverence  of  God,  till,  being  regenerated  by  his 
Spirit,  they  began  to  love  him  from  their  hearts. 

XII.  The  third  use  of  the  law,  which  is  the  principal  one, 
and  which  is  more  nearly  connected  with  the  proper  end  of  it, 
relates  to  the  faithful,  in  whose  hearts  the  Spirit  of  God  already 
lives  and  reigns.  For  although  the  law  is  inscribed  and  en- 
graven on  their  hearts  by  the  finger  of  God,  — that  is,  although 
they  are  so  excited  and  animated  by  the  direction  of  the  Spirit, 
that  they  desire  to  obey  God,  — yet  they  derive  a twofold  ad- 
vantage from  the  law.  For  they  find  it  an  excellent  instrument 
to  give  them,  from  day  to  day,  a better  and  more  certain  under- 
standing of  the  Divine  will  to  which  they  aspire,  and  to  con- 
firm them  in  the  knowledge  of  it.  As,  though  a servant  be 
already  influenced  by  the  strongest  desire  of  gaining  the  appro- 
bation of  his  master,  yet  it  is  necessary  for  him  carefully  to 
inquire  and  observe  the  orders  of  his  master,  in  order  to  con- 
form to  them.  Nor  let  any  one  of  us  exempt  himself  from 
this  necessity ; for  no  man  has  already  acquired  so  much  wis- 
dom, that  he  could  not  by  the  daily  instruction  of  the  law 
make  new  advances  into  a purer  knowledge  of  the  Divine  will. 
In  the  next  place,  as  we  need  not  only  instruction,  but  also 
exhortation,  the  servant  of  God  will  derive  this  further  advan- 
tage from  the  law ; by  frequent  meditation  on  it  he  will  be 
excited  to  obedience,  he  Avill  be  confirmed  in  it,  and  restrained 
from  the  slippery  path  of  transgression.  For  in  this  manner 
should  the  saints  stimulate  themselves,  because,  with  whatever 
alacrity  they  labour  for  the  righteousness  of  God  according  to 
the  Spirit,  yet  they  are  always  burdened  with  the  indolence  of 
the  flesh,  which  prevents  their  proceeding  with  due  prompti- 
tude. To  this  flesh  the  law  serves  as  a whip,  urging  it,  like  a 
dull  and  tardy  animal,  forwards  to  its  work  ; and  even  to  the 
spiritual  man,  who  is  not  yet  delivered  from  the  burden  of  the 
flesh,  it  will  be  a perpetual  spur,  that  will  not  permit  him  to 
loiter.  To  this  use  of  the  law  David  referred,  when  he  cele- 
brated it  in  such  remarkable  encomiums  as  these : The  law 


324 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  11. 

of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul : tne  statutes  of  the 
Lord  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart : the  commandment  of  the 
Lord  is  pure,  enlightening  the  eyes,”  &c.  (^)  Again:  Thy 
word  is  a lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a light  unto  my  path;  ” {q) 
and  many  others,  which  he  introduces  in  every  part  of  this 
psalm.  Nor  are  these  assertions  repugnant  to  those  of  Paul,  in 
which  he  shows,  not  what  service  the  law  renders  to  the  re- 
generate, but  what  it  can  bestow  upon  man  merely  of  itself ; 
whereas  the  Psalmist  in  these  passages  celebrates  the  great 
advantage  derived,  through  the  Divine  teaching,  from  the  read- 
ing of  the  law,  by  those  whom  God  inspires  with  an  inward 
promptitude  to  obedience.  And  he  adverts  not  only  to  the 
precepts,  but  to  the  promise  of  grace  annexed  to  their  perform- 
ance, which  alone  causes  that  which  is  bitter  to  become  sweet. 
For  what  would  be  less  amiable  than  the  law,  if  by  demands 
and  threats  it  only  distressed  the  mind  with  fear,  and  harassed 
it  with  terror  ? But  David  particularly  shows,  that  in  the  law 
he  discovered  the  Mediator,  without  whom  there  is  nothing 
pleasant  or  delightful. 

XIII.  Some  unskilful  men,  being  unable  to  discern  this 
distinction,  rashly  explode  Moses  altogether,  and  discard  the 
two  tables  of  the  law ; because  they  consider  it  improper  for 
Christians  to  adhere  to  a doctrine  which  contains  the  adminis- 
tration of  death.  Far  from  us  be  this  profane  opinion ; for 
Moses  has  abundantly  taught  us,  that  the  law,  which  in  sin- 
ners can  only  produce  death,  ought  to  have  a better  and  more 
excellent  use  in  the  saints.  For  just  before  his  death  he  thus 
addressed  the  people  : Set  your  hearts  unto  all  the  words 
which  I testify  among  you  this  day,  which  ye  shall  command 
your  children  to  observe,  to  do  all  the  words  of  this  law.  For 
it  is  not  a v^in  thing  for  you ; because  it  is  your  life.”  (r) 
But  if  no  one  can  deny  that  the  law  exhibits  a perfect  mpdel 
of  righteousness,  either  we  ought  to  have  no  rule  for  an  up- 
right and  just  life,  or  it  is  criminal  for  us  to  deviate  from  it. 
For  there  are  not  many  rules  of  life,  but  one,  which  is  per- 
petually and  immutably  the  same.  Wherefore,  when  David 
represents  the  life  of  a righteous  man  as  spent  in  continual 
meditations  on  the  law,  (s)  we  must  not  refer  it  to  one  period 
of  time  only,  because  it  is  very  suitable  for  all  ages,  even  to 
the  end  of  the  world.  Let  us  neither  be  deterred,  therefore, 
nor  fly  from  its  instructions,  because  it  prescribes  a holiness  far 
more  complete  than  we  shall  attain,  as  long  as  we  remain  in 
the  prison  of  the  body.  For  it  no  longer  exercises  towards  us 
the  part  of  a rigorous  exactor,  only  to  be  satisfied  by  the  per- 
fect performance  of  every  injunction ; but  in  this  perfection, 

(r)  Deut.  xxxii.  46,  47. 

(s)  Psalm  i.  2. 


(p)  Psalm  xix.  7,  8. 

(q)  Psalm  cxix.  105. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


325 


CHAP.  VII.] 

to  which  it  exhorts  us,  it  shows  us  a goal,  to  aim  at  which, 
during  the  whole  of  our  lives,  would  be  equally  conducive  to 
our  interest  and  consistent  with  our  duty ; in  which  attempt  it 
is  happy  for  us  if  we  fail  not.  For  the  whole  of  this  life  is  a 
course,  which  when  we  have  completed,  the  Lord  will  grant 
us  to  reach  that  goal,  towards  which  at  so  great  a distance  our 
eftorts  are  now  vigorously  directed. 

XIV.  Now,  because  the  law,  in  regard  to  the  faithful,  has  the 
force  of  an  exhortation,  not  to  bind  their  consciences  with  a 
curse,  but  by  its  frequent  admonitions  to  arouse  their  indolence, 
and  reprove  their  imperfection,  — many  persons,  when  they  de- 
sign to  express  this  liberation  from  its  curse,  say  that  the  law 
(I  still  speak  of  the  moral  law)  is  abrogated  to  the  faithful; 
not  that  it  no  longer  enjoins  upon  them  that  which  is  right, 
but  only  that  it  ceases  to  be  to  them  what  it  was  before,  no 
longer  terrifying  and  confounding  their  consciences,  condemn- 
ing and  destroying  them.  And  such  an  abrogation  of  the  law 
is  clearly  taught  by  Paul.  It  appears  also  to  have  been 
preached  by  our  Lord,  since  he  would  not  have  refuted  the 
opinion  concerning  his  abolishing  the  law,  unless  it  had  pre- 
vailed among  the  Jews.  Now,  as  this  opinion  could  not  pre- 
vail without  any  pretext,  it  is  probable  that  it  proceeded  from 
a false  interpretation  of  his  doctrine ; in  the  same  manner  as 
almost  all  errors  have  usually  taken  some  colour  from  the  1 ruth. 
But  lest  we  ourselves  fall  into  the  same  error,  let  us  accurately 
distinguish  what  is  abrogated  in  the  law,  and  what  still  remains 
in  force.  When  the  Lord  declares  that  he  came  not  to  destroy 
the  law,  but  to  fulfil  it,”  and  that  “ till  heaven  and  earth  shall 
pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law, 
till  all  be  fulfilled,”  (^)  he  sufficiently  proves  that  his  advent 
would  detract  nothing  from  the  observance  of  the  law.  And 
with  sufficient  reason,  since  the  express  end  of  his  advent  was 
to  heal  the  transgressions  of  it.  The  doctrine  of  the  law  re- 
mains, therefore,  through  Christ,  inviolable  ; which  by  tuition, 
admonition,  reproof,  and  correction,  forms  and  prepares  us  for 
every  good  work. 

XV.  The  assertions  of  Paul  respecting  the  abrogation  of  the 
law  evidently  relate,  not  to  the  instruction  itself,  but  to  the  power 
of  binding  the  conscience.  For  the  law  not  only  teaches,  but 
authoritatively  requires,  obedience  to  its  commands.  If  this 
obedience  be  not  yielded,  and  even  if  there  be  any  partial  defi- 
ciency of  duty,  it  hurls  the  thunderbolt  of  its  curse.  For  this 
reason  the  Apostle  says,  that  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the 
law  are  under  the  curse  ; for  it  is  written.  Cursed  is  every  one 
Jhat  continueth  not  in  all  things.”  [u)  Now,  he  affirms  those  to 
be  of  the  works  of  the  law,”  who  place  not  their  righteousness 


(0  Matt.  V.  17,  18. 


(m)  Gal.  iii.  10. 


326  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

in  the  remission  of  sins,  by  which  Ave  are  released  from  the 
rigour  of  the  law.  He  teaches  us,  therefore,  that  we  must  be 
released  from  the  bondage  of  the  law,  unless  we  would  perish 
in  misery  under  it.  But  what  bondage  ? the  bondage  of  that 
austere  and  rigid  exaction,  which  remits  nothing  from  its 
strictest  requirements,  and  permits  no  transgression  to  pass 
with  impunity ; I say,  Christ,  in  order  to  redeem  us  from  this 
curse,  was  made  a curse  for  us.  For  it  is  Avritten,  Cursed 
is  every  one  that  hangeth  on  a tree.”  {iv)  In  the  folloAving 
chapter,  indeed,  he  tells  us,  that  Christ  was  ^‘made  under  the 
law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  laAv  ,*  ” but  in  the 
same  sense ; for  he  immediately  adds,  that  Ave  might  receive 
the  adoption  of  sons.”(^)  What  is  this?  that  Ave  might  not 
be  oppressed  Avith  a perpetual  servitude,  which  would  keep  our 
consciences  in  continual  distress  with  the  dread  of  death.  At 
the  same  time  this  truth  remains  for  ever  unshaken,  that  the 
law  has  sustained  no  diminution  of  its  authority,  but  ought 
always  to  receiA^e  from  us  the  same  veneration  and  obedience. 

XVI.  The  case  of  ceremonies,  which  have  been  abrogated, 
not  as  to  their  elfect,  but  only  as  to  their  use,  is  very  different. 
Their  having  been  abolished  by  the  advent  of  Christ,  is  so  far 
from  derogating  from  their  sanctity,  that  it  rather  recommends 
and  renders  it  more  illustrious.  For  as  they  must  have  ex- 
hibited to  the  people,  in  ancient  times,  a vain  spectacle,  unless 
they  had  discovered  the  virtue  of  the  death  and  resurrection 
of  Christ,  so,  if  they  had  not  ceased,  we  should,  in  the  present 
age,  have  been  unable  to  discern  for  Avhat  purpose  they  Avere 
instituted.  To  prove,  therefore,  that  the  observance  of  them 
is  not  only  needless,  but  even  injurious,  Paul  teaches  us  that 
they  Avere  shadoAVs,  the  body  of  Avhich  Ave  ha\"e  in  Christ,  (y) 
We  see,  then,  that  the  truth  shines  Avith  greater  splendour  in 
their  abolition,  than  if  they  still  continued  to  give  a distant 
and  obscure  representation  of  Christ,  Avho  has  openly  appeared. 
For  this  reason,  at  the  death  of  Christ,  the  veil  of  the  temple 
Avas  rent  in  tAvain  from  the  top  to  the  bottom ; ” (-2;)  because, 
according  to  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  HebreAvs,  the  liv- 
ing and  express  image  of  the  heavenly  blessings,  Avhich  before 
had  been  only  sketched  in  obscure  lineaments,  Avas  noAV  clearly 
revealed.  The  same  truth  is  conveyed  in  the  declaration  of 
Christ,  that  the  laAV  and  the  prophets  were  until  John  ; since 
that  time  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached.”  {a)  Not  that  the 
holy  fathers  had  been  destitute  of  that  preaching  Avhich  con- 
tains the  hope  of  salvation,  and  of  eternal  life,  but  because 
they  saAV  only  at  a distance,  and  under  shadoAvs,  Avhat  Ave  noAV 
contemplate  in  open  day.  But  the  reason,  Avhy  it  Avas  neces- 

(?c)  Gal.  iii.  13.  (x)  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  (?/)  Col.  ii.  17. 

(z)  Matt,  xxvii.  51.  (a)  Luke  xvi.  16. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


327 


CHAP.  VII.] 

sary  for  the  Church  of  God  to  ascend  from  those  rudiments  to 
sublimer  heights,  is  explained  by  John  the  Baptist:  the  law 
was  given  by  Moses,  but  grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus 
Christ.”  (b)  For  although  expiation  of  sin  was  truly  pro- 
mised in  the  ancient  sacrifices,  and  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
was  a certain  pledge  of  the  paterithl  favour  of  God,  all  these 
would  have  been  mere  shadows,  if  they  had  not  been  founded 
in  the  grace  of  Christ,  where  alone  we  may  find  true  and  eter- 
nal stability.  Let  us  firmly  maintain,  then,  that  though  the 
legal  rites  have  ceased  to  be  observed,  yet  their  very  discon- 
tinuance gives  us  a better  knowledge  of  their  great  utility 
before  the  advent  of  Christ,  who,  abolishing  the  observance  of 
them,  confirmed  their  virtue  and  efficacy  in  his  death. 

XVII.  The  reasoning  of  Paul  is  attended  with  more  diffi- 
culty : “ And  you,  being  dead  in  your  sins,  and  the  uncircum- 
cision of  your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him, 
having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses ; blotting  out  the  hand- 
writing of  ordinances  that  was  against  us,  which  was  contrary 
to  us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross,”  &c.  (c) 
For  it  seems  to  extend  the  abolition  of  the  law  somewhat 
further,  as  though  we  had  now  no  concern  with  its  ordi- 
nances.” For  they  are  in  an  error  who  understand  it  simply 
of  the  moral  law,  the  abolition  of  which  they,  nevertheless, 
explain  to  relate  to  its  inexorable  severity,  rather  than  to  its 
precepts.  Others,  more  acutely  and  carefully  considering  the 
words  of  Paul,  perceive  that  they  belong  particularly  to  the 
ceremonial  law ; and  prove  that  the  word  ordinances  ” is 
more  than  once  used  by  Paul  in  that  signification.  For  he 
thus  expresses  himself  to  the  Ephesians : “ He  is  our  peace, 
who  hath  made  both  one ; having  abolished  the  law  of  com- 
mandments contained  in  ordinances ; for  to  make  in  himself 
of  twain  one  new  man.”  (d  ) That  he  there  speaks  of  the 
ceremonies,  is  very  evident ; for  he  calls  the  law  the  middle 
wall  of  partition,”  by  which  the  Jews  were  separated  from  the 
Gentiles.  Wherefore  I allow  that  the  former  commentators 
are  justly  censured  by  these  ,*  hut  even  these  do  not  appear  to 
me  clearly  to  explain  the  meaning  of  the  Apostle.  For  to 
compare  these  two  passages  as  in  all  respects  similar,  is  what 
I by  no  means  approve.  When  he  designs  to  assure  the 
Ephesians  of  their  admission  into  fellowship  with  the  Israel- 
ites, he  informs  them,  that  the  impediment  which  formerly 
prevented  it  is  now  removed.  That  consisted  in  ceremo- 
nies. For  the  rites  of  ablutions  and  sacrifices,  by  which  the 
Jews  were  consecrated  to  the  Lord,  caused  a separation  be- 
tween them  and  the  Gentiles.  But  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Co- 


(b)  John  i.  17. 


(c)  Col.  ii.  13,  14. 


(fi)  Ephes.  ii.  14,  15. 


323  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

lossians  he  treats  of  a sublimer  mystery.  The  controversy 
there  relates  to  the  Mosaic  observancesj  to  which  the  false 
Apostles  were  strenuously  attempting  to  subject  the  Christians. 
But  as  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  he  goes  to  the  depth  of 
that  controversy,  and  reduces  it  to  its  source,  so  also  in  this 
place.  For  if  in  the  rites  “yo^i  contemplate  nothing  but  the 
necessity  of  performing  them,  to  what  purpose  were  they 
called  a “ hand-writing  that  was  against  us  ” ? and  almost  the 
whole  of  our  redemption  made  to  consist  in  its  being  ‘‘blotted 
out  ? ” Wherefore  it  is  evident,  that  here  is  something  to  be 
considered  beside  the  external  ceremonies.  And  1 am  per- 
suaded that  I have  discovered  the  genuine  meaning,  at  least  if 
that  be  conceded  to  me  as  a truth,  which  Augustine  somewhere 
very  truly  asserts,  and  which  he  has  even  borrowed  from  the 
positive  expressions  of  an  Apostle,  (e)  that  in  the  Jewish  cere- 
monies there  was  rather  a confession  of  sins  than  an  expiation 
of  them.  For  what  did  they  do  in  offering  sacrifices,  but 
confess  themselves  worthy  of  death,  since  they  substituted 
victims  to  be  slain  in  their  stead  ? What  were  their  purifica- 
tions, but  confessions  that  they  were  themselves  impure  ? 
Thus  the  hand-writing  both  of  their  sin  and  of  their  impurity 
was  frequently  renewed  by  them ; but  that  confession  afforded 
no  deliverance.  For  which  reason  the  Apostle  says  that  the 
death  of  Christ  effected  “ the  redemption  of  the  transgressions 
that  were  under  the  first  testament.”  (/)  The  Apostle,  there- 
fore, justly  denominates  the  ceremonies  “ a hand- writing  against 
those  who  observe  them ; ” because  by  them  they  publicly  at- 
tested their  condemnation  and  impurity.  Nor  does  any  ob- 
jection arise  from  their  having  been  also  partakers  of  the  same 
grace  with  us.  For  this  they  obtained  in  Christ,  not  in  the 
ceremonies,  which  the  Apostle  there  distinguishes  from  Christ ; 
for  being  practised  at  that  time  after  the  introduction  of  the 
gospel,  they  obscured  the  glory  of  Christ.  We  find,  then, 
that  the  ceremonies,  considered  by  themselves,  are  beautifully 
and  appositely  called  a “ hand- writing  that  was  against”  the 
salvation  of  men ; because  they  were  solemn  instruments  tes- 
tifying their  guilt.  When  the  false  Apostles  wished  to  bring 
the  Church  back  to  the  observance  of  them,  the  Apostle  deeply 
investigated  their  signification,  and  very  justly  admonished  the 
Colossians  into  what  circumstances  they  would  relapse,  if  they 
should  suffer  themselves  to  be  thus  enslaved  by  them.  For 
they  would  at  the  same  time  be  deprived  of  the  benefit  of 
Christ ; since,  by  the  eternal  expiation  that  he  has  once  efiected, 
he  has  abolished  those  daily  observances,  which  could  only 
attest  their  sins,  but  could  never  cancel  them. 


(e)  Heb.  x.  3—14. 


(/)  Heb.  ix.  15. 


CHAP.  VIII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


329 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

AN  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW. 

Here  I think  it  will  not  be  foreign  to  our  subject  to  intro- 
duce the  ten  precepts  of  the  law,  with  a brief  exposition  of 
them.  For  this  will  more  clearly  evince  what  I have  suggest- 
ed, that  the  service  which  God  has  once  prescribed  always 
remains  in  full  force  ; and  will  also  furnish  us  with  a confirma- 
tion of  the  second  remark,  that  the  Jews  not  only  learned  from 
it  the  nature  of  true  piety,  but  when  they  saw  their  inability 
to  observe  it,  were  led  by  the  fear  of  its  sentence,  though  not 
without  reluctance,  to  the  Mediator.  Now,  in  giving  a sum- 
mary of  those  things  which  are  requisite  to  the  true  knowledge 
of  God,  we  have  shown  that  we  can  form  no  conceptions  of  his 
greatness,  but  his  majesty  immediately  discovers  itself  to  us,  to 
constrain  us  to  worship  him.  In  the  knowledge  of  ourselves, 
we  have  laid  down  this  as  a principal  article,  that  being  divest- 
ed of  all  opinion  of  our  own  strength,  and  confidence  in  our 
own  righteousness,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  discouraged  and 
depressed  by  a consciousness  of  our  poverty,  we  should  learn 
true  humility  and  self-dejection.  The  Lord  accomplishes  both 
these  things  in  his  law,  where,  in  the  first  place,  claiming  to 
himself  the  legitimate  authority  to  command,  he  calls  us  to 
revere  his  Divinity,  and  prescribes  the  parts  of  which  this  re- 
verence consists ; and  in  the  next  place,  promulgating  the  rule 
of  his  righteousness,  (the  rectitude  of  which,  our  nature,  being 
depraved  and  perverted,  perpetually  opposes ; and  from  the  per- 
fection of  which,  our  ability,  through  its  indolence  and  imbe- 
cility towards  that  which  is  good,  is  at  a great  distance,)  he 
convicts  us  both  of  impotence  and  of  unrighteousness.  More- 
over, the  internal  law,  which  has  before  been  said  to  be  in- 
scribed and  as  it  were  engraven  on  the  hearts  of  all  men,  sug- 
gests to  UK  in  some  measure  the  same  things  which  are  to  be 
learned  from  the  two  tables.  For  our  conscience  does  not 
permit  us  to  sleep  in  perpetual  insensibility,  but  is  an  internal 
witness  and  monitor  of  the  duties  we  owe  to  God,  shows  us 
the  difference  between  good  and  evil,  and  so  accuses  us  when 
we  deviate  from  our  duty.  But  man,  involved  as  he  is  in  a 
cloud  of  errors,  scarcely  obtains  from  this  law  of  nature  the 
smallest  idea  of  what  worship  is  accepted  by  God  ; but  is  cer- 
tainly at  an  immense  distance  from  a right  understanding  of  it. 
Besides,  he  is  so  elated  with  arrogance  and  ambition,  and  so 
blinded  with  self-love,  that  he  cannot  yet  take  a view  of  him- 
voL.  I.  42 


330  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

self,  and  as  it  were  retire  within,  that  he  may  learn  to  submit 
and  humble  himself,  and  to  confess  his  misery.  Since  it  was 
necessary,  therefore,  both  for  our  dulness  and  obstinacy,  the  Lord 
gave  us  a written  law ; to  declare  with  greater  certainty  what 
in  the  law  of  nature  was  too  obscure,  and  by  arousing  our 
indolence,  to  make  a deeper  impression  on  our  understanding 
and  memory. 

II.  N ow,  it  is  easy  to  perceive,  what  we  are  to  learn  from 
the  law  ; namely,  that  God,  as  he  is  our  Creator,  justly  sustains 
towards  us  the  character  of  a Father  and  of  a Lord ; and  that 
on  this  account  we  owe  to  him  glory  and  reverence,  love  and 
fear.  Moreover,  that  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  follow  every 
thing  to  which  the  violence  of  our  passions  may  incite  us  ; but 
that  we  ought  to  be  attentive  to  his  will,  and  to  practise 
nothing  but  what  is  pleasing  to  him.  In  the  next  place, 
that  righteousness  and  rectitude  are  a delight,  but  iniquity  an 
abomination  to  him  ; and  that,  therefore,  unless  we  will  with 
impious  ingratitude  rebel  against  our  Maker,  we  must  necessa- 
rily spend  our  whole  lives  in  the  practice  of  righteousness. 
For  if  we  manifest  a becoming  reverence  for  him,  only  when 
we  prefer  his  will  to  our  own,  it  follows  that  there  is  no  other 
legitimate  worship  of  him,  but  the  observance  of  righteousness, 
sanctity,  and  purity.  Nor  can  we  pretend  to  excuse  ourselves 
by  a want  of  ability,  like  insolvent  debtors.  For  it  is  improper 
for  us  to  measure  the  glory  of  God  by  our  ability ; for  what- 
ever may  be  our  characters,  he  ever  remains  like  himself,  the 
friend  of  righteousness,  the  enemy  of  iniquity.  Whatever  he 
requires  of  us,  since  he  can  require  nothing  but  what  is  right, 
,we  are  under  a natural  obligation  to  obey ; but  our  inability  is 
our  own  fault.  For  if  we  are  bound  by  our  own  passions,  which 
are  under  the  government  of  sin,  so  that  we  are  not  at  liberty 
to  obey  our  Father,  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  plead 
this  necessity  in  our  defence,  the  criminality  of  which  is  with- 
in ourselves,  and  must  be  imputed  to  us. 

III.  When  we  have  made  such  a proficiency  as  this  by 
means  of  the  instruction  of  the  law,  we  ouglrt,  under  the  same 
teacher,  to  retire  within  ourselves ; from  which  we  may  learn 
two  things  : First,  by  comparing  our  life  with  the  righteousness 
of  the  law,  we  shall  find,  that  we  are  very  far  from  acting 
agreeably  to  the  will  of  God,  and  are  therefore  unworthy  to 
retain  a place  among  his  creatures,  much  less  to  be  numbered 
among  his  children.  Secondly,  by  examining  our  strength, 
we  shall  see,  that  it  is  not  only  unequal  to  the  observance  of 
the  law,  but  a mere  nullity.  The  necessary  consequence  of 
this  will  be  a diffidence  in  our  own  strength,  and  an  anxiety 
and  trepidation  of  mind.  For  the  conscience  cannot  sustain 
the  load  of  iniquity,  without  an  immediate  discovery  of  the 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


331 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

Divine  judgment.  And  the  Divine  judgment  cannot  be  per- 
ceived, without  inspiring  a dread  of  death.  Compelled  also  by 
proofs  of  its  impotence,  it  cannot  avoid  falling  into  an  absolute 
despair  of  its  own  strength.  Both  these  dispositions  produce 
humility  and  dejection.  The  result  of  all  this  is,  that  the  man 
terrified  with  the  apprehension  of  eternal  death,  which  he 
sees  justly  impending  over  him  for  his  unrighteousness,  betakes 
himself  entirely  to  the  Divine  mercy,  as  to  the  only  port  of 
salvation  ; and  perceiving  his  inability  to  fulfil  the  commands 
of  the  law,  and  feeling  nothing  but  despair  in  himself,  he  im- 
plores and  expects  assistance  from  another  quarter. 

lY.  But  not  contented  with  having  conciliated  a reverence 
for  his  righteousness,  th^Lord  has  also  subjoined  promises  and 
threatenings,  in  order  that  our  hearts  might  imbibe  a love  for 
him,  and  at  the  same  time  a hatred  to  iniquity.  F or  since  the 
eyes  of  our  mind  are  too  dim  to  be  attracted  with  the  mere 
beauty  of  virtue,  our  most  merciful  Father  has  been  graciously 
pleased  to  allure  us  to  the  love  and  worship  of  himself  by  the 
sweetness  of  his  rewards.  He  announces,  therefore,  that  he  has 
reserved  rewards  for  virtue,  and  that  the  person  who  obeys  his 
commandments  shall  not  labour  in  vain.  He  proclaims,  on  the 
contrary,  not  only  that  unrighteousness  is  execrable  in  his  sight, 
but  also  that  it  shall  not  escape  with  impunity ; but  that  he 
will  avenge  himself  on  all  the  despisers  of  his  majesty.  And 
to  urge  us  by  all  possible  motives,  he  promises  also  the  bless- 
ings of  the  present  life,  as  well  as  eternal  felicity,  to  the  obedi- 
ence of  those  who  keep  his  commandments,  the  transgressors 
of  which  he  threatens  not  only  with  present  calamities,  but 
with  the  torments  of  eternal  death.  For  that  promise,  these 
if  a man  do,  he  shall  live  in  them,”  (g')  and  this  correspondent 
threatening,  the  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die,”  (/i)  undoubt- 
edly relate  to  a future  and  endless  immortality  or  death. 
Wh<erever  we  read  of  the  Divine  benevolence  or  wrath,  the 
former  comprehends  eternal  life,  the  latter  eternal  destruction. 
Now,  of  present  blessings  and  curses,  the  law  contains  a long 
catalogue.  The  penal  sanctions  display  the  consummate  purity 
of  God,  which  cannot  tolerate  iniquity  ; while  the  promises 
not  only  manifest  his  perfect  love  of  righteousness,  which  he 
cannot  defraud  of  its  reward,  but  likewise  illustrate  his  won- 
derful goodness.  For  since  we,  with  all  that  belongs  to  us, 
are  indebted  to  his  majesty,  whatever  he  requires  of  us,  he 
most  justly  demands  as  the  payment  of  a debt ; but  the  pay- 
ment of  a debt  is  not  entitled  to  remuneration.  Therefore  he 
recedes  from  the  strictness  of  his  claims,  when  he  proposes  a 
reward  to  our  obedience,  which  is  not  performed  spontaneously, 


(g)  Lev.  xviii.  5. 


(/t)  Ezek.  xviii.  4. 


332  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

as  if  it  were  not  a duty.  But  the  effect  of  those  promises  on 
us  has  partly  been  mentioned  already,  and  will  hereafter  more 
clearly  appear  in  its  proper  place.  Suffice  it  at  present,  if  we 
remember  and  consider  that  the  promises  of  the  law  contain  no 
mean  recommendation  of  righteousness,  to  make  it  more  evident 
how  much  God  is  pleased  with  the  observance  of  it ; and  that 
the  penal  sanctions  are  annexed,  to  render  unrighteousness  more 
execrable,  lest  the  sinner,  amidst  the  fascinations  of  sin,  should 
forget  that  the  judgment  of  the  Legislator  awaits  him. 

V.  Now,  since  the  Lord,  when  about  to  deliver  a rule  of 
perfect  righteousness,  referred  all  the  parts  of  it  to  his  own  will, 
this  shows  that  nothing  is  more  acceptable  to  him  than  obedi- 
ence. This  is  worthy  of  the  most  diligent  observation,  since 
the  licentiousness  of  the  human  mind  is  so  inclined  to  the  fre- 
quent invention  of  various  services  in  order  to  merit  his  favour. 
For  this  irreligious  affectation  of  religion,  which  is  a principle 
innate  in  the  human  mind,  has  betrayed  itself  in  all  ages,  and 
betrays  itself  even  in  the  present  day  ; for  men  always  take  a 
pleasure  in  contriving  some  way  of  attaining  righteousness, 
which  is  not  agreeable  to  the  Divine  word.  Hence,  among 
those  which  are  commonly  esteemed  good  works,  the  precepts 
of  the  law  hold  a very  contracted  station,  the  numberless 
multitude  of  human  inventions  occupying  almost  the  Avhole 
space.  But  what  was  the  design  of  Moses,  unless  it  was  to 
repress  such  an  unwarrantable  license,  when,  after  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  law,  he  addressed  the  people  in  the  following 
manner ! Observe  and  hear  all  these  words  which  I command 
thee,  that  it  may  go  well  with  thee,  and  with  thy  children 
after  thee  for  ever,  when  thou  doest  that  which  is  good  and 
right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  thy  God.  What  thing  soever  I 
command  you,  observe  to  do  it : thou  shalt  not  add  thereto, 
nor  diminish  from  it.”  (^)  And  before,  when  he  had  declared 
that  this  was  their  wisdom  and  their  understanding  in  the  sight 
of  other  nations,  that  they  had  received  statutes,  and  judgments, 
and  ceremonies,  from  the  Lord,  he  had  added,  Take  heed  to 
thyself,  and  keep  thy  soul  diligently,  lest,  thou  forget  the 
things  which  thine  eyes  have  seen,  and  lest  they  depart  from 
thy  heart  all  the  days  of  thy  life.”  {k)  Foreseeing  that  the 
Israelites  would  not  rest,  but,  even  after  the  reception  of  the  law, 
would  labour  to  produce  new  species  of  righteousness,  foreign 
from  what  the  law  requires,  unless  they  should  be  rigorously 
restrained,  God  pronounces  that  his  word  comprehends  the 
perfection  of  righteousness  ; and  yet,  though  this  ought  most 
effectually  to  have  prevented  them,  they  were  guilty  of  that 
very  presumption  which  was  so  expressly  forbidden.  But 


(i)  Deut.  xii.  28,  32. 


(Ji)  Deut.  iv.  5,  6,  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


3SS 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

what  is  this  to  us  ? We  are  certainly  bound  by  the  same  de- 
claration ; for  the  claims  of  the  Lord  on  behalf  of  his  law,  that 
it  contains  the  doctrine  of  perfect  righteousness,  beyond  all 
doubt  remain  perpetually  the  same  ; yet  not  contented  with  it, 
we  are  wonderfully  laborious  in  inventing  and  performing  other 
good  works,  one  after  another.  The  best  remedy  for  this  fault 
will  be  a constant  attention  to  this  reflection ; that  the  law  was 
given  to  us  from  heaven  to  teach  us  a perfect  righteousness  ; 
that  in  it  no  righteousness  is  taught,  hut  that  which  is  con- 
formable to  the  decrees  of  the  Divine  will ; that  it  is  therefore 
vain  to  attempt  new  species  of  works  in  order  to  merit  the 
favour  of  God,  whose  legitimate  worship  consists  solely  in 
obedience,  but  that  any  pursuit  of  good  works  deviating  from 
the  law  of  God  is  an  intolerable  profanation  of  the  Divine  and 
real  righteousness.  There  is  much  truth  also  in  the  observation 
of  Augustine,  who  calls  obedience  to  God  sometimes  the  parent 
and  guardian,  and  sometimes  the  origin  of  all  virtues. 

VI.  But  when  we  have  given  an  exposition  of  the  Divine 
law,  we  shall  then  more  suitably  and  profitably  confirm  what 
has  been  already  advanced  concerning  its  office  and  use.  Be- 
fore we  enter,  however,  on  the  discussion  of  each  aiticle  sepa- 
rately, it  will  be  useful  to  premise  some  things  which  may 
contribute  to  a general  knowledge  of  it.  First,  let  it  he  under- 
stood, that  the  law  inculcates  a conformity  of  life,  not  only  to 
external  probity,  but  also  to  internal  and  spiritual  righteousness. 
Now,  though  none  can  deny  this,  yet  very  few  persons  pay  proper 
attention  to  it.  This  arises  from  their  not  considering  the  Le- 
gislator, by  whose  nature  we  ought  to  estimate  also  the  nature  of 
the  law.  If  a king  prohibit,  by  an  edict,  adultery,  murder,  or 

theft,  no  man,  I confess,  will  be  liable  to  the  penalty  of  such 

a law,  who  has  only  conceived  in  his  mind  a desire  to  commit 
adultery,  murder,  or  theft,  but  has  not  perpetrated  any  of  them. 
Because  the  superintendence  of  a mortal  legislator  extends  only 
to  the  external  conduct,  and  his  prohibitions  are  not  violated 
unless  the  crimes  be  actually  committed.  But  God,  whose  eye 
nothing  escapes,  and  who  esteems  not  'so  much  the  external 
appearance  as  the  purity  of  the  heart,  in  the  prohibition  of 

adultery,  murder,  and  theft,  comprises  a prohibition  of  lust, 

wrath,  hatred,  coveting  what  belongs  to  another,  fraud,  and 
every  similar  vice.  For,  being  a spiritual  Legislator,  he  ad- 
dresses himself  to  the  soul  as  much  as  to  the  body.  Now,  the 
murder  of  the  soul  is  wrath  and  hatred ; the  theft  of  the  soul 
is  evil  concupiscence  and  avarice  ; the  adultery  of  the  soul  is 
lust.  But  it  will  be  said,  that  human  laws  also  relate  to  designs 
and  intentions,  and  not  to  fortuitous  events.  This  I grant ; but 
they  relate  to  such  designs  and  intentions  as  have  been  mani- 
fested in  outward  actions.  They  examine  and  consider  with 


334  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

what  intention  every  act  has  been  performed  ; hut  do  not  scru- 
tinize the  secret  thoughts.  Human  laws  therefore  are  satisfied, 
when  a man  abstains  from  external  transgression.  But,  on  the 
contrary,  the  Divine  law  being  given  to  our  minds,  the  proper 
regulation  of  them  is  the  principal  requisite  to  a righteous 
observance  of  it.  But  men  in  general,  even  while  they  reso- 
lutely dissemble  their  contempt  of  the  law,  dispose  their  eyes, 
their  feet,  their  hands,  and  all  the  parts  of  their  body,  to  some 
kind  of  observance  of  it,  while  at  the  same  time  their  hearts 
are  entirely  alienated  from  all  obedience  to  it,  and  they  suppose 
that  they  have  discharged  their  duty,  if  they  have  concealed 
from  man  what  they  practise  in  the  sight  of  God.  They  hear 
the  commands.  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  Thou  shalt  not  commit 
adultery.  Thou  shalt  not  steal.  They  draw  not  the  sword  to 
commit  murder ; they  never  associate  with  harlots ; they  lay 
no  violent  hands  on  the  property  of  others.  All  these  things 
thus  far  are  well  ; but  in  their  whole  souls  they  breathe  after 
murders,  they  kindle  into  lust,  they  look  Avith  dishonest  eyes 
on  the  property  of  others,  and  in  their  cupidity  they  devour  it. 
Now,  then,  they  are  destitute  of  the  principal  requisite  of  the 
law.  Whence  arises  such  gross  stupidity,  but  from  discarding 
the  Legislator,  and  accommodating  a righteousness  to  their  oAvn 
inclination  ? These  persons  Paul  strongly  opposes,  when  he 
affirms  that  the  law  is  spiritual ;”  (/)  signifying  that  it  re- 
quires not  only  the  obedience  of  the  soul,  the  understanding, 
and  the  will,  but  even  an  angelic  purity,  which,  being  cleansed 
from  all  the  pollution  of  the  flesh,  may  savour  entirely  of  the 
Spirit. 

VII.  When  we  say  that  this  is  the  sense  of  the  law,  we 
are  not  introducing  a novel  interpretation  of  our  own,  but  fol- 
lowing Christ,  who  is  the  best  interpreter  of  it.  For  the  people 
having  imbibed  from  the  Pharisees  the  corrupt  opinion,  that 
he,  who  has  perpetrated  no  external  act  of  disobedience  to  the 
law,  is  an  observer  of  the  law,  he  confutes  this  very  dangerous 
error,  and  pronounces  an  unchaste  look  at  a woman  to  be 
adultery;  he  declares'  them  to  be  murderers,  who  hate  a 
brother ; he  makes  them  “ in  danger  of  the  judgment,”  who 
have  only  conceived  resentment  in  their  hearts  ; them  in 
danger  of  the  council,”  who  in  murmuring  or  quarrelling  have 
discovered  any  sign  of  an  angry  mind ; and  them  in  danger 
of  hell  fire,”  who  with  opprobrious  and  slanderous  language 
have  broken  forth  into  open  rage,  (m)  Persons  who  have  not 
perceived  these  things,  have  pretended  that  Christ  was  another 
Moses,  the  giver  of  an  evangelical  law,  which  supplied  the 
deficiencies  of  the  law  of  Moses.  Whence  that  common  max- 


(l)  Rom.  vii.  14. 


(m)  Matt.  V.  22,  28 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  535 

im,  concerning  the  perfection  of  the  evangelical  law,  that  it  is 
far  superior  to  the  old  law  — a maxim  in  many  respects  very 
pernicious.  For  when  we  introduce  a summary  of  the  com- 
mandments, it  will  appear  from  Moses  himself  what  an  indig- 
nity this  fixes  on  the  Divine  law.  It  certainly  insinuates  that 
all  the  sanctity  of  the  fathers  under  the  Old  Testament,  was 
not  very  remote  from  hypocrisy,  and  draws  us  aside  from  that 
one  perpetual  rule  of  righteousness.  But  there  is  not  the  least 
difficulty  in  the  confutation^ of  this  error ; for  they  have  sup- 
posed that  Christ  made  additions  to  the  law,  whereas  he  only 
restored  it  to  its  genuine  purity,  by  clearing  it  from  the  obscu- 
rities and  blemishes . which  it  had  contracted  from  the  false- 
hoods and  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees. 

YIII.  It  must  be  observed,  in  the  second  place,  that  the 
commands  and  prohibitions  always  imply  more  than  the  words 
express  ,*  but  this  must  be  so  restricted,  that  we  may  not  make 
it  a Lesbian  rule,  b}?-  the  assistance  of  which  the  Scripture 
may  be  licentiously  perverted,  and  any  sense  be  extorted  at 
pleasure  from  any  passage.  For  some  people,  by  this  immo- 
derate and  excursive  liberty,  cause  one  person  to  despise  the 
authority  of  the  law,  and  another  to  despair  of  understanding 
it.  Therefore,  if  it  be  possible,  we  must  find  some  way  that 
may  lead  us  by  a straight  and  steady  course  to  the  will  of 
God.  We  must  inquire,  I say,  how  far  our  interpretation 
ought  to  exceed  the  limits  of  the  expressions ; that  it  may 
evidently  appear,  not  to  be  an  appendix  of  human  glosses 
annexed  to  the  Divine  law,  but  a faithful  explanation  of  the 
pure  and  genuine  sense  of  the  legislator.  Indeed,  in  all  the 
commandments,  the  figure  synecdoche,  by  which  a part  is  ex- 
pressed instead  of  the  whole,  is  so  conspicuous,  that  he  may 
justly  be  the  object  of  ridicule,  who  would  restrict  the  sense 
of  the  law  within  the  narrow  limits  of  the  words.  It  is  plain, 
then,  that  a sober  exposition  of  the  law  goes  beyond  the  words 
of  it ; but  how  far,  remains  doubtful,  unless  some  rule  be  laid 
down.  The  best  rule,  then,  I conceive  will  be,  that  the  ex- 
position be  directed  to  the  design  of  the  precept ; that  yi  re- 
gard to  every  precept  it  should  be  considered  for  what  end  it 
was  given.  For  example,  every  precept  is  either  imperative 
or  prohibitory.  The  true  meaning  of  both  these  kinds  of  pre- 
cepts will  immediately  occur  to  us,  if  we  consider  the  design 
or  the  end  of  them ; as  the  end  of  the  fifth  commandment  is, 
that  honour  may  be  given  to  them  to  whom  God  assigns  it. 
The  substance  of  this  precept,  then,  is,  that  it  is  right,  and 
pleasing  to  God,  that  we  should  honour  those  on  whom  he  has 
conferred  any  excellence,  and  that  contemptuous  and  contuma- 
cious conduct  towards  them  is  an  abomination  to  him.  The 
design  of  the  first  commandment  is,  that  God  alone  may  be 


336  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

worshipped.  The  substance  of  this  precept,  then,  will  be,  that 
true  piety,  that  is,  the  worship  of  his  majesty,  is  pleasing  to 
God,  and  that  he  abominates  impiety.  Thus  in  every  com- 
mandment we  should  first  examine  the  subject  of  it ; in  the 
next  place  we  should  inquire  the  end  of  it,  till  we  discover 
what  the  Legislator  really  declares  in  it  to  be  either  pleasing  or 
displeasing  to  him.  Lastly,  we  must  draw  an  argument  from 
this  commandment  to  the  opposite  of  it,  in  this  manner : — If 
this  please  God,  the  contrary  muste  displease  him  ; if  this  dis- 
please him,  the  contrary  must  please  him ; if  he  enjoin  this, 
he  forbids  the  contrary ; if  he  forbid  this,  he  enjoins  the 
contrary. 

IX.  What  we  now  rather  obscurely  hint  at,  will  be  fully 
and  practically  elucidated  in  our  exposition  of  the  command- 
ments. Wherefore  it  is  sufficient  to  have  suggested  it ; only 
the  last  position,  which  otherwise  might  not  be  understood,  or, 
if  understood,  might  seem  unreasonable,  requires  to  be  briefly 
established  by  suitable  proof.  It  needs  no  proof,  that  an  in- 
junction of  any  thing  good  is  a prohibition  of  the  opposite 
evil  ; for  every  man  will  concede  it.  And  common  sense  will 
easily  admit,  that  a prohibition  of  crimes  is  a command  to 
practise  the  contrary  duties.  It  is  commonly  considered  as  a 
commendation  of  virtues,  when  censure  is  passed  on  the  op- 
posite vices.  But  we  require  somewhat  more  than  is  com- 
monly intended  by  those  forms  of  expression.  For  men 
generally  understand  the  virtue  which  is  opposite  to  any  vice 
to  be  an  abstinence  from  that  vice  ; but  we  affirm  that  it  goes 
further,  even  to  the  actual  performance  of  the  opposite  duty. 
Therefore,  in  this  precept,  Thou  shalt  not  kill,”  the  common 
sense  of  mankind  will  perceive  nothing  more  than  that  we 
ought  to  abstain  from  all  acts  of  injury  to  others,  and  from  all 
desire  to  commit  any  such  acts.  I maintain  that  it  also  im- 
plies, that  we  should  do  every  thing  that  we  possibly  can 
towards  the  preservation  of  the  life  of  our  neighbour.  And 
not  to  speak  without  reason,  I prove  it  in  the  following  man- 
ner :,God  forbids  us  to  injure  the  safety  of  our  brother,  because 
he  wishes  his  life  to  be  dear  and  precious  to  us : he  therefore 
at  the  same  time  requires  of  us  all  those  offices  of  love  which 
may  contribute  to  the  preservation  of  it.  Thus  we  perceive, 
that  the  end  of  the  precept  will  always  discover  to  us  what- 
ever il;  enjoins  or  forbids  us  to  do. 

X.  Many  reasons  are  frequently  given,  why  God  has,  as  it 
were,  in  incomplete  precepts,  rather  partially  intimated  his 
will  than  positively  expressed  it ; but  the  reason  which  affords 
me  more  satisfaction  than  all  others  is  the  following.  Because 
the  flesh  always  endeavours  to  extenuate,  and  by  specious  pre- 
texts to  conceal  the  turpitude  of  sin,  unless  it  be  exceedingly 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  337 

palpable,  he  has  proposed,  by  way  of  example,  in  every  kind  of 
transgression,  that  which  is  most  atrocious  and  detestable,  and 
the  mention  df  which  inspires  ns  with  horror,  in  order  that  our 
minds  might  be  impressed  with  the  greater  detestation  of 
every  sin.  This  often  deceives  us  in  forming  an  opinion  of 
vices  ; if  they  be  private,  we  extenuate  them.  The  Lord 
destroys  these  subterfuges,  when  he  accustoms  us  to  refer  the 
whole  multitude  of  vices  to  these  general  heads,  which  best 
represent  the  abominable  nature  of  every  species  of  transgres- 
sions. For  example,  anger  and  hatred  are  not  supposed  to  be 
such  execrable  crimes  when  they  are  mentioned  under  their 
own  proper  appellations  ; but  when  they  are  forbidden  to  us 
under  the  name  of  murder,  we  have  a clearer  perception  how 
abominable  they  are  in  the  view  of  God,  by  whose  word  they 
are  classed  under  such  a flagitious  and  horrible  species  of 
crimes;  and  being  influenced  by  his  judgment,  we  accustom 
ourselves  more  seriously  to  consider  the  atrociousness  of  those 
offences  which  we  previously  accounted  trivial. 

XI.  In  the  third  place,  let  it  be  considered,  what  is  intended 
by  the  division  of  the  Divine  law  into  two  tables  ; the  frequent 
and  solemn  mention  of  which  all  wise  men  Avill  judge  not  to 
be  without  some  particular  design.  And  we  have  a reason  at 
hand,  which  removes  all  ambiguity  on  this  subject.  For  God 
has  divided  his  law  into  two  parts,  which  comprise  the  per- 
fection of  righteousness,  so  that  he  has  assigned  the  first  part 
to  the  duties  of  religion,  which  peculiarly  belongs  to  the  wor- 
ship of  his  majesty,  and  the  second  to  those  duties  of  charity, 
which  respect  men.  The  first  foundation  of  righteousness  is 
certainly  the  worship  of  God  ; and  if  this  be  destroyed,  all  the 
other  branches  of  righteousness,  like  the  parts  of  a disjointed 
and  falling  edifice,  are  torn  asunder  and  scattered.  For  what 
kind  of  righteousness  will  you  pretend  to,  because  you  refrain 
from  harassing  men  by  acts  of  theft  and  rapine,  if  at  the  same 
time  you  atrociously  and  sacrilegiously  defraud  the  majesty  of 
God  of  the  glory  which  is  due  to  him  ? — because  you  do  not 
pollute  your  body  with  fornication,  if  you  blasphemously  pro- 
fane the  sacred  name  of  God? — because  you  murder  no  man, 
if  you  strive  to  destroy  and  extinguish  all  memory  of  God  ? It 
is  in  vain,  therefore,  to  boast  of  righteousness  without  religion  ; 
as  well  might  the  trunk  of  a body  be  exhibited  as  a beautiful 
object,  after  the  head  has  been  cut  off.  Nor  is  religion  only 
the  head  of  righteousness,  but  the  very  soul  of  it,  constituting 
all  its  life  and  vigour ; for  without  the  fear  of  God,  men  pre- 
serve no  equity  and  love  among  themselves.  We  therefore  call 
the  worship  of  God  the  principle  and  foundation  of  righteous- 
ness, because,  if  that  be  wanting,  whatever  equity,  continence, 
and  temperance  men  may  practise  among  themselves,  it  is  all 
VOL.  I.  43 


338  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK 

vain  and  frivolous  in  the  sight  of  God.  We  assert  also  that  it 
is  the  source  and  soul  of  righteousness ; because  men  are 
taught  by  it  to  live  temperately  and  justly  with  one  another,  if 
they  venerate  God  as  the  judge  of  right  and  wrong.  In  the 
first  table,  therefore,  he  instructs  us 'in  piety  and  the  proper 
duties  of  religion,  in  which  his  majesty  is  to  be  worshipped ; in 
the  second  he  prescribes  the  duties  which  the  fear  of  his  name 
should  excite  us  to  practise  in  society.  For  this  reason  our 
Lord,  as  the  evangelists  inform  us,  (n)  summarily  comprised  the 
whole  law  in  two  principal  points  — that  we  love  God  with  all 
our  heart,  with  all  our  soul,  and  with  all  our  strength ; and 
that  we  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves.  Of  the  two  parts  in 
which  he  comprehends  the  whole  law,  we  see  how  he  directs 
one  towards  God,  and  assigns  the  other  to  men. 

XII.  But,  although  the  whole  law  is  contained  in  these  two 
principal  points,  yet  our  God,  in  order  to  remove  every  pretext 
of  excuse,  has  been  pleased  in  the  ten  commandments  more 
diffusely  and  explicitly  to  declare,  as  well  those  things  which 
relate  to  our  honour,  love,  and  fear  of  him,  as  those  which  per- 
tain to  that  charity,  which  he  commands  us  for  his  sake  to  ex- 
ercise towards  men.  Nor  is  it  a useless  study  to  examine  into 
the  division  of  the  commandments ; provided  you  remember  it 
is  a subject  of  such  a nature,  that  every  man  ought  to  be  at 
liberty  to  judge  of  it,  and  that  we  ought  not  contentiously  to 
oppose  any  who  may  differ  from  us  respecting  it.  But  we  are 
under  a necessity  of  touching  on  this  topic,  lest  the  reader 
should  despise  or  wonder  at  the  division  that  we  shall  adopt, 
as  a novel  invention.  That  the  law  is  divided  into  ten  precepts, 
is  beyond  all  controversy,  being  frequently  established  by  the 
authority  of  God  himself.  The  question,  therefore,  is  not  con- 
cerning the  number  of  the  precepts,  but  concerning  the  manner 
of  dividing  them.  Those  who  divide  them,  so  as  to  assign  three 
precepts  to  the  first  table,  and  leave  the  remaining  seven  to  the 
second,  expunge  from  the  number  the  precept  concerning 
images,  or  at  least  conceal  it  under  the  first ; whereas  it  is 
undoubtedly  delivered  by  the  Lord  as  a distinct  commandment. 
But  the  tenth,  against  coveting  the  property  of  our  neighbour, 
they  improperly  divide  into  two.  We  shall  see  presently 
that  such  a method  of  division  was  unknown  in  purer  ages. 
Others  reckon  with  us  four  articles  in  the  first  table  ; but 
the  first  commandment  they  consider  as  a simple  promise, 
without  a precept.  Now,  I understand  the  ‘‘ten  words” 
mentioned  by  Moses  to  be  ten  precepts ; and  I think  I see 
that  number  disposed  in  the  most  beautiful  order.  And 
therefore,  unless  I am  convinced  by  clear  argument,  leaving 


(n)  Matt.  xxii.  37 — 40.  Luke  x.  27. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


339 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

them  in  possession  of  their  opinion,  I shall  follow  what  appears 
to  me  to  be  preferable ; that  is,  that  what  they  make  the  first 
precept  is  a preface  to  the  whole  law ; that  it  is  followed  by 
the  precepts,  four  belonging  to  the  first  table  and  six  to  the 
second,  in  the  order  in  which  they  will  now  be  recited.  Origen 
has  mentioned  this  division  as  if  it  were  universally  received  in 
his  time  without  any  controversy.  Augustine  also  coincides 
with  us ; for  in  enumerating  them  to  Boniface,  he  observes 
this  order : That  God  alone  be  religiously  worshipped  ; that  no 
adoration  be  paid  to  an  idol  ; that  the  name  of  the  Lord  be  not 
taken  in  vain.  He  had  before  spoken  separately  of  the  sha- 
dowy precept  of  the  sabbath.  It  is  true,  that  in  another  passage 
he  expresses  his  approbation  of  the  former  division,  but  for  a 
most  trivial  reason  ; namely,  that  if  the  first  table  be  digested 
into  three  precepts,  the  trinal  number  will  be  a more  conspi- 
cuous exhibition  of  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity.  In  the  same 
place,  however,  he  does  not  conceal  that  in  other  respects  he 
prefers  our  division.  Beside  these  writers,  the  author  of  the 
unfinished  treatise  on  Matthew  is  of  the  same  opinion  with  us. 
Josephus,  doubtless  according  to  the  common  opinion  of  his 
time,  assigns  five  precepts  to  each  table.  This  is  repugnant  to 
reason,  because  it  confounds  the  distinction  between  religion 
and  charity  ; and  is  also  refuted  by  the  authority  of  our  Lord, 
who  in  Matthew  places  the  precept  concerning  honour  to  pa- 
rents in  the  second  table.  Now  let  us  hear  God  himself  speak- 
ing in  his  own  words.  ' 

THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 

I am  the  Lord  thy  God^  which  have  brought  thee  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt^  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  Thou  shall 
have  no  other  gods  before  me. 

XIII.  Whether  you  make  the  first  sentence  a part  of  the 
first  commandment,  or  read  it  separately,  is  a matter  of  indif- 
ference to  me,  provided  you  allow  it  to  be  a preface  to  the 
whole  law.  The  first  object  of  attention  in  making  laws  is  to 
guard  against  their  being  abrogated  by  contempt.  Therefore 
God  in  the  first  place  provides,  that  the  majesty  of  the  law, 
which  he  is  about  to  deliver,  may  never  fall  into  contempt  ; 
and  to  sanction  it  he  uses  a threefold  argument.  He  asserts 
his  authority  and  right  of  giving  commands,  and  thereby  lays 
his  chosen  people  under  a necessity  of  obeying  them.  He 
exhibits  a promise  of  grace,  to  allure  them  by  its  charms  to 
the  pursuit  of  holiness.  He  reminds  the  Israelites  of  his  fa- 
vour, to  convict  them  of  ingratitude  if  they  do  not  conduct 
themselves  in  a manner  correspondent  to  his  goodness.  The 


310 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

name  Lord,  or  Jehovah,  designates  his  authority  and  legiti- 
mate dominion.  For  if  all  things  be  of  him,  and  if  in  him  all 
things  consist,  it  is  reasonable  that  all  things  be  referred  to 
him,  agreeably  to  the  observation  of  Paul,  (o)  Therefore  by 
this  word  alone  we  are  brought  into  complete  subjection  to  the 
power  of  the  Divine  majesty ; for  it  would  be  monstrous  for  us 
to  desire  to  remove  ourselves  from  his  jurisdiction,  out  of 
whom  we  cannot  exist. 

XIV.  After  having  shown  that  he  has  a rignt  to  command, 
and  that  obedience  is  his  just  due,  — that  he  may  not  appear  to 
constrain  us  by  necessity  alone,  he  sweetly  allures  us  by  pro- 
nouncing himself  the  God  of  the  Church.  For  the  expression 
implies  the  mutual  relation  which  is  contained  in  that  pro- 
mise, I will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people.”  {p) 
Whence  Christ  proves  the  immortality  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  from  the  declaration  of  the  Lord,  that  he  is  their  God.  (q) 
Wherefore  it  is  the  same  as  if  he  had  said,  I have  chosen  you 
as  my  people,  not  only  to  bless  you  in  the  present  life,  but  to 
bestow  upon  you  abundant  felicity  in  the  life  to  come.  The 
design  of  this  favour  is  remarked  in  various  places  in  the  law ; 
for  when  the  Lord  in  mercy  condescends  to  number  us  among 
the  society  of  his  people,  He  chooseth  us,”  says  Moses,  to 
be  a peculiar  people  unto  himself,  a holy  people,  to  keep  his 
commandments.”  (r)  Hence  that  exhortation,  “Ye  shall  be 
holy,  for  I am  holy.”  {s)  Now,  from  these  two  considerations 
is  derived  the  remonstrance  of  the  Lord  by  the  Prophet  : “A 
son  honoureth  his  father,  and  a servant  his  master  ; if  then  I be 
a father,  where  is  mine  honour  ? and  if  I be  a master,  where  is 
my  fear  ? ” (^) 

XV.  Next  follows  a recital  of  his  kindness,  which  ought  to 
produce  a most  powerful  effect  upon  our  minds,  in  proportion 
to  the  detestable  guilt  of  ingratitude,  even  among  men.  He 
reminded  the  Israelites,  indeed,  of  a favour  which  they  had 
recently  experienced,  but  which,  on  account  of  its  magnitude 
and  concomitant  miracles,  being  worthy  of  everlasting  remem- 
brance, might  also  have  an  influence  on  succeeding  generations. 
Besides,  it  was  particularly  suitable  to  the  present  occasion, 
when  the  law  was  about  to  be  published  ; for  the  Lord  sug- 
gests that  they  were  liberated  from  a miserable  slavery  in  order 
that  they  might  serve  the  author  of  their  liberty  v/ith  a prompt- 
itude of  reverence  and  obedience.  To  retain  us  in  the  true 
and  exclusive  worship  of  himself,  he  generally  distinguishes 
himself  by  certain  epithets,  by  which  he  discriminates  his  sa- 
cred name  from  all  idols  and  fictitious  deities.  For,  as  I have 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  341 

before  observed,  such  is  our  proneness  to  vanity  and  presump- 
tion, that  as  soon  as  God  is  mentioned,  our  mind  is  unable  to 
guard  itself  from  falling  into  some  vain  imagination.  There- 
fore, when  God  intends  to  apply  a remedy  to  this  evil,  he 
adorns  his  majesty  with  certain  titles,  and  thus  circumscribes 
us  with  barriers,  that  we  may  not  run  into  various  follies,  and 
presumptuously  invent  to  ourselves  some  new  deity,  discarding 
the  living  God,  and  setting  up  an  idol  in  his  stead.  For  this 
reason  the  Prophets,  whenever  they  intend  a proper  designa- 
tion of  him,  invest  him,  and  as  it  were  surround  him,  with 
those  characters  under  which  he  had  manifested  himself  to  the 
people  of  Israel.  Yet,  when  he  is  called  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham,” or  ^‘the  God  of  Israel,”  when  he  is  said  to  reside  ‘‘be- 
tween the  cherubim,”  “in  the  temple,”  “at  Jerusalem,”  (?;) 
these  and  similar  forms  of  expression  do  not  confine  him  to 
one  place,  or  to  one  nation  ; they  are  only  used  to  fix  the 
thoughts  of  the  pious  on  that  God,  who,  in  the  covenant  which 
he  has  made  with  Israel,  has  given  such  a representation  of 
himself,  that  it  is  not  proper  to  deviate  in  the  smallest  instance 
from  such  a model.  Nevertheless,  let  it  be  concluded,  that  the 
deliverance  of  the  Jews  is  mentioned  to  induce  them  to  devote 
themselves  with  more  alacrity  to  the  service  of  God,  who  just- 
ly claims  a right  to  their  obedience.  But,  that  we  may  not 
suppose  this  to  have  no  relation  to  us,  it  behoves  us  to  con- 
sider, that  the  servitude  of  Israel  in  Egypt  was  a type  of  the 
spiritual  t aptivity,  in  which  we  are  all  detained,  till  our  celes- 
tial Deliverer  extricates  us  by  the  power  of  his  arm,  and  intro- 
duces us  into  the  kingdom  of  liberty.  As  formerly,  therefore, 
when  he  designed  to  restore  the  dispersed  Israelites  to  the  wor- 
ship of  his  name,  he  rescued  them  from  the  intolerable  tyranny 
of  Pharaoh,  by  which  they  were  oppressed,  so  now  he  delivers 
all  those,  whose  God  he  declares  himself  to  be,  from  the  fatal 
dominion  of  Satan,  which  was  represented  by  that  corporeal 
captivity.  Wherefore  there  is  no  one,  whose  mind  ought  not  to 
be  excited  to  listen  to  the  law,  which  he  is  informed  came 
from  the  King  of  kings  ; from  whom  as  all  creatures  derive 
their  origin,  so  it  is  reasonable  that  they  should  regard  him  as 
their  end  in  all  things.  Every  man,  I say,  ought  to  welcome 
the  Legislator  ; to  observe  whose  commands  he  is  taught  that 
he  is  particularly  chosen  ; from  whose  benignity  he  expects  an 
abundance  of  temporal  blessings,  and  a life  of  immortality  and 
glory ; by  whose  wonderful  power  and  mercy  he  knows  him- 
self to  be  delivered  from  the  jaws  of  death. 

XVI.  Having  firmly  established  the  authority  of  his  law, 
he  publishes  the  first  commandment,  “ That  we  should  have 

(v)  Exod.  iii.  6.  Amos  i.  2.  Hab.  ii.  20.  Psalm  Ixxx.  1 ; xcix.  1.  Isaiati 
zxxvii,  16. 


842  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

no  other  gods  before  him.’’  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that 
God  chooses  to  have  the  sole  preeminence,  and  to  enjoy  im- 
diminished  his  authority  among  his  people.  To  produce  this 
end,  he  enjoins  us  to  keep  at  a distance  from  all  impiety  and 
superstition,  by  which  we  should  either  diminish  or  ohscuie 
the  glory  of  his  Deity ; and  for  the  same  reason  he  directs  ns 
to  worship  and  adore  him  in  the  exercise  of  true  piety.  The 
simplicity  of  the  language  almost  expresses  this ; for  we  can- 
not have  ” God  without  at  the  same  time  comprising  all  that 
belongs  to  him.  Therefore,  when  he  forbids  us  to  “ have  ” any 
other  gods,  he  implies,  that  Ave  must  not  transfer  to  another 
Avhat  belongs  to  him.  But  although  the  duties  we  owe  to  God 
are  innumerable,  yet  they  may  not  improperly  he  classed  under 
four  general  heads  — adoration,  a necessary  branch  of  which  is 
the  spiritual  obedience  of  the  conscience ; trust  ; invocation ; 
and  thanksgiving.  By  adoration  I mean  the  reverence  and 
worship  which  he  receives  from  every  one  of  us  who  has  sub- 
mitted to  his  majesty.  Wherefore  it  is  not  without  reason  that 
1 make  it  partly  to  consist  in  a subjection  of  our  consciences  to 
his  laAV  ; [for  it  is  a spiritual  homage  which  is  rendered  to  him, 
as  to  a sovereign  King  possessed  of  all  power  over  our  souls.] 
Trust  is  a secure  dependence  on  him  arising  from  a knowledge 
of  his  perfections ; when  ascribing  to  him  all  wisdom,  right- 
eousness, power,  truth,  and  goodness,  we  esteem  ourselves 
happy  only  in  communications  from  him.  Invocation  is  the 
application  of  our  minds,  under  every  pressure  of  necessity, 
resorting  to  his  fidelity,  faithfulness,  and  assistance,  as  its  only 
defence.  Thanksgiving  is  gratitude,  which  ascribes  to  him  the 
praise  of  all  blessings.  As  the  Lord  permits  no  portion  of  these 
duties  to  he  transferred  to  another,  so  he  commands  them  to  be 
wholly  given  to  himself.  Nor  will  it  be  sufficient  for  you  to 
refrain  from  worshipping  any  other  god,  unless  you  also  refrain 
from  imitating  certain  nefarious  despisers,  Avho  take  the  com- 
pendious method  of  treating  all  religions  Avith  contempt.  But 
the  observance  of  this  precept  must  be  preceded  by  true  reli- 
gion, leading  our  minds  to  the  living  God  ,*  that  being  endued 
Avith  the  knoAvledge  of  him,  they  may  aspire  to  admire,  fear, 
and  Avorship  his  majesty,  to  receive  his  communication  of 
blessings,  to  request  his  aid  upon  all  occasions,  to  acknoAvdedge 
and  celebrate  the  magnificence  of  his  works,  as  the  sole  end  in 
all  the  actions  of  our  lives.  We  must  also  beAvare  of  corrupt 
superstition,  by  which  those  Avhose  minds  are  dNerted  from  the 
true  God,  are  carried  about  after  various  deities.  Therefore,  if 
Ave  be  contented  Avith  one  God,  let  us  remember  Avhat  has  be- 
fore been  observed,  that  all  fictitious  deities  must  be  driA^en  far 
aAvay,  and  that  Ave  must  not  divide  tliat  Avorship  Avliich  he 
claims  exclusively  to  himself.  For  it  is  criminal  to  detract 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


343 


CHAP.  VIII.J 

even  the  smallest  portion  from  his  glory ; he  must  be  left  in 
possession  of  all  that  belongs  to  him.  The  following  clause, 
“before  me,”  aggravates  the  atrociousness  of  the  offence;  for 
God  is  provoked  to  jealousy  whenever  we  substitute  the  fig- 
ments of  our  own  minds  instead  of  him ; just  as  an  immodest 
woman,  by  openly  introducing  an  adulterer  into  the  presence 
of  her  husband,  would  inflame  his  mind  with  the  greater  re- 
sentment. When  God,  therefore,  by  the  presence  of  his  power 
and  grace,  gave  a proof  of  his  regard  to  the  people  whom  he 
had  chosen,  — in  order  the  more  forcibly  to  deter  them  from  the 
crime  of  rebellion  against  him,  he  warns  them  of  the  impossi- 
bility of  introducing  new  deities  without  his  being  a witness 
and  spectator  of  the  sacrilege.  For  this  presumption  rises  to 
the  highest  degree  of  impiety,  when  man  imagines  that  he  can 
elude  the  observation  of  God  in  his  acts  of  rebellion.  God,  on 
the  contrary,  proclaims,  that  whatever  we  devise,  whatever  we 
attempt,  whatever  we  perform,  is  present  to  his  view.  Our 
conscience  must  therefore  be  pure  even  from  the  most  latent 
thoughts  of  apostasy,  if  we  wish  our  religion  to  obtain  the  ap- 
probation of  the  Lord.  For  he  requires  from  us  the  glory  due 
to  his  Divinity  undiminished  and  uncorrupted,  not  only  in  ex- 
ternal confession,  but  in  his  own  eyes,  which  penetrate  the 
inmost  recesses  of  our  hearts. 

THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  like- 
ness of  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  in  the 
earth  beneath,  or  that  is  hi  the  loater  under  the  earth.  Thou 
shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve  them. 

XVIL  As  in  the  preceding  commandment  the  Lord  has 
declared  himself  to  be  the  one  God,  besides  whom  no  other 
deities  ought  to  he  imagined  or  worshipped,  so  in  this  he  more 
clearly  reveals  his  nature,  and  the  kind  of  worship  with  which 
he  ought  to  be  honoured,  that  we  may  not  dare  to  form  any 
carnal  conceptions  of  him.  The  end,  therefore,  of  this  precept 
is,  that  he  will  not  have  his  legitimate  worship  profaned  with 
superstitious  rites.  Wherefore,  in  a word,  he  calls  us  olf,  and 
wholly  abstracts  us  from  carnal  observances,  which  our  foolish 
minds  are  accustomed  to  devise,  when  they  conceive  of  God 
according  to  the  grossness  of  their  own  apprehensions  ; and 
therefore  he  calls  us  to  the  service  which  rightfully  belongs  to 
him ; that  is,  the  spiritual  worship  which  he  has  instituted. 
He  marks  what  is  the  grossest  transgression  of  this  kind ; that  is, 
external  idolatry.  And  this  precept  consists  of  two  parts.  The 
first  restrains  us  from  licentiously  daring  to  make  God,  who  is 


344 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

incomprehensible,  the  subject  of  onr  senses,  or  to  represent  him 
under  any  visible  form.  The  second  prohibits  us  from  paying 
religious  adoration  to  any  images.  He  likewise  briefly  enu- 
merates all  the  forms,  in  which  he  used  to  be  represented  by 
profane  and  superstitious  nations.  By  those  things  which  are 
in  heaven,  he  means  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  other  stars, 
and  perhaps  birds ; as,  when  he  explains  his  meaning  in  the 
fourth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  he  mentions  birds  as  well  as 
the  stars,  {w)  This  I should  not  have  remarked,  had  I not 
known  some  persons  injudiciously  refer  this  clause  to  angels. 
I omit  the  other  particulars,  as  needing  no  explanation.  And 
in  the  first  book  {x)  we  have  already  sufficiently  proved  that 
whatever  visible  representations  of  God  are  invented  by  man, 
are  diametrically  opposite  to  his  nature ; and  that,  therefore,  as 
soon  as  ever  idols  are  introduced,  true  religion  is  immediately 
corrupted  and  adulterated. 

XYIII.  The  penal  sanction  which  is  annexed  ought  to  have 
no  small  influence  in  arousing  us  from  our  lethargy.  He  thus 
threatens  : 

For  I the  Lord  thy  God  am  a jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity 

of  the  fathers  upon  the  childreii  unto  the  third  and  fourth 

generation  of  them  that  hate  me  ; and  showing  mercy  unto 

thousands  of  them  that  love  7ne,  and  keep  my  commandments. 

This  is  equivalent  to  a declaration  that  it  is  to  him  alone 
that  we  ought  to  adhere.  And  to  urge  us  to  it,  he  announces 
his  power,  which  he  permits  none  with  impunity  to  despise  or 
undervalue.  For  the  Hebrew  word  El,  which  is  here  used  for 
God,  is  expressive  of  strength.  In  the  second  place,  he  calls 
himself  “ a jealous  God,”  who  can  bear  no  rival.  Thirdly,  he 
declares  that  he  will  avenge  his  majesty  and  glory  on  those 
who  transfer  it  to  creatures  or  to  graven  images  ; and  that  not 
with  the  transient  punishment  of  the  original  transgressors  only, 
but  of  their  posterity  to  the  third  and  fourth  generation  ; that  is, 
of  those  who  shall  imitate  the  impiety  of  their  fathers ; as  he 
also  permanently  displays  his  mercy  and  goodness,  through  a 
long  line  of  posterity,  to  those  who  love  him  and  keep  his  law. 
It  is  very  common  for  God  to  assume  the  character  of  a hus- 
band to  us  ; for  the  union,  in  which  he  connects  us  with  him- 
self, when  he  receives  us  into  the  bosom  of  his  Church,  bears  a 
resemblance  to  the  sacred  conjugal  relation,  which  requires  to 
be  supported  by  mutual  fidelity.  As  he  performs  towards  us 
all  the  duties  of  a true  and  faithful  husband,  so  he  demands 
from  us  the  reciprocal  duties  of  conjugal  love  and  chastity ; that 


{w)  Deut.  iv.  17. 


(ar)  Cap.  xi.  xii. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


345 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

is,  that  we  do  not  prostitute  our  souls  to  Satan,  to  lust,  and  to 
the  impurity  of  the  carnal  appetites.  Wherefore,  when  he 
reproves  the  apostasy  of  the  Jews,  he  complains  that  they 
had  discarded  chastity,  and  were  polluted  with  adulteries,  {y) 
Therefore,  as  a husband,  in  proportion  to  the  superiority  of  his 
purity  and  chastity,  is  the  more  grievously  incensed,  if  he  per- 
ceive the  affection  of  his  wife  inclining  to  a rival,  so  the  Lord, 
who  has  in  truth  espoused  us  to  himself,  declares  that  he  feels 
the  most  ardent  jealousy,  whenever  we  neglect  the  sacred  purity 
of  his  conjugal  relation  to  us,  and  defile  ourselves  with  cri- 
minal lusts,  but  especially  when  we  transfer  to  any  other,  or 
adulterate  with  any  superstition,  the  worship  of  his  majesty, 
which  ought  to  be  preserved  in  the  most  consummate  perfec- 
tion ; since  by  such  conduct  we  not  only  violate  the  faith 
pledged  in  our  nuptials,  but  even  pollute  our  souls  with  spirit- 
ual adultery. 

XIX.  Let  us  inquire  what  he  intends  by  his  threatening  to 
visit  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  to  the  third 
and  fourth  generation.”  For  besides  that  it  is  inconsistent  with 
the  equity  of  the  Divine  justice  to  inflict  upon  an  innocent  per- 
son the  punishment  due  to  the  offences  of  another,  God  himself 
declares  that  “the  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  fa- 
ther.” {z)  But  this  expression  is  repeated  more  than  once,  con- 
cerning a deferring  to  future  generations  of  the  punishments  of 
crimes  committed  by  their  ancestors.  For  Moses  frequently 
speaks  of  “ the  Lord  visiting  the  ihiquity  of  the  fathers  upon 
the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation.”  {a) 
In  like  manner  Jeremiah : “ Thou  showest  loving-kindness 
unto  thousands,  and  recompensest  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers 
into  the  bosom  of  their  children  after  them.”  (5)  Some,  who 
labour  very  hard  to  solve  this  difficulty,  are  of  opinion  that 
its  meaning  is  to  be  confined  to  temporal  punishments; 
which  if  children  sustain  through  the  sins  of  their  parents, 
there  is  nothing  absurd  in  it ; because  they  frequently  con- 
duce to  the  salvation  of  those  on  whom  they  are  inflicted. 
This  is  certainly  true.  For  Isaiah  denounced  to  Hezekiah, 
that  on  account  of  the  sin  which  he  had  committed,  his  sons 
should  be  despoiled  of  the  kingdom  and  carried  away  into 
exile,  (c)  The  families  of  Pharaoh  and  Abimelech  are  afflicted 
on  account  of  the  injury  sustained  by  Abraham,  {d)  But  when 
this  is  adduced  as  a solution  of  these  questions,  it  is  rather  an 
evasion  of  it,  than  a proper  explanation.  For  in  this  and  in 
similar  places  the  Lord  threatens  a punishment  too  great  to  be 
terminated  by  the  limits  of  the  present  life.  It  must  therefore 


(y)  Jer.  iii.  1,  2.  Hos.  ii.  2. 

(z)  Ezek.  xviii.  20. 


VOL.  I. 


(a)  Num.  xiv.  18. 
{h)  Jer.  xxxii.  18. 


(c)  Isaiah  xxxix.  7. 

(d)  Gen.  xii.  17  ; xx.  3. 


44 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

be  understood  as  a declaration  that  the  curse  of  the  Lord  right- 
eously rests,  not  only  on  the  person  of  an  impious  man,  but 
also  on  his  whole  family.  Where  it  has  rested,  what  can  be 
expected,  but  that  the  father,  being  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  will  lead  a most  flagitious  life  ; and  that  the  son,  experi- 
encing, in  consequence  of  the  iniquity  of  his  father,  a similar 
dereliction  by  the  Lord,  will  pursue  the  same  path  to  perdition  ; 
and  that  the  grandson  and  the  great  grandson,  the  execrable 
posterity  of  detestable  men,  will  run  headlong  after  them  down 
the  same  precipice  of  destruction  ? 

XX.  First  let  us  inquire,  whether  such  punishment  be  in- 
consistent with  the  Divine  justice.  If  the  whole  nature  of 
man  be  worthy  of  condemnation,  we  know  that  destruction 
awaits  those  who  are  not  favoured  by  the  Lord  with  the  commu- 
nication of  his  grace.  Nevertheless,  they  perish  through  their 
own  iniquity,  and  not  through  the  unjust  hatred  of  God.  Nor 
is  there  any  room  left  for  expostulation,  why  they  are  not  as- 
sisted by  Divine  grace  to  obtain  salvation  as  well  as  others. 
Since  it  is  a punishment,  therefore,  inflicted  on  the  impious 
and  flagitious,  in  consequence  of  their  transgressions,  that 
their  families  remain  destitute  of  Divine  grace  for  many 
generations,  who  can  bring  any  accusation  against  God  for 
this  most  righteous  instance  of  his  vengeance  ? But  it  will 
be  said,  the  Lord  declares,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  pu- 
nishment of  the  sin  of  the  father  shall  not  be  transferred  to 
the  son.  Observe  the  subject  that  is  treated  of  in  that  place. 
The  Israelites,  after  they  had  been  long  harassed  by  numerous 
and  unceasing  calamities,  began  to  use  this  proverb,  “ The 
fathers  have  eaten  sour  grapes,  and  the  children’s  teeth  are  set 
on  edge;”(e)by  which  they  insinuated,  that  sins  had  been 
committed  by  their  parents,  the  punishment  of  which  was  in- 
flicted on  them  who  were  otherwise  righteous  and  innocent, 
more  through  the  implacable  wrath  of  God,  than  through  a just 
severity.  The  Prophet  announces  to  them  that  this  is  not  the 
case,  but  that  they  are  punished  for  their  own  transgressions, 
and  that  it  is  incompatible  with  the  Divine  justice*  to  punish  a 
righteous  son  for  the  iniquity  of  a wicked  father.  Nor  is  this 
to  be  found  in  the  penal  sanction  now  under  consideration. 
For  if  the  visitation,  of  which  we  are  treating,  be  fulfilled, 
when  God  removes  from  the  family  of  the  impious  his  grace, 
the  light  of  his  truth,  and  the  other  means  of  salvation,  the 
very  circumstance  of  children  blinded  and  abandoned  by  him 
being  fonnd  treading  in  the  footsteps  of  their  fathers,  is  an  in- 
stance of  their  bearing  the  curse  in  consequence  of  the  crimes 
of  their  parents.  But  their  being  the  subjects  of  temporal  mise- 
nes,  and  at  lengtli  of  eternal  perdition,  are  punishments  from 


(e)  Ezek.  xviii.  2. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  347 

the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  not  for  the  sins  of  others,  but 
on  account  of  their  own  iniquity. 

XXL  On  the  other  hand,  God  gives  a promise  to  extend  his 
mercy  to  a thousand  generations ; which  also  frequently  occurs 
in  the  Scripture,  and  is  inserted  in  the  solemn  covenant  with 
the  Church : “ I will  be  a God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after 
thee.”  (/)  In  allusion  to  this,  Solomon  says,  that  “the  chil- 
dren of  the  just  man  are  blessed  after  him  (g)  not  only  as  the 
effect  of  a religious  education,  which  is  of  no  small  importance, 
but  also  in  consequence  of  the  blessing  promised  in  the  covenant, 
that  the  grace  of  God  shall  perpetually  remain  in  the  families  of 
the  pious.  This  is  a source  of  peculiar  consolation  to  the  faith- 
ful, but  to  the  impious  of  great  terror  ; for  if,  even  after  death,  the 
memory  of  righteousness  and  iniquity  has  so  much  influence  with 
God,  that  the  curse  of  the  one  and  the  blessing  of  the  other  will 
redound  to  posterity,  much  more  will  it  remain  on  the  persons 
of  the  actors  themselves.  Now,  it  is  no  objection  to  our  argu- 
ment, that  the  descendants  of  the  impious  sometimes  grow  bet- 
ter, while  those  of  the  faithful  degenerate  ; since  the  Legislator 
never  intended  to  establish  in  this  case  such  an  invariable  rule, 
as  would  derogate  from  his  own  free  choice.  For  it  is  suffi- 
cient for  the  consolation  of  the  righteous  and  the  terror  of  the 
sinner,  that  the  denunciation  is  not  vain  or  inefficacious,  al- 
though it  be  not  always  executed.  For  as  the  temporal  pu- 
nishments inflicted  on  a few  wicked  men  are  testimonies  of  the 
Divine  wrath  against  sin,  and  of  the  judgment  that  will  here- 
after be  pronounced  on  all  sinners,  though  many  escape  with 
impunity  even  to  the  end  of  their  lives,  so,  when  the  Lord  ex- 
hibits one  example  of  this  blessing,  in  manifesting  his  mercy 
and  goodness  to  the  son  for  the  sake  of  his  father,  he  affords  a 
proof  of  his  constant  and  perpetual  favour  to  his  worshippers ; 
and  when,  in  any  one  instance,  he  pursues  the  iniquity  of  the 
father  in  the  son,  he  shows  what  a judgment  awaits  all  the 
reprobate  on  account  of  their  own  transgressions  ; the  certainty 
of  which  was  what  he  principally  designed  in  this  passage.  He 
also  gives  us  a cursory  intimation  of  the  greatness  of  his  mercy, 
which  he  extends  to  a thousand  generations,  while  he  has  as- 
signed only  four  generations  to  his  vengeance. 

THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shall  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  tn  vain. 

XXII.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  the  Lord  will  have 
the  majesty  of  his  name  to  be  held  inviolably  sacred  by  us. 


(/)  Gen,  xvii.  7. 


(g)  Prov.  XX.  7. 


348  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  £1 

The  substance  of  the  command  therefore  is,  that  we  ought  not 
to  profane  that  name  by  a contemptuous  or  irreverent  use  of  it. 
This  prohibition  necessarily  implies  an  injunction,  that  we  stu- 
diously and  carefully  treat  it  with  religious  veneration.  There- 
fore it  becomes  us  to  regulate  our  thoughts  and  words  in  such 
a manner  that  we  may  not  think  or  speak  any  thing  concern- 
ing God  and  his  mysteries,  but  with  the  greatest  sobriety  and 
reverence ; that  in  meditating  on  his  works  we  may  form  no 
opinion  that  is  dishonourable  to  him.  These  three  things,  I 
say,  we  ought  most  carefully  to  observe  — first,  that  whatever 
we  think,  and  whatever  we  say  of  him,  should  savour  of  his 
excellence,  correspond  to  the  sacred  sublimity  of  his  name,  and 
tend  to  the  exaltation  of  his  magnificence.  Secondly,  we 
should  not  rashly  and  preposterously  abuse  his  holy  word  and 
adorable  mysteries  to  the  purposes  of  ambition,  of  avarice,  or  of 
amusement  : but  as  they  bear  an  impression  of  the  dignity  of 
his  name,  they  should  always  receive  from  us  the  honour  and 
esteem  which  belong  to  them.  Lastly,  we  should  not  injure 
his  works  by  obloquy  or  detraction,  as  some  miserable  mortals 
are  accustomed  to  do  ; but  whenever  we  mention  any  thing 
done  by  him,  we  should  celebrate  it  with  encomiums  of  wis- 
dom, justice,  and  goodness.  This  is  sanctifying  ” the  name  of 
God.  In  every  other  case,  it  is  violated  by  a vain  and  crimi- 
nal abuse,  because  it  is  carried  beyond  the  limits  of  that  legiti- 
mate use,  to  which  alone  it  is  consecrated ; and  though  no 
other  consequence  ensue,  it  is  deprived  of  its  dignity,  and  by 
degrees  rendered  contemptible.  But  if  it  be  so  criminal  thus 
rashly  and  unseasonably  to  introduce  the  name  of  God  on 
every  occasion,  much  more  so  must  it  be  to  apply  it  to  such 
nefarious  uses  as  they  do,  who  make  it  subservient  to  the  su- 
perstitions of  necromancy,  to  horrible  imprecations,  to  unlawful 
exorcisms,  and  to  other  impious  incantations.  But  an  oath  is 
the  thing  principally  contemplated  in  the  command,  as  the 
most  detestable  instance  of  the  perverse  abuse  of  the  Divine 
name  ; and  this  is  done  to  inspire  us  with  the  greater  horror  of 
every  species  of  profanation  of  it.  That  this  precept  relates  to 
the  worship  of  God  and  the  reverence  of  his  name,  and  not  to 
the  equity  that  ought  to  be  observed  among  mankind,  appears 
from  this  — that  the  subsequent  condemnation,  in  the  second 
table,  of  perjury  and  false  witness,  by  which  society  is  injured, 
would  be  a needless  repetition,  if  the  present  precept  related  to 
a civil  duty.  Besides,  the  division  of  the  law  requires  this ; 
for,  as  we  have  already  observed,  it  is  not  in  vain  that  God  has 
distributed  the  law  into  two  tables.  Whence  we  conclude,  that 
in  this  command  he  vindicates  his  just  claims,  and  guards  the 
sanctity  of  his  name,  but  does  not  teach  the  duties  which  men 
owe  to  each  other. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  349 

XXIII.  In  the  first  place,  we  have  to  explain  what  an  oath 
is.  It  consists  in  calling  upon  God  as  a witness,  to  confirm  the 
truth  of  any  declaration  that  we  make.  For  execrations,  which 
contain  manifest  reproaches  against  God,  are  not  worthy  to  be 
mentioned  among  oaths.  That  such  an  attestation,  when 
rightly  performed,  is  a species  of  Divine  worship,  is  evident 
from  many  places  of  Scripture  ; as  when  Isaiah  prophesies  of 
the  vocation  of  the  Assyrians  and  Egyptians  to  participate  in 
the  covenant  with  Israel.  “ They  shall  speak,”  says  he,  the 
language  of  Canaan,  and  swear  to  the  Lord  of  hosts.”  {h)  By 
‘‘  swearing  to  the  Lord  ” here  is  intended  making  a profession 
of  religion.  Again,  when  he  speaks  of  the  extension  of  his 
kingdom : ‘‘  He  who  blesseth  himself  in  the  earth  shall  bless 
himself  in  the  God  of  truth  ; and  he  that  sweareth  in  the  earth 
shall  swear  by  the  God  of  truth.”  (^)  Jeremiah  says,  If  they 
will  diligently  learn  the  ways  of  my  people,  to  swear  by  my 
name.  The  Lord  liveth ; as  they  taught  my  people  to  swear  by 
Baal,  then  shall  they  be  built  in  the  midst  of  my  people.”  {k) 
And  we  are  justly  said  to  profess  our  religion  to  the  Lord, 
when  Ave  invoke  his  name  to  bear  witness  to  us.  For  thereby 
Ave  confess  that  he  is  truth  itself,  eternal  and  immutable  ; 
whom  Ave  call  not  only  as  a Avitness  of  the  truth,  excelling  all 
others,  but  also  as  the  only  defender  of  it,  Avho  is  able  to  bring 
to  light  things  Avhich  are  concealed,  and  in  a word,  as  the 
searcher  of  all  hearts.  For  Avhere  human  testimonies  are 
Avanting,  Ave  resort  for  refuge  to  the  testimony  of  God ; and 
particularly  Avhen  any  thing  is  to  be  affirmed,  which  is  hidden 
in  the  conscience.  For  Avhich  reason  the  Lord  is  extremely 
angry  with  them  Avho  swear  by  strange  gods,  and  interprets 
that  species  of  swearing  as  a proof  of  manifest  defection  from 
him.  “ Thy  children  have  forsaken  me,  and  sworn  by  them 
that  are  no  gods.”  (/)  And  he  declares  the  atrociousness  of 
this  crime  by  his  denunciation  of  punishment : I Avill  cut  off 
them  that  SAvear  by  the  Lord,  and  that  swear  by  Malcham.”  {m) 

XXIV.  Now,  since  we  understand  it  to  be  the  will  of  the 
Lord,  that  Ave  should  reverence  his  name  in  our  oaths,  we 
ought  to  use  so  much  the  more  caution,  lest,  instead  of  reA^e- 
rence,  they  betray  dishonour  or  contempt  of  it.  It  is  no  trifling 
insult  to  him,  Avhen  perjury  is  committed  in  his  name  ; and 
therefore  the  laAV  calls  it  a profanation,  {n)  But  Avhat  remains 
to  the  Lord,  Avhen  he  is  despoiled  of  his  truth  ? he  Avill  then 
cease  to  be  God.  But  he  is  certainly  despoiled  of  it,  when  he 
is  made  an  abettor  and  approver  of  a falsehood.  Wherefore, 
Avhen  Joshua  Avould  induce  Achan  to  a confession  of  the  truth, 

(h)  Isaiah  xix.  18.  (k)  Jer.  xii.  16.  (m)  Zeph.  i.  4,  5. 

(0  Isaiah  Ixv.  16.  \l)  Jer.  v.  7.  (n)  Lev.  xix.  12. 


350 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

he  says,  “ My  son,  give,  I pray  thee,  glory  to  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel  ; ” (o)  implying  in  this  that  the  Lord  is  grievously  dis- 
honoured, if  perjury  be  committed  in  his  name.  Nor  is  this 
strange  ; for  in  such  a case  we  do  all  that  is  in  our  power  to 
brand  his  sacred  name  with  a falsehood.  And  that  this  form  of 
expression  was  customary  among  the  Jews,  whenever  any  man 
was  called  to  take  an  oath,  appears  from  a similar  adjuration 
used  by  the  Pharisees  in  the  Gospel  of  John,  {p)  To  this 
caution  we  are  accustomed  by  the  forms  of  oaths  Avhich  are 
used  in  the  Scriptures  : ‘‘  The  Lord  liveth  ; ” {q)  God  do  so 
and  more  also  to  me  ; ” (r)  “ I call  God  for  a record  upon  my 
soul ; ” (s)  which  imply,  that  we  cannot  invoke  God  to  be  a 
witness  to  our  declarations,  without  imprecating  his  vengeance 
upon  us  if  we  be  guilty  of  perjury. 

XXV.  The  name  of  God  is  rendered  vile  and  contemptible, 
when  it  is  used  in  unnecessarily  swearing  even  to  what  is  true  : 
for  in  this  instance  also  it  is  taken  in  vain.  Wherefore  it  will 
not  be  sulRcient  to  abstain  from  perjury  ; unless  we  also  re- 
member, that  swearing  is  permitted  and  appointed,  not  for  the 
sake  of  our  pleasure  or  caprice,  but  from  necessity ; and  that 
the  lawful  use  of  it,  therefore,  is  transgressed  by  those  who 
apply  it  to  cases  where  it  is  not  necessary.  Now,  no  other  ne- 
cessity can  be  pretended,  but  when  we  want  to  serve  either 
religion  or  charity.  This  crime,  in  the  present  day,  is  carried 
to  a very  great  extent ; and  it  is  so  much  the  more  intolerable, 
since  by  its  frequency  it  has  ceased  to  be  considered  as  a 
crime,  though  before  the  Divine  tribunal  it  is  deemed  no  trivial 
offence.  For  the  name  of  God  is  universally  profaned  without 
concern  in  trifling  conversations ; and  it  is  not  considered  as 
sinful,  because  this  presumptuous  wickedness  has  been  so  long 
practised  with  impunity.  But  the  Divine  command  remains 
valid  ] the  sanction  remains  firm ; and  a future  day  will  wit- 
ness the  completion  of  that  part  of  it  which  denounces  a 
particular  punishment  against  those  who  take  his  name  in  vain. 
This  precept  is  violated  also  in  another  way.  If  in  our  oaths 
we  substitute  the  servants  of  God  in  the  place  of  God  himself, 
we  are  guilty  of  manifest  impiety ; because  we  thereby 
transfer  to  them  the  glory  due  to  the  Deity.  Nor  is  it  without 
reason,  that  God,  by  a special  command,  enjoins  us  to  swear  by 
his  name,  (t)  and  by  a special  prohibition  interdicts  us  from 
swearing  by  any  strange  gods,  (v)  And  the  Apostle  evidently 
attests  the  same,  when  he  says,  that  “men  swear  by  the  greater, 
but  that  God,  because  he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  sware  by 
himself.”  (w) 

(o)  Joshua  vii.  19.  (p)  John  ix.  24.  (q)  1 Sam.  xiv.  45. 

(r)  2 Kings  vi.  31.  (s)  2 Cor.  i.  23. 

(t)  Deut.  vi.  13.  (v)  Exod.  xxiii.  13.  (to)  Heb.  vi.  13,  16. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


351 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

XXVI.  The  Anabaptists,  not  satisfied  with  this  limitation 
of  oaths,  condemn  all  oaths  without  exception  ; because  the 
prohibition  of  Christ  is  general : I say  unto  you.  Swear  not 
at  all.  But  let  your  communication  be.  Yea,  yea ; Nay,  nay  : 
for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  cometh  of  evil.”  {x)  But  by 
this  mode  of  interpretation  they  set  Christ  in  opposition  to  the 
Father,  as  though  he  descended  into  this  world  to  abrogate  the 
Father’s  decrees.  For  in  the  law  the  eternal  God  not  only 
permits  an  oath,  as  a lawful  thing,  which  would  be  sufficient  to 
justify  the  use  of  it,  but  in  cases  of  necessity  commands  it.  (y) 
Now,  Christ  asserts,  that  “ he  and  his  Father  are  one,”  that 
he  acts  only  according  to  the  commands  of  the  Father,”  that 
his  doctrine  is  not  of  himself,”  &c.  {z)  What  then  ? Will 
they  make  God  to  contradict  himself,  by  prohibiting  and  con- 
demning in  our  conduct  that  which  he  has  before  approved 
and  enjoined  ? But  as  the  words  of  Christ  involve  some  diffi- 
culty, let  us  enter  on  a brief  examination  of  them.  Here  we 
shall  never  arrive  at  the  truth,  unless  we  attend  to  the  design 
of  Christ,  and  advert  to  the  subject  of  which  he  is  there  treat- 
ing. His  design  is  not  to  relax  or  to  restrict  the  law,  but  to 
reduce  it  to  its  true  and  genuine  meaning,  which  had  been 
very  much  corrupted  by  the  false  comments  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees.  If  we  bear  this  in  our  minds,  we  shall  not  be  of 
opinion  that  Christ  condemned  all  oaths,  but  only  those  which 
transgress  the  rule  of  the  law.  It  appears  to  have  been  the 
custom  of  the  people  at  that  time  to  avoid  nothing  but  perju- 
ries ; whereas  the  law  forbids  not  only  perjuries,  but  likewise 
all  vain  and  superfluous  oaths.  Our  Lord,  therefore,  that  in- 
fallible expositor  of  the  law,  apprizes  them  that  it  is  sinful,  not 
only  to  perjure  themselves,  but  even  to  swear.  To  swear  in 
what  manner  ? In  vain.  But  the  oaths  which  are  sanctioned 
in  the  law  he  leaves  without  any  objection.  They  consider 
themselves  as  urging  a very  powerful  argument,  when  they 
violently  insist  on  the  particle  at  all;  which,  nevertheless,  re- 
fers not  to  the  word  swear ^ but  to  the  forms  of  oaths  that  are 
there  subjoined.  For  the  error  there  condemned  consisted, 
partly,  in  a supposition  that  in  swearing  by  heaven  and  earth, 
there  was  no  interference  with  the  name  of  God.  Therefore, 
after  the  principal)  instance  of  transgression,  the  Lord  goes  on 
to  destroy  all  their  subterfuges,  that  they  may  not  imagine 
themselves  to  have  escaped  by  suppressing  the  name  of  God, 
and  calling  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  for  them.  For  here, 
by  the  way,  it  must  be  remarked,  that  men  indirectly  swear  by 
God,  though  his  name  is  not  expressed ; as  when  they  swear 
by  the  light  of  life,  by  the  bread  which  they  eat,  by  their 


(x)  Matt.  V.  34. 


(y)  Exod.  xxii.  11. 


(z)  John  X.  30,  18  ; vii.  16. 


352  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

baptism,  or  by  any  other  blessings  which  they  have  received 
from  the  Divine  munificence.  Nor  does  Christ  in  that  place 
prohibit  them  from  swearing  by  heaven,  and  earth,  and  Jeru- 
salem, in  order  to  correct  superstition,  as  some  falsely  imagine  ; 
but  rather  to  confute  the  sophistical  subtlety  of  persons  who 
thought  there  was  no  crime  in  the  foolish  use  of  indirect  oaths, 
as  though  they  were  not  chargeable  with  profaning  the  sacred 
name  of  God,  which  is  engraven,  however,  on  all  his  benefits. 
But  the  case  is  different,  where  any  mortal  man,  or  one  that  is 
dead,  or  an  angel,  is  substituted  in  the  place  of  God  ; as,  among 
idolatrous  nations,  adulation  invented  that  odious  form  of 
swearing  by  the  life  or  genius  of  a king;  because  in  such 
cases  the  deification  of  a creature  obscures  and  diminishes  the 
glory  of  the  only  true  God.  But  when  we  mean  nothing  but 
to  derive  a confirmation  to  our  assertions  from  the  sacred  name 
of  God,  although  it  be  done  in  an  indirect  manner,  yet  all  such 
frivolous  oaths  are  offensive  to  his  majesty.  Christ  deprives 
this  licentious  practice  of  every  vain  excuse,  by  his  prohibition 
of  swearing  at  all.  James  also  aims  at  the  same  point,  {a) 
where  he  uses  the  language  of  Christ,  which  I have  cited  ; 
because  this  presumption  has  always  been  prevalent  in  the 
world,  notwithstanding  it  is  a profanation  of  the  name  of  God. 
For  if  you  refer  the  particle  at  all  to  the  substance  of  swearing, 
as  though  every  oath,  without  exception,  were  unlawful,  what 
means  the  explanation  which  is  immediately  annexed,  Nei- 
ther by  heaven,  neither  by  earth,”  <fcc.,  language  evidently 
used  in  refutation  of  those  cavils,  which  the  Jews  considered  as 
furnishing  an  excuse  for  their  sin. 

XXVII.  It  can  no  longer  be  doubtful,  therefore,  to  persons 
of  sound  judgment,  that  the  Lord,  in  that  passage,  only  con- 
demns those  oaths  which  had  been  forbidden  by  the  law.  For 
even  he,  who  exhibited  in  his  life  an  example  of  the  perfection 
which  he  inculcated,  hesitated  not  to  make  use  of  oaths  when- 
ever occasion  required ; and  his  disciples,  who,  we  doubt  not, 
were  obedient  to  their  master  in  all  things,  followed  the  same 
example.  Who  can  dare  to  assert,  that  Paul  would  have 
sworn,  if  all  oaths  had  been  prohibited  ? But  when  the  occa- 
sion requires  it,  he  swears  without  any  scruple,  and  sometimes 
even  adds  an  imprecation.  The  question,  however,  is  not  yet 
decided  ; for  it  is  the  opinion  of  some  persons,  that  public 
oaths  are  the  only  exceptions  from  this  prohibition  ; such  as 
we  take  when  required  by  a magistrate  ; such  also  as  princes 
are  accustomed  to  use  in  ratifying  treaties  ; or  subjects,  when 
they  swear  allegiance  to  their  princes ; or  soldiers,  as  a military 
test ; and  others  of  a similar  kind.  To  this  class  also  they 


(a)  James  v.  12. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


353 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

justly  refer  those  oaths  which  we  find  used  by  Paul  in  as- 
sertion of  the  dignity  of  the  gospel ; because  the  Apostles,  in 
the  exercise  of  their  functions,  were  not  private  persons,  but 
public  ministers  of  God.  And  indeed  I will  not  deny  that 
these  are  the  safest  oaths ; because  they  are  sanctioned  by  the 
strongest  testimonies  of  Scripture.  A magistrate  is  directed,  in 
a dubious  case,  to  put  a witness  to  his  oath,  and  the  witness,  on 
the  other  hand,  is  required  to  answer  on  his  oath  ; and  the 
Apostle  says,  that  human  controversies  are  adjusted  by  this  ex- 
pedient. (6)  In  this  precept  both  parties  are  furnished  with  a 
complete  justification  of  their  conduct.  Moreover  we  may 
observe,  that  among  the  ancient  heathen  a public  and  solemn 
oatli  was  held  in  great  reverence  ] but  that  common  ones, 
which  they  used  in  their  ordinary  intercourse,  were  not  es- 
teemed of  any,  or  of  much  importance,  because  they  imagined 
that  these  were  not  regarded  by  the  Divine  majesty.  But  it 
would  be  too  dangerous  to  condemn  private  oaths,  which  are 
taken,  in  cases  of  necessity,  with  sobriety,  integrity,  and  reve- 
rence, since  they  are  supported  both  by  reason  and  by  scriptural 
examples.  For  if  it  be  lawful  for  private  persons  in  an  im- 
portant and  serious  affair  to  appeal  to  God  as  a judge  between 
them,  much  more  must  it  be  allowable  to  invoke  him  as  a 
witness.  Your  brother  will  accuse  you  of  perfidy  ; you  endea- 
vour to  exculpate  yourself;  he  will  not  permit  himself  by  any 
means  to  be  satisfied.  If  your  reputation  be  endangered  by  his 
obstinate  malignity,  you  may,  without  any  offence,  appeal  to 
the  judgment  of  God,  that  in  his  own  time  he  will  manifest 
your  innocence.  If  the  words  be  strictly  examined,  it  is  a less 
thing  to  appeal  to  him  as  a witness  than  as  a judge.  I see  not, 
therefore,  why  we  should  assert  such  an  appeal  to  him  to  be 
unlawful.  There  are  not  wanting  numerous  examples  of  it. 
If  the  oath  of  Abraham  and  Isaac  with  Abimelech  be  alleged 
to  have  been  taken  in  a public  capacity,  certainly  Jacob 
and  Laban  were  private  persons,  and  yet  they  confirmed  the 
covenant  between  them  by  a mutual  oath,  (c)  Boaz  was  a 
private  person,  who  confirmed  in  the  same  manner  his  promise 
of  marriage  to  Ruth,  (d)  Obadiah  was  a private  person,  a 
righteous  man,  and  one  that  feared  the  Lord,  who  declared 
with  an  oath  the  fact  of  which  he  wished  to  convince  Elijah,  (e) 
I can  find,  therefore,  no  better  rule,  than  that  we  regulate  our 
oaths  in  such  a manner,  that  they  be  not  rash  or  inconsiderate, 
wanton  or  frivolous,  but  used  in  cases  of  real  necessity,  as  for 
vindicating  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  or  promoting  the  edification 
of  our  brother  ; which  is  the  end  of  this  commandment  of 
the  law. 

(b)  Heb.  vi.  16. 

(c)  Gen.  xxi.  24  ; xxvi.  31  ; xxxi.  53, 

VOL.  I.  45 


(d)  Ruth  iii.  13. 

(e)  1 Kings  xviii.  10. 


354 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Remember  the  sabbath  day^  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days  shalt 
thou  labour^  and  do  all  thy  work  ; but  the  seventh  day  is  the 
sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God ; in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any 
work^  ^'c. 

XXYIII.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that,  being  dead  to  our 
own  affections  and  works,  we  should  meditate  on  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  be  exercised  in  that  meditation  in  the  observance 
of  his  institutions.  But,  as  it  has  an  aspect  peculiar  and  dis- 
tinct from  the  others,  it  requires  a little  different  kind  of  expo- 
sition. The  fathers  frequently  call  it  a shadowy  command- 
ment, because  it  contains  the  external  observance  of  the  day, 
which  was  abolished  with  the  rest  of  the  figures  at  the  advent 
of  Christ.  And  there  is  much  truth  in  their  observation ; but 
it  reaches  only  half  of  the  subject.  Wherefore  it  is  necessary 
to  seek  further  for  an  exposition,  and  to  consider  three  causes, 
on  which  I think  I have  observed  this  commandment  to  rest. 
For  it  was  the  design  of  the  heavenly  Lawgiver,  under  the 
rest  of  the  seventh  day,  to  give  the  people  of  Israel  a figure  of 
the  spiritual  rest,  by  which  the  faithful  ought  to  refrain  from 
their  own  works,  in  order  to  leave  God  to  work  within  them. 
His  design  was,  secondly,  that  there  should  be  a stated  day,  on 
which  they  might  assemble  together  to  hear  the  law  and  per- 
form the  ceremonies,  or  at  least  which  they  might  especially 
devote  to  meditations  on  his  works  ; that  by  this  recollection 
they  might  be  led  to  the  exercises  of  piety.  Thirdly,  he 
thought  it  right  that  servants,  and  persons  living  under  the  ju- 
risdiction of  others,  should  be  indulged  with  a day  of  rest,  that 
they  might  enjoy  some  remission  from  their  labour. 

XXIX.  Yet  we  are  taught  in  many  places  that  this  adum- 
bration of  the  spiritual  rest  was  the  principal  design  of  the 
sabbath.  For  the  Lord  is  hardly  so  strict  in  his  requisitions  of 
obedience  to  any  other  precept.  (/)  When  he  means  to  inti- 
mate, in  the  Prophets,  that  religion  is  totally  subverted,  he 
complains  that  his  sabbaths  are  polluted,  violated,  neglected, 
and  profaned ; {g)  as  though,  in  case  of  that  duty  being  ne- 
glected, there  remained  no  other  way  in  which  he  could  be 
honoured.  On  the  other  hand,  he  notices  the  observance  of  it 
with  singular  encomiums.  Wherefore  also,  among  the  other 
Divine  communications,  the  faithful  used  very  highly  to  esteem 
the  revelation  of  the  sabbath.  For  this  is  the  language  of  the 
Levites  in  a solemn  assembly,  recorded  by  Nehemiah  : Thou 

(/)  Numb.  xiii.  22.  Ezek.  xx.  12;  xxii.  8 ; xxiii.  38. 

{g)  Jer.  xvii.  2J , 22,  27.  Isaiah  Ivi.  2. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  555 

madest  known  unto  our  fathers  thy  holy  sabbath,  and  com- 
mandedst  them  precepts,  statutes,  and  laws,  by  the  hand  of 
Moses.”  {h)  We  see  the  singular  estimation  in  which  it  is 
held  above  all  the  commandments  of  the  law.  All  these 
things  tend  to  display  the  dignity  of  the  mystery,  which  is 
beautifully  expressed  by  Moses  and  Ezekiel.  In  EIxodus  we 
read  as  follows  : “ Verily  my  sabbaths  ye  shall  keep  ; for  it  is  a 
sign  between  me  and  you  throughout  your  generations  ,*  that 
ye  may  know  that  I am  the  Lord  that  doth  sanctify  you.  Ye 
shall  keep  the  sabbath  therefore ; for  it  is  holy  unto  you.  The 
children  of  Israel  shall  keep  the  sabbath,  to  observe  the  sabbath 
throughout  their  generations,  for  a perpetual  covenant.  It  is  a 
sign  between  me  and  the  children  of  Israel  for  ever.”  (^)  This 
is  more  fully  expressed  by  Ezekiel ; but  the  substance  of  what 
he  says  is,  that  the  sabbath  was  a sign  by  which  the  Israelites 
might  know  that  God  was  their  sanctifier,  {k)  If  our  sanctifi- 
cation consists  properly  in  the  mortification  of  our  own  will,  there 
is  a very  natural  analogy  between  the  external  sign  and  the  in- 
ternal thing  which  it  represents.  We  must  rest  altogether,  that 
God  may  operate  within  us ; we  must  recede  from  our  own  will, 
resign  our  own  heart,  and  renounce  all  our  carnal  affections ; in 
short,  we  must  cease  from  all  the  efforts  of  our  own  under- 
standing, that  having  God  operating  within  us,  we  may  enjoy 
rest  in  him,  as  we  are  also  taught  by  the  Apostle.  {1) 

XXX.  This  perpetual  cessation  was  represented  to  the  Jews 
by  the  observance  of  one  day  in  seven,  which  the  Lord,  in 
order  that  it  might  be  the  more  religiously  kept,  recommended 
by  his  own  example.  For  it  is  no  small  stimulus  to  any  ac- 
tion, for  a man  to  know  that  he  is  imitating  his  Creator.  If 
any  one  inquire  after  a hidden  signification  in  the  septenary 
number,  it  is  probable,  that  because  in  Scripture  it  is  the 
number  of  perfection,  it  is  here  selected  to  denote  perpetual 
duration.  This  is  confirmed  also  by  the  circumstance,  that 
Moses,  with  that  day  in  which  he  narrates  that  the  Lord  rested 
from  his  works,  concludes  his  description  of  the  succession  of 
days  and  nights.  We  may  also  adduce  another  probable  con- 
jecture respecting  this  number  — that  the  Lord  intended  to 
signify  that  the  sabbath  would  never  be  completed  until  the 
arrival  of  the  last  day.  For  in  it  we  begin  that  blessed  rest, 
in  which  we  make  new  advances  from  day  to  day.  But  be- 
cause we  are  still  engaged  in  a perpetual  warfare  with  the 
flesh,  it  will  not  be  consummated  before  the  completion  of  that 
prediction  of  Isaiah,  “ It  shall  come  to  pass,  that  from  one  new 
moon  to  another,  and  from  one  sabbath  to  another,  shall  all 

(h)  Neh.  ix.  14.  {k)  Ezek.  xx,  12. 

(t)  Exod.  xxxi.  13,  14, 16,  17.  {1)  Heb.  iv.  9. 


356  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

flesh  come  to  worship  before  me,  saith  the  Lord  ; ” (m)  that  is, 
when  God  shall  be  “ all  in  all.”  {n)  The  Lord  may  be  con- 
sidered, therefore,  as  having  delineated  to  his  people,  in  the 
seventh  day,  the  future  perfection  of  his  sabbath  in  the  last 
day,  that,  by  a continual  meditation  on  the  sabbath  during 
their  whole  life,  they  might  be  aspiring  towards  this  perfection. 

XXXI.  If  any  one  disapprove  of  this  observation  on  the 
number,  as  too  curious,  I object  not  to  its  being  understood  in 
a more  simple  manner ; that  the  Lord  ordained  a certain  day, 
that  the  people  under  the  discipline  of  the  law  might  be  exer- 
cised in  continual  meditations  on  the  spiritual  rest  ; that  he 
appointed  the  seventh  day,  either  because  he  foresaw  it  would 
be  sufficient,  or  in  order  that  the  proposal  of  a resemblance  to 
his  own  example  might  operate  as  a stronger  stimulus  to  the 
people,  or  at  least  to  apprize  them  that  the  only  end  of  the 
sabbath  was  to  promote  their  conformity  to  their  Creator.  For 
this  is  of  little  importance,  provided  we  retain  the  mystery, 
which  is  principally  exhibited,  of  a perpetual  rest  from  our 
own  works.  To  the  contemplation  of  this,  the  Prophets  used 
frequently  to  recall  the  Jews,  that  they  might  not  suppose 
themselves  to  have  discharged  their  duty  merely  by  a cessation 
from  manual  labours.  Beside  the  passages  already  cited,  we 
have  the  following  in  Isaiah  : If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot 
from  the  sabbath,  from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day  ; 
and  call  the  sabbath  a delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honour- 
able ; and  shalt  honour  him,  not  doing  thine  own  ways, 
nor  finding  thine  own  pleasure,  nor  speaking  thine  own  words  ; 
then  shalt  thou  delight  thyself  in  the  Lord,”  ifcc.  (o)  But  all 
that  it  contained  of  a ceremonial  nature  was  without  doubt 
abolished  by  the  advent  of  the  Lord  Christ.  For  he  is  the 
truth,  at  whose  presence  all  figures  disappear  ; the  body,  at 
the  sight  of  which  all  the  shadows  are  relinquished.  He, 
I say,  is  the  true  fulfilment  of  the  sabbath.  Having  been 
buried  with  him  by  baptism,  we  have  been  planted  together 
in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  that  being  partakers  of  his  resur- 
rection, we  may  walk  in  newness  of  life.”  {p)  Therefore  the 
Apostle  says  in  another  place,  that  “ the  sabbath  was  a shadow 
of  things  to  come  ; but  the  body  is  of  Christ  ; ” {q)  that  is,  the 
real  substance  of  the  truth,  which  he  has  beautifully  explained 
in  that  passage.  This  is  contained  not  in  one  day,  but  in  the 
whole  course  of  our  life,  till,  being  wholly  dead  to  ourselves, 
we  be  filled  with  the  life  of  God.  Christians  therefore  ought 
to  depart  from  all  superstitious  observance  of  days. 

XXXII.  As  the  two  latter  causes,  however,  ought  not  to  be 


(m)  Isaiah  Ixvi.  23.  (n)  1 Cor.  xv.  23.  (o)  Isaiah  Iviii.  13, 14. 

(j))  Rom.  vi.  4,  &c.  (q)  Col.  ii.  16,  17. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  357 

numbered  among  the  ancient  shadows,  but  are  equally  suitable 
to  all  ages,  — though  the  sabbath  is  abrogated,  yet  it  is  still 
customary  among  us  to  assemble  on  stated  days  for  hearing 
the  word,  for  breaking  the  mystic  bread,  and  for  public  prayers  ; 
and  also  to  allow  servants  and  labourers  a remission  from  their 
labour.  That  in  commanding  the  sabbath,  the  Lord  had  regard 
to  both  these  things,  cannot  be  doubted.  The  first  is  abun- 
dantly confirmed  even  by  the  practice  of  the  Jews.  The  second 
is  proved  by  Moses,  in  Deuteronomy,  in  these  words : “ that 
thy  man-servant  and  thy  maid-servant  may  rest  as  well  as 
thou.  And  remember  that  thou  wast  a servant  in  the  land  of 
Egypt.”  (r)  Also,  in  Exodus : that  thine  ox  and  thine  ass 
may  rest,  and  the  son  of  thy  handmaid,  and  the  stranger,  may 
b§  refreshed.”  (s)  Who  can  deny  that  both  these  things  are 
as  proper  for  us  as  for  the  Jews  ? Assemblies  of  the  Church 
are  enjoined  in  the  Divine  word,  and  the  necessity  of  them  is 
sufficiently  known  even  from  the  experience  of.  life.  Unless 
there  be  stated  days  appointed  for  them,  how  can  they  be  held 
According  to  the  direction  of  the  Apostle,  “ all  things  ” are  to 
‘‘be  done  decently  and  in  order”  among  us.  {t)  But  so  far  is 
it  from  being  possible  to  preserve  order  and  decorum  without 
this  regulation,  that,  if  it  were  abolished,  the  Church  would  be 
in  imminent  danger  of  immediate  convulsion  and  ruin.  But 
if  we  feel  the  same  necessity,  to  relieve  which  the  Lord  en- 
joined the  sabbath  upon  the  Jews,  let  no  one  plead  that  it  does 
not  belong  to  us.  For  our  most  provident  and  indulgent  Fa- 
ther has  been  no  less  attentive  to  provide  for  our  necessity  than 
for  that  of  the  Jews.  But  why,  it  may  be  asked,  do  we  not 
rather  assemble  on  every  day,  that  so  all  distinction  of  days 
may  be  removed  ? I sincerely  wish  that  this  were  practised  ; 
and  truly  spiritual  wisdom  would  be  well  worthy  of  some 
portion  of  time  being  daily  allotted  to  it ; but  if  the  infirmity 
of  many  persons  will  not  admit  of  daily  assemblies,  and  charity 
does  not  permit  us  to  require  more  of  them,  why  should  we 
not  obey  the  rule  which  we  have  imposed  upon  us  by  the  will 
of  God  ? 

XXXIII.  I am  obliged  to  be  rather  more  diffuse  on  this 
point,  because,  in  the  present  age,  some  unquiet  spirits  have 
been  raising  noisy  contentions  respecting  the  Lord’s  day. 
They  complain  that  Christians  are  tinctured  with  Judaism,  be- 
cause they  retain  any  observance  of  days.  But  I reply,  that 
the  Lord’s  day  is  not  observed  by  us  upon  the  principles  of 
Judaism  ; because  in  this  respect  the  difference  between  us 
and  the  Jews  is  very  great.  For  we  celebrate  it  not  with 
scrupulous  rigour,  as  a ceremony  which  we  conceive  to  be  a 


(r)  Deut.  V.  14,  15. 


(s)  Exod.  xxiii.  12. 


(t)  1 Cor.  xiv.  40. 


358  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

figure  of  some  spiritual  mystery,  but  only  use  it  as  a remedy 
necessary  to  the  preservation  of  order  in  the  Church.  But  they 
say,  Paul  teaches  that  Christians  are  not  to  be  judged  in  the 
observance  of  it,  because  it  is  a shadow  of  something  fu- 
ture. {v)  Therefore  he  is  afraid  lest  ” he  has  bestowed  ” on 
the  Galatians  labour  in  vain,”  because  they  continued  to  ob- 
serve days.”  {w)  And  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  he  as- 
serts him  to  be  “ weak  in  the  faith,”  who  esteemeth  one  day 
above  another.”  {x)  But  who,  these  furious  zealots  only  ex- 
cepted, does  not  see  what  observance  the  apostle  intends  ? For 
they  did  not  observe  them  for  the  sake  of  political  and  ecclesi- 
astical order ; but  when  they  retained  them  as  shadows  of  spi- 
ritual things,  they  were  so  far  guilty  of  obscuring  the  glory  of 
Christ  and  the  light  of  the  gospel.  They  did  not,  therefore,  rest 
from  their  manual  labours,  as  from  employments  which  would 
divert  them  from  sacred  studies  and  meditations ; but  from  a 
principle  of  superstition,  imagining  their  cessation  from  labour 
to  be  still  an  expression  of  reverence  for  the  mysteries  formerly 
represented  by  it.  This  preposterous  distinction  of  days  the 
Apostle  strenuously  opposes  ; and  not  that  legitimate  difference 
which  promotes  the  peace  of  the  Christian  Church.  For  in  the 
churches  which  he  founded,  the  sabbath  was  retained  for  this 
purpose.  He  prescribes  the  same  day  to  the  Corinthians,  for 
making  collections  for  the  relief  of  the  brethren  at  Jerusalem. 
If  superstition  be  an  object  of  fear,  there  was  more  danger  in 
the  holy  days  of  the  Jews,  than  in  the  Lord’s  days  now  observed 
by  Christians.  Now,  whereas  it  was  expedient  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  superstition,  the  day  which  the  Jews  kept  holy  was  abo- 
lished ; and  it  being  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  decorum, 
order,  and  peace,  in  the  Christian  Church,  another  day  was  ap- 
pointed for  the  same  use. 

XXXIV.  However,  the  ancients  have  not  without  sufficient 
reason  substituted  what  we  call  the  Lord’s  day  in  the  room  of 
the  sabbath.  For  since  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  is  the  end 
and  consummation  of  that  true  rest,  which  was  adumbrated  by 
the  ancient  sabbath,  the  same  day  which  put  an  end  to  the 
shadows,  admonishes  Christians  not  to  adhere  to  a shadowy 
ceremony.  Yet  I do  not  lay  so  much  stress  on  the  septenary 
number,  that  I would  oblige  the  Church  to  an  invariable  ad- 
herence to  it ; nor  will  I condemn  those  churches  which  have 
other  solemn  days  for  their  assemblies,  provided  they  keep  at  a 
distance  from  superstition.  And  this  will  be  the  case,  if  they 
be  only  designed  for  the  observance  of  discipline  and  well-regu- 
lated order.  Let  us  sum  up  the  whole  in  the  following  man- 
ner: As  the  truth  was  delivered  to  the  Jews  under  a figure,  so 


{v)  Col.  ii.  16,  17. 


{ic)  Gal.  iv.  10,  11. 


{x)  Rom.  xiv.  5. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  359 

it  is  given  to  iis  without  any  shadows ; first,  in  order  that 
during  our  whole  life  we  should  meditate  on  a perpetual  rest 
from  our  own  Works,  that  the  Lord  may  operate  within  us  by 
his  Spirit ; secondly,  that  every  man,  whenever  he  has  leisure, 
should  diligently  exercise  himself  in  private  in  pious  reflections 
on  the  works  of  God,  and  also  that  we  should  at  the  same  time 
observe  the  legitimate  order  of  the  Church,  appointed  for  the 
hearing  of  the  word,  for  the  administration  of  the  sacraments, 
and  for  public  prayer ; thirdly,  that  we  should  not  unkindly 
oppress  those  who  are  subject  to  us.  Thus  vanish  all  the 
dreams  of  false  prophets,  who  in  past  ages  have  infected  the 
people  with  a Jewish  notion,  affirming  that  nothing  but  the 
ceremonial  part  of  this  commandment,  which,  according  to  them, 
is  the  appointment  of  the  seventh  day,  has  been  abrogated,  but 
that  the  moral  part  of  it,  that  is,  the  observance  of  one  day  in 
seven,  still  remains.  But  this  is  only  changing  the  day  in  con- 
tempt of  the  Jews,  while  they  retain  the  same  opinion  of  the  holi- 
ness of  a day  ; for  on  this  principle  the  same  mysterious  significa- 
tion would  still  be  attributed  to  particular  days,  which  they 
formerly  obtained  among  the  Jews.  And  indeed  we  see  what 
advantages  have  arisen  from  such  a sentiment.  For  those  who 
adhere  to  it,  far  exceed  the  Jews  in  a gross,  carnal,  and  supersti- 
tious observance  of  the  sabbath ; so  that  the  reproofs,  which 
we  find  in  Isaiah,  are  equally  applicable  to  them  in  the  present 
age,  as  to  those  whom  the  Prophet  reproved  in  his  time.  But 
the  principal  thing  to  be  remembered  is  the  general  doctrine ; 
that,  lest  religion  decay  or  languish  among  us,  sacred  assem- 
blies ought  diligently  to  be  held,  and  that  we  ought  to  use 
those  external  means  which  are  adapted  to  support  the  worship 
of  God. 


THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Honour  thy  father  arid  thy  mother;  that  thy  days  may  he  long 
upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee, 

XXXV.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  since  the  Lord 
God  desires  the  preservation  of  the  order  he  has  appointed,  the 
degrees  of  preeminence  fixed  by  him  ought  to  be  inviolably 
preserved.  The  sum  of  it,  therefore,  will  be,  that  we  should 
reverence  them  whom  God  has  exalted  to  any  authority  over 
us,  and  should  render  them  honour,  obedience,  and  gratitude. 
Whence  follows  a prohibition  to  derogate  from  their  dignity  by 
contempt,  obstinacy,  or  ingratitude.  For  in  the  Scripture  the 
word  “ honour  ” has  an  extensive  signification  ; as,  when  the 
Apostle  directs  that  the  elders  who  rule  well  be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honour,”  {y)  he  means  not  only  that  they 

{y)  1 Tim.  V.  17. 


360  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

are  entitled  to  reverence,  but  likewise  such  a remuneration  as 
their  ministry  deserves.  But  as  this  precept,  which  enjoins 
subjection  to  superiors,  is  exceedingly  repugnant  to  the  depra- 
vity of  human  nature,  whose  ardent  desire  of  exaltation  will 
scarcely  admit  of  subjection,  it  has  therefore  proposed  as  an  ex- 
ample that  kind  of  superiority  which  is  naturally  most  amiable 
and  least  invidious ; because  that  might  the  more  easily  mollify 
and  incline  our  minds  to  a habit  of  submission.  By  that  sub- 
jection, therefore,  which  is  most  easy  to  be  borne,  the  Lord 
accustoms  us  by  degrees  to  every  kind  of  legitimate  obedience  ; 
because  the  reason  of  all  is  the  same.  For  to  those,  to  whom 
he  gives  any  preeminence,  he  communicates  his  own  authority, 
as  far  as  is  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  that  preeminence. 
The  titles  of  Father,  God,  and  Lord,  are  so  eminently  appli- 
cable to  him,  that,  whenever  we  hear  either  of  them  mentioned, 
our  minds  cannot  but  be  strongly  affected  with  a sense  of  his 
majesty.  Those,  therefore,  on  whom  he  bestows  these  titles, 
he  illuminates  with  a ray  of  his  splendour,  to  render  them  all 
honourable  in  their  respective  stations.  Thus  in  a father  we 
ought  to  recognize  something  Divine  ; for  it  is  not  without  rea- 
son that  he  bears  one  of  the  titles  of  the  Deity.  Our  prince, 
or  our  lord,  enjoys  an  honour  somewhat  similar  to  that  which 
is  given  to  God. 

XXXVI.  Wherefore  it  ought  not  to  be  doubted  that  God 
here  lays  down  a universal  rule  for  our  conduct ; namely,  that 
to  every  one,  whom  we  know  to  be  placed  in  authority  over 
us  by  his  appointment,  we  should  render  reverence,  obedience, 
gratitude,  and  all  the  other  services  in  our  power.  Nor  does  it 
make  any  difference,  whether  they  are  worthy  of  this  honour, 
or  not.  For  whatever  be  their  characters,  yet  it  is  not  without 
the  appointment  of  the  Divine  providence,  that  they  have 
attained  that  station,  on  account  of  which  the  supreme  Legisla- 
tor has  commanded  them  to  be  honoured.  He  has  particularly 
enjoined  reverence  to  our  parents,  who  have  brought  us  into 
this  life ; which  nature  itself  ought  to  teach  us.  For  those 
who  violate  the  parental  authority  by  contempt  or  rebellion, 
are  not  men,  but  monsters.  Therefore  the  Lord  commands  all 
those,  who  are  disobedient  to  their  parents,  to  be  put  to  death, 
as  having  rendered  themselves  unworthy  to  enjoy  the  light,  by 
their  disregard  of  those  by  whose  means  they  were  introduced 
to  it.  And  various  appendices  to  the  law  evince  the  truth  of 
our  observation,  that  the  honour  here  intended  consists  in 
reverence,  obedience,  and  gratitude.  The  first  the  Lord  con- 
firms, when  he  commands  him  to  be  slain  who  has  cursed  his 
father  or  mother  ; [z)  for  in  that  case  he  punishes  contempt. 
He  confirms  the  second,  when  he  denounces  the  punishment 


{z)  Exod.  xxi.  17. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  361 

of  death  against  disobedient  and  rebellious  children,  (a)  The 
third  is  supported  by  Christ,  who  says,  God  commanded, 
saying,  Honour  thy  father  and  mother ; ” and,  “ He  that 
curseth  father  or  mother,  let  him  die  the  death.  But  ye  say. 
Whosoever  shall  say  to  his  father  or  his  mother.  It  is  a gift,  by 
whatsoever  thou  mightest  be  profited  by  me  ; and  honour  not 
his  father  or  his  mother,  he  shall  be  free.  Thus  have  ye  made 
the  commandment  of  God  of  none  effect  by  your  tradition.”  (b) 
And  whenever  Paul  mentions  this  commandment,  he  explains 
it  as  a requisition  of  obedience,  (c) 

XXXVH.  In  order  to  recommend  it,  a promise  is  annexed, 
which  is  a further  intimation  how  acceptable  to  God  that  sub- 
mission is  which  is  here  enjoined.  Paul  employs  that  stimu- 
lus to  arouse  our  inattention,  when  he  says,  This  is  the  first 
commandment  with  promise.”  For  the  preceding  promise,  in 
the  first  table,  was  not  particularly  confined  to  one  command- 
ment, but  extended  to  the  whole  law.  Now,  the  true  explana- 
tion of  this  promise  is,  that  the  Lord  spake  particular!}^  to  the 
Israelites  concerning  the  land  which  he  had  promised  them  as 
an  inheritance.  If  the  possession  of  that  land  therefore  was  a 
pledge  of  the  Divine  goodness,  we  need  not  wonder,  if  it  was 
the  Lord’s  will  to  manifest  his  favour  by  bestowing  length  of 
life,  in  order  to  prolong  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessing  con- 
ferred by  him.  The  meaning  of  it  therefore  is.  Honour  thy 
father  and  thy  mother,  that  through  the  space  of  a long  life 
thou  mayest  enjoy  the  possession  of  the  land,  which  will  be  to 
thee  a testimony  of  my  favour.  But,  as  the  whole  earth  is 
blessed  to  the  faithful,  we  justly  place  the  present  life  among 
the  blessings  we  receive  from  God.  Wherefore  this  promise 
belongs  likewise  to  us,  inasmuch  as  the  continuance  of  the 
present  life  affords  us  a proof  of  the  Divine  benevolence.  For 
neither  is  it  promised  to  us,  nor  was  it  promised  to  the  Jews, 
as  though  it  contained  any  blessedness  in  itself ; but  because 
to  the  pious  it  is  generally  a token  of  the  Divine  favour. 
Therefore,  if  a son,  that  is  obedient  to  his  parents,  happen  to  be 
removed  out  of  life  before  the  age  of  maturity,  — which  is  a case 
of  frequent  occurrence,  — the  Lord,  nevertheless,  perseveres  with 
as  much  punctuality  in  the  completion  of  his  promise,  as  if  he 
were  to  reward  a person  with  a ‘hundred  acres  of  land  to  whom 
he  had  only  promised  one.  The  whole  consists  in  this  : We 
should  consider  that  long  life  is  promised  to  us  so  far  as  it  is 
the  blessing  of  God ; but  that  it  is  a blessing,  only  as  it  is  a 
proof  of  the  favour  of  God,  which  he  infinitely  more  richly 
arid  substantially  testifies  and  actually  demonstrates  to  his 
servants  in  their  death. 

(a)  Deut.  xxi.  18 — 21.  fb)  Matt.  xv.  4 — 6.  (c)  Eph.  vi.  1.  Col.  iii.  20. 

VOL.  I.  46 


362  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

XXXVIII.  Moreover,  when  the  Lord  promises  the  blessing 
of  the  present  life  to.  those  children  who  honour  their  parents 
with  proper  reverence,  he  at  the  same  time  implies  that  a cer- 
tain curse  impends  over  all  those  who  are  disobedient  and 
perverse.  And  that  it  might  not  fail  of  being  executed,  he 
pronounces  them  in  his  law  to  be  liable  to  the  sentence  of 
death,  and  commands  that  punishment  to  be  inflicted  on  them. 
If  they  escape  that,  he  punishes  them  himself  in  some  other 
way.  For  we  see  what  great  numbers  of  persons  of  this  cha- 
racter fall  in  battles  and  in  private  quarrels ; others  are  afliict- 
ed  in  unusual  ways  ; and  almost  all  of  them  are  proofs  of  the 
truth  of  this  threatening.  But  if  any  arrive  at  an  extreme  age, 
being  deprived  of  the  Divine  blessing,  they  only  languish  in 
misery  in  this  life,  and  are  reserved  to  greater  punishments  here- 
after ; and  consequently  they  are  far  from  participating  in  the 
blessing  promised  to  dutiful  children.  But  it  must  be  remarked 
by  the  way,  that  we  are  commanded  to  obey  them  only  “ ir. 
the  Lord ; ” and  this  is  evident  from  the  foundation  before 
laid ; for  they  preside  in  that  station  to  which  the  Lord  has 
exalted  them  by  communicating  to  them  a portion  of  his 
honour.  Wherefore  the  submission  exercised  towards  them 
ought  to  be  a step  towards  honouring  the  Supreme  Father. 
Therefore,  if  they  instigate  us  to  any  transgression  of  the  law, 
we  may  justly  consider  them  not  as  parents,  but  as  strangers, 
who  attempt  to  seduce  us  from  obedience  to  our  real  Father. 
The  same  observation  is  applicable  to  princes,  lords,  and  superiors 
of  every  description.  For  it  is  infamous  and  absurd,  that  their 
eminence  should  avail  to  depreciate  the  preeminence  of  God, 
upon  which  it  depends,  and  to  which  it  ought  to  conduct  us. 

THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shall  not  kill. 

XXXIX.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  since  God  has 
connected  mankind  together  in  a kind  of  unity,  every  man 
ought  to  consider  himself  as  charged  with  the  safety  of  all. 
In  short,  then,  all  violence  and  injustice,  and  every  kind  of 
mischief,  which  may  injure  the  body  of  our  neighbour,  are 
forbidden  to  us.  And  therefore  we  are  enjoined,  if  it  be  in  our 
power,  to  assist  in  protecting  the  lives  of  our  neighbours ; to 
exert  ourselves  with  fidelity  for  this  purpose  ; to  procure  those 
things  which  conduce  to  their  tranquillity ; to  be  vigilant  in 
shielding  them  from  injuries ; and  in  cases  of  danger  to  afford 
them  our  assistance.  If  we  remember  that  this  is  the  language 
of  the  Divine  Legislator,  we  should  consider,  at  the  same  time, 
that  he  intends  this  rule  to  govern  the  soul.  For  it  were 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


363 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

ridiculous,  that  he  who  beholds  the  thoughts  of  the  heart,  and 
principally  insists  on  them,  should  content  himself  with  forming 
only  the  body  to  true  righteousness.  Mental  homicide,  therefore, 
is  likewise  prohibited,  and  an  internal  disposition  to  preserve 
the  life  of  our  brother  is  commanded  in  this  law.  The  hand, 
indeed,  accomplishes  the  homicide,  but  it  is  conceived  by  the 
mind  under  the  influence  of  anger  and  hatred.  Examine 
whether  you  can  be  angry  with  your  brother,  without  being 
inflamed  with  a desire  of  doing  him  some  injury.  If  you 
cannot  be  angry  with  him,  then  you  cannot  hate  him ; for 
hatred  is  nothing  more  than  inveterate  anger.  However  you 
may  dissemble,  and  endeavour  to  extricate  yourself  by  vain 
subterfuges,  whenever  there  is  either  anger  or  hatred,  there  is 
also  a disposidon  to  do  injury.  If  you  persist  in  your  evasions, 
it  is  already  pronounced  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  Whosoever 
hateth  his  brother  is  a murderer.”  {d)  It  is  declared  by  the 
Lord  Christ,  ‘‘  that  whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother  with- 
out a cause  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment ; and  whosoever 
shall  say  to  his  brother,  Raca,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  coun- 
cil ; but  whosoever  shall  say,  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of 
hell  fire.”  (e) 

XL.  Now,  the  Scripture  states  two  reasons  on  which  this 
precept  is  founded  ; the  first,  that  man  is  the  image  of  God  ; 
the  second,  that  he  is  our  own  flesh.  Wherefore,  unless  we 
would  violate  the  image  of  God,  we  ought  to  hold  the  personal 
safety  of  our  neighbour  inviolably  sacred  ; and  unless  we  would 
divest  ourselves  of  humanity,  we  ought  to  cherish  him  as  our 
own  flesh.  The  motives  which  are  derived  from  the  redemp- 
tion and  grace  of  Christ  will  be  treated  in  another  place. 
These  two  characters,  which  are  inseparable  from  the  nature 
of  man,  God  requires  us  to  consider  as  motives  to  our  exertions 
for  his  security ; so  that  we  may  reverence  his  image  impressed 
on  him,  and  show  an  affectionate  regard  for  our  own  flesh. 
That  person,  therefore,  is  not  innocent  of  the  crime  of  murder, 
who  has  merely  restrained  himself  from  the  effusion  of  blood. 
If  you  perpetrate,  if  you  attempt,  if  you  only  conceive  in  yom 
mind  any  thing  inimical  to  the  safety  of  another,  you  stand 
guilty  of  murder.  Unless  you  also  endeavour  to  defend  him  to 
the  utmost  of  your  ability  and  opportunity,  you  are  guilty  of 
the  same  inhuman  transgression  of  the  law.  But  if  so  much 
concern  be  discovered  for  the  safety  of  the  body,  we  may  con- 
clude, how  much  care  and  attention  should  be  devoted  to  the 
safety  of  the  soul,  which,  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  of  infinitely 
superior  value. 


(<Z)  1 John  iii.  15. 


(c)  Matt.  V.  22. 


364 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  11. 


THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shall  not  commit  adultery. 

XLI.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  because  God  loves 
chastity  and  purity,  Ave  ought  to  depart  from  all  uncleanness. 
The  sum  of  it  therefore  is,  that  we  ought  not  to  be  polluted  by 
any  carnal  impurity,  or  libidinous  intemperance.  To  this  pro- 
nibition  corresponds  the  affirmative  injunction,  that  every  part 
of  our  lives  ought  to  be  regulated  by  chastity  and  continence. 
But  he  expressly  forbids  adultery,  to  which  all  incontinence 
tends  ; in  order  that  by  the  turpitude  of  that  which  is  very 
gross  and  palpable,  being  an  infamous  pollution  of  the  body, 
he  may  lead  us  to  abominate  every  unlawful  passion.  Since 
man  was  created  in  such  a state  as  not  to  live  a solitary  life, 
but  to  be  united  to  a help-meet  ; and  moreover  since  the  curse 
of  sin  has  increased  this  necessity,  — the  Lord  has  afforded  us 
ample  assistance  in  this  case  by  the  institution  of  marriage  — a 
connection  which  he  has  not  only  originated  by  his  authority, 
but  also  sanctified  by  his  blessing.  Whence  it  appears,  that 
every  other  union,  but  that  of  marriage,  is  cursed  in  his  sight  ; 
and  that  the  conjugal  union  itself  is  appointed  as  a remedy  for 
our  necessity,  that  we  may  not  break  out  into  unrestrained 
licentiousness.  Let  us  not  flatter  ourselves,  therefore,  since 
we  hear  that  there  can  be  no  cohabitation  of  male  and  female, 
except  in  marriage,  without  the  curse  of  God. 

XLII.  Now,  since  the  original  constitution  of  human  nature, 
and  the  violence  of  the  passions  consequent  upon  the  fall,  have 
rendered  a union  of  the  sexes  doubly  necessary,  except  to  those 
Avhom  God  has  exempted  from  that  necessity  by  peculiar 
grace,  let  every  one  carefully  examine  what  is  given  to  him. 
Virginity,  I acknowledge,  is  a virtue  not  to  be  despised.  But 
as  this  is  denied  to  some,  and  to  others  is  granted  only  for  a sea- 
son, let  those  who  are  troubled  with  incontinence,  and  cannot 
succeed  in  resisting  it,  avail  them^  Ives  of  the  help  of  marriage, 
that  they  may  preserve  their  chastity  according  to  the  degree 
of  their  calling.  For  persons  who  cannot  receive  this  say- 
ing,” (/)  if  they  do  not  assist  their  frailty  by  the  remedy  of- 
fered and  granted  to  them,  oppose  God  and  resist  his  ordinance. 
Here  let  no  one  object,  as  many  do  in  the  present  day,  that 
with  the  help  of  God  he  can  do  all  things.  For  the  assistance 
of  God  is  granted  only  to  them  who  walk  in  his  Avays,  that  is, 
in  their  calling  ; Avhich  is  deserted  by  all  those  Avho  neglect 
the  means  Avhich  God  has  afibrded  them,  and  strive  to  over- 


(/)  Matt.  xix.  11. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


365 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

come  their  necessities  by  vain  presumption.  That  continence 
is  a peculiar  gift  of  God,  and  of  that  kind  which  is  not  imparted 
promiscuously,  or  to  the  whole  body  of  the  Church,  but  only 
conferred  on  a few  of  its  members,  is  affirmed  by  our  Lord. 
For  he  mentions  a certain  class  of  men  who  “ have  made  them- 
selves eunuchs  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven’s  sake  ; ” (g-)  that  is, 
that  they  might  be  more  at  liberty  to  devote  their  atten- 
tion to  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  But  that  no  one 
might  suppose  this  to  be  in  the  power  of  man,  he  had  already 
declared  that  ‘‘all  men  cannot  receive  this  saying,  save  they  to 
whom  it  is  given.”  And  he  concludes,  “He  that  is  able  to  re- 
ceive it,  let  him  receive  it.”  Paul  is  still  more  explicit,  when 
he  says,  that  “ every  man  hath  his  proper  gift  of  God,  one  after 
this  manner,  and  another  after  that.”  (/i) 

XLIII.  Since  we  are  so  expressly  apprized  that  it  is  not  in 
the  power  of  every  one  to  preserve  chastity  in  celibacy,  even 
with  the  most  strenuous  efforts  for  that  purpose,  and  that  it  is 
a peculiar  grace,  which  the  Lord  confers  only  on  particular 
persons,  that  he  may  have  them  more  ready  for  his  service, 
do  we  not  resist  God,  and  strive  against  the  nature  insti- 
tuted by  him,  unless  we  accommodate  our  manner  of  life  to 
the  measure  of  our  ability  ? In  this  commandment  the  Lord 
prohibits  adultery : therefore  he  requires  of  us  purity  and  chas- 
tity. The  only  way  of  preserving  this  is,  that  every  one 
should  measure  himself  by  his  own  capacity.  Let  no  one 
rashly  despise  marriage  as  a thing  useless  or  unnecessary  to 
him ; let  no  one  prefer  celibacy,  unless  he  can  dispense  with 
a wife.  And  in  that  state  let  him  not  consult  his  carnal 
tranquillity  or  advantage,  but  only  that,  being  exempted  from 
this  restraint,  he  may  be  the  more  prompt  and  ready  for  all  the 
duties  of  piety.  Moreover,  as  this  benefit  is  conferred  upon 
many  persons  only  for  a season,  let  every  one  refrain  from 
marriage  as  long  as  he  shall  be  capable  of  supporting  a life  of 
celibacy.  When  his  strength  fails  to  overcome  his  passions, 
let  him  consider  that  the  Lord  has  laid  him  under  a necessity 
of  marrying.  This  is  evident  from  the  direction  of  the  Apostle  : 
“To  ai^id  fornication,  let  every  man  have  his  own  wife,  and 
let  every  woman  have  her  own  husband.”  Again:  “If  they 
cannot  contain,  let  them  marry.”  (i)  Here,  in  the  first  place, 
he  signifies  that  the  majority  of  men  are  subject  to  the  vice  of 
incontinence  ; in  the  next  place,  of  those  who  are  subject  to  it, 
he  makes  no  exception,  but  enjoins  them  all  to  have  recourse 
to  that  sole  remedy  which  obviates  unchastity.  Those  who 
are  incontinent,  therefore,  if  they  neglect  this  method  of  curing 
their  infirmity,  are  guilty  of  Jn,  in  not  obeying  this  injunction 
of  the  Apostle.  And  let  not  him  who  refrains  from  actual  for- 


(^)  Matt.  xix.  12. 


(/t)  1 Cor.  vii.  7. 


(i)  1 Cor.  vii.  2,  9. 


366  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

nication,  flatter  himself,  as  though  he  could  not  be  charged 
with  unchastity,  while  his  heart  at  the  same  time  is  inflamed 
with  libidinous  desire.  For  Paul  defines  chastity  to  consist 
in  sanctity  of  mind  connected  with  purity  of  body.  The 
unmarried  woman,”  he  says,  careth  for  the  things  of  the 
Lord,  that  she  may  be  holy  both  in  body  and  in  spirit.”  (A*) 
Therefore,  when  he  gives  a reason  to  confirm  the  preceding  in- 
junction, he  does  not  content  himself  with  saying  that  it  is 
better  for  a man  to  marry  than  to  pollute  himself  with  the  so- 
ciety of  a harlot,  but  affirms  that  “it  is  better  to  marry  than  to 
burn.”  (Z) 

XLIY.  Now,  if  married  persons  are  satisfied  that  their  so- 
ciety is  attended  with  the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  they  are  there- 
by admonished  that  it  must  not  be  contaminated  by  libidinous 
and  dissolute  intemperance.  For  if  the  honour  of  marriage 
conceals  the  shame  of  incontinence,  it  ought  not  on  that  ac- 
count to  be  made  an  incitement  to  it.  Wherefore  let  it  not  be 
supposed  by  married  persons  that  all  things  are  lawful  to  them. 
Every  man  should  observe  sobriety  towards  his  wife,  and  every 
wife,  reciprocally,  towards  her  husband  ; conducting  themselves 
in  such  a manner  as  to  do  nothing  unbecoming  the  decorum 
and  temperance  of  marriage.  For  thus  ought  marriage  con- 
tracted in  the  Lord  to  be  regulated  by  moderation  and  modesty, 
and  not  to  break  out  into  the  vilest  lasciviousness.  Such  sen- 
suality has  been  stigmatized  by  Ambrose  with  a severe,  but  not 
unmerited  censure,  when  he  calls  those  who  in  their  conjugal 
intercourse  have  no  regard  to  modesty  or  decorum,  the  adul- 
terers of  their  own  .wives.  Lastly,  let  us  consider  who  the  Le- 
gislator is,  by  whom  adultery  is  here  condemned.  It  is  no  other 
than  he  who  ought  to  have  the  entire  possession  of  us,  and 
justly  requires  the  whole  of  our  spirit,  soul,  and  body.  There- 
fore, when  he  prohibits  us  from  committing  adultery,  he  at  the 
same  time  forbids  us,  either  by  lasciviously  ornamenting  our 
persons,  or  by  obscene  gesticulations,  or  by  impure  expressions, 
insidiously  to  attack  the  chastity  of  others.  F or  there  is  much 
reason  in  the  address  of  Archelaus  to  a young  man  clothed  in 
an  immoderately  effeminate  and  delicate  manner,  that  it  was 
immaterial  in  what  part  he  was  immodest,  with  respect  to  God, 
who  abominates  all  contamination,  in  whatever  part  it  may  dis- 
cover itself,  either  of  soul  or  of  body.  And  that  there  may  be 
no  doubt  on  the  subject,  let  us  remember  that  God  here  recom- 
mends chastity.  If  the  Lord  requires  chastity  of  us,  he  con- 
demns every  thing  contrary  to  it.  Wherefore,  if  we  aspire  to 
obedience,  neither  let  our  mind  internally  burn  with  depraved 
concupiscence,  nor  let  our  eyes  wanton  into  corrupt  affections^ 


(k)  1 Cor.  vii.  34. 


(1)  1 Cor.  vii.  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


367 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

nor  let  our  body  be  adorned  for  purposes  of  seduction,  nor  let 
our  tongue  with  impure  speeches  allure  our  mind  to  similar 
thoughts,  nor  let  us  inflame  ourselves  with  intemperance. 
For  all  these  vices  are  stains,  by  which  the  purity  of  chastity 
is  defiled. 


THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shall  not  steal. 

XLV.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that,  as  injustice  is  an 
abomination  to  God,  every  man  may  possess  what  belongs  to 
him.  The  sum  of  it,  then,  is,  that  we  are  forbidden  to  covet 
the  property  of  others,  and  are  therefore  enjoined  faithfully  to 
use  our  endeavours  to  preserve  to  every  man  what  justly  belongs 
to  him.  For  we  ought  to  consider,  that  what  a man  possesses 
has  fallen  to  his  lot,  not  by  a fortuitous  contingency,  but  by 
the  distribution  of  the  supreme  Lord  of  all ; and  that  therefore 
no  man  can  be  deprived  of  his  possessions  by  criminal  methods, 
without  an  injury  being  done  to  the  Divine  dispenser  of  them. 
But  the  species  of  theft  are  numerous..  One  consists  in  vio- 
lence ,*  when  the  property  of  any  person  is  plundered  by  force 
and  predatory  license.  Another  consists  in  malicious  impos- 
ture ; when  it  is  taken  away  in  a fraudulent  manner.  Another 
consists  in  more  secret  cunning  ; where  any  one  is  deprived  of 
his  property  under  the  mask  of  justice.  Another  consists  in 
flatteries  ; where  we  are  cheated  under  the  pretence  of  a dona- 
tion. But  not  to  dwell  too  long  on  the  recital  of  the  difterent 
species  of  theft,  let  us  remember  that  all  artifices  by  which  the 
possessions  and  wealth  of  our  neighbours  are  transferred  to  us, 
whenever  they  deviate  from  sincere  love  into  a desire  of  de- 
ceiving, or  doing  any  kind  of  injury,  are  to  be  esteemed  acts 
of  theft.  This  is  the  only  view  in  which  God  considers  them, 
even  though  the  property  may  be  gained  by  a suit  at  law. 
For  he  sees  the  tedious  manoeuvres  with  which  the  designing 
man  begins  to  decoy  his  more  simple  neighbour,  till  at  length 
he  entangles  him  in  his  snares.  He  sees  the  cruel  and  inhuman 
laws,  by  which  the  more  powerful  man  oppresses  and  ruins 
him  that  is  weaker.  He  sees  the  baits  with  which  the  more 
crafty  trepan  the  imprudent.  All  which  things  are  concealed 
from  the  judgment  of  man,  nor  ever  come  to  his  knowledge. 
And  this  kind  of  injury  relates  not  only  to  money,  or  to  goods, 
or  to  lands,  but  to  whatever  each  individual  is  justly  entitled 
to  ; for  we  defraud  our  neighbours  of  their  property,  if  we 
deny  them  those  kind  offices,  which  it  is  our  duty  to  perform 
to  them.  If  an  idle  agent  or  steward  devour  the  substance  of 
his  master,  and  be  inattentive  to  the  care  of  his  domestic  af- 


368 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

fairs ; if  he  either  improperly  waste,  or  squander  with  a lux- 
urious profusion,  the  property  intrusted  to  him ; if  a servant 
deride  his  master,  if  he  divulge  his  secrets,  if  by  any  means  he 
betray  either  his  life  or  his  property  ; and  if,  on  the  other  hand, 
a master  inhumanly  oppress  his  family,  — God  holds  him  guilty 
of  theft.  For  the  property  of  others  is  withheld  and  misap- 
plied by  him,  who  does  not  perform  towards  them  those  of- 
fices which  the  duty  of  his  situation  requires  of  him. 

XL VI.  We  shall  rightly  obey  this  commandment  therefore, 
if,  contented  with  our  own  lot,  we  seek  no  gain  but  in  an 
honest  and  lawful  way  ,•  if  we  neither  desire  to  enrich  our- 
selves by  injustice,  nor  attempt  to  ruin  the  fortune  of  our  neigh- 
bour, in  order  to  increase  our  own  ; if  we  do  not  labour  to  accu- 
mulate wealth  by  cruelty,  and  at  the  expense  of  the  blood  of 
others ; if  we  do  not  greedily  scrape  together  from  every  quar- 
ter, regardless  of  right  or  wrong,  whatever  may  conduce  to 
satiate  our  avarice  or  support  our  prodigality.  On  the  contrary, 
it  should  be  our  constant  aim,  as  far  as  possible,  faithfully  to 
assist  all  by  our  advice  and  our  property  in  preserving  what 
belongs  to  them ; but  if  we  are  concerned  with  perfidious  and 
fallacious  men,  let  us  be  prepared  rather  to  recede  a little  from 
our  just  right  than  to  contend  with  them.  Moreover,  let  us 
communicate  to  the  necessities,  and  according  to  our  ability 
alleviate  the  poverty,  of  those  whom  we  perceive  to  be  pressed 
by  any  embarrassment  of  their  circumstances.  Lastly,  let 
every  man  examine  what  obligations  his  duty  lays  him  under 
to  others,  and  let  him  faithfully  discharge  the  duties  which  he 
owes  them.  For  this  reason  the  people  should  honour  their 
governors,  patiently  submit  to  their  authority,  obey  their  laws 
and  mandates,  and  resist  nothing,  to  which  they  can  submit 
consistently  with  the  Divine  Avill.  On  the  other  hand,  let 
governors  take  care  of  their  people,  preserve  the  public  peace, 
protect  the  good,  punish  the  wicked,  and  administer  all  things 
in  such  a manner,  as  becomes  those  who  must  render  an 
account  of  their  office  to  God  the  supreme  Judge.  Let  the 
ministers  of  churches  faithfully  devote  themselves  to  the  mi- 
nistry of  the  word,  and  let  them  never  adulterate  the  doctrine 
of  salvation,  but  deliver  it  pure  and  uncontaminated  to  the 
people  of  God.  Let  them  teach,  not  only  by  their  doctrine,  but 
by  the  example  of  their  lives  ; in  a word,  let  them  preside  as 
good  shepherds  over  the  sheep.  Let  the  people,  on  their  part, 
receive  them  as  the  messengers  and  apostles  of  God,  render  to 
them  that  honour  to  which  the  supreme  Master  has  exalted 
them,  and  furnish  them  with  the  necessaries  of  life.  Let 
parents  undertake  the  support,  government,  and  instruction  of 
their  children,  as  committed  by  God  to  their  care  ; nor  let 
them  exasperate  their  minds  and  alienate  their  affections  from 


CHAP.  VIII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


369 


them  by  cruelty,  but  cherish  and  embrace  them  with  the  lenity 
and  indulgence  becoming  their  character.  And  that  obedience 
is  due  to  them  from  their  children  has  been  before  observed. 
Let  juniors  revere  old  age,  since  the  Lord  has  designed  that 
age  to  be  honourable.  Let  old  men,  by  their  prudence  and 
superior  experience,  guide  the  imbecility  of  youth  ; not  teasing 
them  with  sharp  and  clamorous  invectives,  but  tempering  se- 
v^erity  with  mildness  and  affability.  Let  servants  show  them- 
selves obedient  and  diligent  in  the  service  of  their  masters  ; 
and  that  not  only  in  appearance,  but  from  the  heart,  as  serving 
God  himself.  Neither  let  masters  behave  morosely  and  per- 
versely to  their  servants,  harassing  them  with  excessive  aspe- 
rity, or  treating  them  with  contempt ; but  rather  acknowledge 
them  as  their  brethren  and  companions  in  the  service  of  the 
heavenly  Master,  entitled  to  be  regarded  with  mutual  affection, 
and  to  receive  kind  treatment.  In  this  manner,  I say,  let 
every  man  consider  what  duties  he  owes  to  his  neighbours,  ac- 
cording to  the  relations  he  sustains  ; and  those  duties  let  him 
discharge.  Moreover,  our  attention  should  always  be  directed 
to  the  Legislator  ; to  remind  us  that  this  law  is  ordained  for 
our  hearts  as  much  as  for  our  hands,  in  order  that  men  may 
study  both  to  protect  the  property  and  to  promote  the  interests 
of  others. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Thoii  shalt  not  hear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour. 

XLVII.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  because  God,  who 
is  truth  itself,  execrates  a lie,  we  ought  to  preserve  the  truth 
without  the  least  disguise.  The  sum  of  it  therefore  is,  that  we 
neither  violate  the  character  of  any  man,  either  by  calumnies 
or  by  false  accusations,  nor  distress  him  in  his  property  by 
falsehood,  nor  injure  him  by  detraction  or  impertinence.  This 
prohibition  is  connected  with  an  injunction  to  do  all  the  service 
we  can  to  every  man,  by  affirming  the  truth  for  the  protection 
of  his  reputation  and  his  property.  The  Lord  seems  to  have  in- 
tended the  following  words  as  an  exposition  of  this  command : 

Thou  shalt  not  raise  a false  report : put  not  thine  hand  with 
the  wicked  to  be  an  unrighteous  witness.”  Again:  ‘‘Keep 
thee  far  from  a false  matter.”  (m)  In  another  place  also  he 
not  only  forbids  us  to  practise  backbiting  and  tale-bearing 
among  the  people,  but  prohibits  every  man  from  deceiving  his 
brother : (n)  for  he  cautions  us  against  both  in  distinct  com- 
mandments. Indeed  there  is  no  doubt  but  that,  as,  in  the 
preceding  precepts,  he  has  prohibited  cruelty,  impurity,  and 


(m)  Exod.  xxiii.  1,  7. 

47 


^n)  Lev.  XIX.  16. 


VOL.  I, 


370  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

avarice,  so  in  this  he  forbids  falsehood ; of  which  there  are  two 
branches,  as  we  have  before  observed.  For  either  we  trans- 
gress against  the  reputation  of  our  neighbours  by  malignity  and 
perverse  detraction,  or  by  falsehood  and  sometimes  by  obloquy 
we  injure  their  interests.  It  is  immaterial  whether  we  sup- 
pose the  testimony  here  designed  to  be  solemn  and  judicial,  or 
a common  one,  which  is  delivered  in  private  conversations. 
For  we  must  always  recur  to  this  maxim  — that,  of  each  of  the 
separate  kinds  of  vices,  one  species  is  proposed  as  an  example, 
to  which  the  rest  may  be  referred  ; and  that,  in  general,  the 
species  selected  is  that  in  which  the  turpitude  of  the  vice  is 
most  conspicuous.  It  is  proper,  however,  to  extend  it  more 
generally  to  calumnies  and  detraction,  by  which  our  neigh- 
bours are  unjustly  harassed  ; because  falsehood  in  a forensic 
testimony  is  always  attended  with  perjury.  But  perjury,  being 
a profanation  and  violation  of  the  name  of  God,  has  already 
been  sufficiently  condemned  in  the  third  commandment.  Where- 
fore the  legitimate  observance  of  this  precept  is,  that  our  tongue, 
by  asserting  the  truth,  ought  to  serve  both  the  reputation  and 
the  profit  of  our  neighbours.  The  equity  of  this  is  self-evident. 
For  if  a good  name  be  more  precious  than  any  treasures  what- 
ever, a man  sustains  as  great  an  injury  when  he  is  deprived  of 
the  integrity  of  his  character,  as  when  he  is  despoiled  of  his 
wealth.  And  in  plundering  his  substance,  there  is  sometimes 
as  much  effected  by  false  testimony,  as  by  the  hands  of  vi- 
olence. 

XL VIII.  Nevertheless,  it  is  wonderful  with  what  supine 
security  this  precept  is  generally  transgressed,  so  that  few  per- 
sons can  be  found,  who  are  not  notoriously  subject  to  this 
malady ; we  are  so  fascinated  with  the  malignant  pleasure  of 
examining  and  detecting  the  faults  of  others.  Nor  should  we 
suppose  it  to  be  a sufficient  excuse,  that  in  many  cases  we  can- 
not be  charged  with  falsehood.  For  he  who  forbids  the  cha- 
racter of  our  brother  to  be  bespattered  with  falsehood,  wills 
also  that  as  far  as  the  truth  will  permit,  it  be  preserved  im- 
maculate. For  although  he  only  guards  it  against  falsehood, 
he  thereby  suggests  that  it  is  committed  to  his  charge.  But 
this  should  be  sufficient  to  induce  us  to  defend  the  fair  cha- 
racter of  our  neighbour  — that  God  concerns  himself  in  its 
protection.  Wherefore  detraction  is,  without  doubt,  universal- 
ly condemned.  Now,  by  detraction  we  mean,  not  reproof, 
which  is  given  from  a motive  of  correction ; not  accusation  or 
judicial  denunciation,  by  which  recompense  is  demanded  for 
an  injury ; not  public  reprehension,  which  tends  to  strike  ter- 
ror into  other  offenders ; not  a discovery  to  them  whose  safety 
depends  on  their  being  previously  warned,  that  they  may  not 
be  endangered  through  ignorance ; but  odious  crimination. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


371 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

which  arises  from  malice,  and  a violent  propensity  to  detraction. 
This  commandment  also  extends  so  far  as  to  forbid  us  to  affect 
a pleasantry  tinctured  with  scurrilous  and  bitter  sarcasms,  se- 
verely lashing  the  faults  of  others  under  the  appearance  of  sport ; 
which  is  the  practice  of  some  who  aim  at  the  praise  of  raillery, 
to  the  prejudice  of  the  modesty  and  feelings  of  others  ; for 
such  wantonness  sometimes  fixes  a lasting  stigma  on  the  cha- 
racters of  our  brethren.  Now,  if  we  turn  our  eyes  to  the  Le- 
gislator whose  proper  right  it  is  to  rule  our  ears  and  our  minds, 
as  much  as  our  tongues,  it  will  certainly  appear  that  an  avidity 
of  hearing  detraction,  and  an  unreasonable  propensity  to  unfa- 
vourable opinions  respecting  others,  are  equally  prohibited. 
For  it  would  be  ridiculous  for  any  one  to  suppose  that  God 
hates  slander  in  the  tongue,  and  does  not  reprobate  malice  in 
the  heart.  Wherefore,  if  we  possess  the  true  fear  and  love  of 
God,  let  us  make  it  our  study,  that  as  far  as  is  practicable  and 
expedient,  and  consistent  with  charity,  we  devote  neither  our 
tongues  nor  our  ears  to  opprobrious  and  malicious  raillery,  nor 
inadvertently  attend  to  unfavourable  suspicions  ; but  that,  put- 
ting fair  constructions  on  every  man’s  words  and  actions,  we 
regulate  our  hearts,  our  ears,  and  our  tongues,  with  a view  to 
preserve  the  reputation  of  all  around  us. 

THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shall  not  covet  thy  neighbour’’ s house,  thou  shall  not  covet 
thy  neighbour’ s wife,  nor  his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid- 
servant, nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  any  thing  that  is  thy 
neighbour’’  s, 

XLIX.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that,  since  it  is  the  will 
o,=  God  that  our  whole  soul  should  be  under  the  influence  of 
lo\e,  every  desire  inconsistent  with  charity  ought  to  be  ex- 
pelled from  our  minds.  The  sum,  then,  will  be,  that  no  thought 
shoidd  obtrude  itself  upon  us,  which  would  excite  in  our 
minds  any  desire  that  is  noxious,  and  tends  to  the  detriment 
of  another.  To  which  corresponds  the  affirmative  precept, 
that  all  our  conceptions,  deliberations,  resolutions,  and  Underta- 
kings, ought  to  be  consistent  with  the  benefit  and  advantage  of 
our  neighbours.  But  here  we  meet  with  what  appears  to  be 
a great  and  perplexing  difficulty.  For  if  our  previous  assertions 
be  true,  that  the  terms  adultery  and  theft  comprehend  the  licen- 
tious desire,  and  the  injurious  and  criminal  intention,  this  may 
be  thought  to  have  superseded  the  necessity  of  a separate  com- 
mand being  afterwards  introduced,  forbidding  us  to  covet  the 
possessions  of  others.  But  we  shall  easily  solve  this  difficulty 
by  a distinction  between  intention  and  concupiscence.  For  an 


372 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II 

intention,  as  we  have  before  observed  in  explaining  the  former 
commandments,  is  a deliberate  consent  of  the  will,  when  the 
mind  has  been  enslaved  by  any  unlawful  desire.  Concupis- 
cence may  exist  without  such  deliberation  or  consent,  when 
the  mind  is  only  attracted  and  stimulated  by  vain  and  corrupt 
objects.  As  the  Lord,  therefore,  has  hitherto  commanded  our 
wills,  efforts,  and  actions  to  be  subject  to  the  law  of  love,  so 
now  he  directs  that  the  conceptions  of  our  minds  be  subject  to 
the  same  regulation,  lest  any  of  them  be  corrupt  and  perverted, 
and  give  our  hearts  an  improper  impulse.  As  he  has  forbidden 
our  minds  to  be  inclined  and  persuaded  to  anger,  hatred, 
adultery,  rapine,  and  falsehood,  so  now  he  prohibits  them  from 
being  instigated  to  these  vices. 

L.  Nor  is  it  without  cause  that  he  requires  such  consummate 
rectitude.  For  who  can  deny  that  it  is  reasonable  for  all  the 
powers  of  our  souls  to  be  under  the  influence  of  love  ? But  if 
any  one  deviate  from  the  path  of  love,  who  can  deny  that  that 
soul  is  in  an  unhealthy  state  ? Now,  whence  is  it,  that  your 
mind  conceives  desires  prejudicial  to  your  neighbour,  but  that, 
neglecting  his  interest,  you  consult  nothing  but  your  own  ? For 
if  your  heart  were  full  of  love,  there  would  be  no  part  of  it 
exposed  to  such  imaginations.  It  must  therefore  be  destitute 
of  love,  so  far  as  it  is  the  seat  of  concupiscence.  Some  one 
will  object,  that  it  is  unreasonable,  that  imaginations,  which 
without  reflection  flutter  about  in  the  mind,  and  then  vanish 
away,  should  be  condemned  as  symptoms  of  concupiscence, 
which  has  its  seat  in  the  heart.  I reply,  that  the  present  ques- 
tion relates  to  that  kind  of  imaginations,  which,  when  they  are 
presented  to  our  understandings,  at  the  same  time  strike  our 
hearts,  and  inflame  them  with  cupidity ; since  the  mind  never 
entertains  a wish  for  any  thing  after  which  the  heart  is  not  ex- 
cited to  pant.  Therefore  God  enjoins  a wonderful  ardour  of 
love,  which  he  will  not  allow  to  be  interrupted  even  by  the 
smallest  degree  of  concupiscence.  He  requires  a heart  admi- 
rably well  regulated,  which  he  permits  not  to  be  disturbed 
with  the  least  emotion  contrary  to  the  law  of  love.  Do  not 
imagine  that  this  doctrine  is  unsupported  by  any  great  au- 
thority ; for  I derived  the  first  idea  of  it  from  Augustine. 
Now,  though  the  design  of  the  Lord  was  to  prohibit  us  from  all 
corrupt  desires,  yet  he  has  exhibited,  as  examples,  those  ob- 
jects which  most  generally  deceive  us  with  a fallacious  ap- 
pearance of  pleasure  ; that  he  might  not  leave  any  thing  to 
concupiscence,  after  having  driven  it  from  those  objects  towards 
which  it  is  most  violently  inclined.  Behold,  then,  the  second 
table  of  the  law,  which  sufficiently  instructs  us  in  the  duties 
we  owe  to  men  for  the  sake  of  God,  on  regard  to  whom 
the  whole  rule  of  love  depends.  The  duties  taught  in  this 


CHAP.  VIII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


373 


second  table,  therefore,  we  shall  inculcate  in  vain,  unless  our  in- 
struction be  founded  on  the  fear  and  reverence  of  God.  To 
divide  the  prohibition  of  concupiscence  into  two  precepts,  the 
discerning  reader,  without  any  comment  of  mine,  will  pro- 
nounce to  be  a corrupt  and  violent  separation  of  what  is  but 
one.  Nor  is  the  repetition  of  this  phrase,  “ Thou  shalt  not 
covet,”  any  objection  against  us;  because,  having  mentioned 
the  house  or  family,  God  enumerates  the  different  parts  of  it, 
beginning  with  the  wife.  Hence  it  clearly  appears  that  it 
ought  to  be  read,  as  it  is  correctly  read  by  the  Hebrews,  in  one 
continued  connection ; and  in  short,  that  God  commands,  that 
all  that  every  man  possesses  remain  safe  and  entire,  not  only 
from  any  actual  injury  or  fraudulent  intention,  but  even  from 
the  least  emotion  of  cupidity  that  can  solicit  our  hearts. 

LI.  But  what  is  the  tendency  of  the  whole  law,  will  not 
now  be  difficult  to  judge  : it  is  to  a perfection  of  righteousness, 
that  it  may  form  the  life  of  man  after  the  example  of  the  Di- 
vine purity.  For  God  has  so  delineated  his  own  character  in 
it,  that  the  man  who  exemplifies  in  his  actions  the  precepts  it 
contains,  will  exhibit  in  his  life,  as  it  were,  an  image  of  God. 
Wherefore,  when  Moses  would  recall  the  substance  of  it  to  the 
remembrance  of  the  Israelites,  he  said,  “ And  now,  Israel,  what 
doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord 
thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways,  and  to  love  him,  and  to  serve 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  ail  thy  soul,  to 
keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  ? ” (o)  Nor  did  he  cease 
to  reiterate  the  same  things  to  them,  whenever  he  intended  to 
point  out  the  end  of  the  law.  The  tendency  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  law  is  to  connect  man  with  his  God,  and,  as  Moses  else- 
where expresses  it,  to  make  him  cleave  to  the  Lord  in  sanctity 
of  life,  (p)  Now,  the  perfection  of  this  sanctity  consists  in  two 
principal  points,  already  recited  — “ that  we  love  the  Lord  our 
God  with  all  our  heart,  and  with  all  our  soul,  and  with  all  our 
strength,  and  with  all  our  mind  ; and  our  neighbour  as  our- 
selves.” (q)  And  the  first  is,  that  our  souls  be  completely 
filled  with  the  love  of  God.  From  this  the  love  of  our  neigh- 
bour will  naturally  follow  ; as  the  Apostle  signifies,  when  he 
says,  that  “ the  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity  out  of  a 
pure  heart,  and  of  a good  conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned.”  (r) 
Here  we  find  a good  conscience  and  faith  unfeigned,  that  is,  in 
a word,  true  piety,  stated  to  be  the  grand  source  from  which 
charity  is  derived.  He  is  deceived,  therefore,  who  supposes 
that  the  law  teaches  nothing  but  certain  rudiments  and  first 
principles  of  righteousness,  by  which  men  are  introduced  to  the 
commencement,  but  are  not  directed  to  the  true  goal  of  good 


(o)  Dent.  X.  12,  13. 

(p)  Deut.  xi.  22. 


(//)  Luke  X.  27. 
(r)  1 Tim.  i.  5. 


374  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

works  ; since  beyond  the  former  sentence  of  Moses,  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Paul,  nothing  further  can  be  wanted  to  the  highest  perfec- 
tion. For  how  far  will  he  wish  to  proceed,  who  will  not  be 
content  with  this  instruction,  by  which  man  is  directed  to  the 
fear  of  God,  to  the  spiritual  worship  of  him,  to  the  observance 
of  his  commands,  to  persevering  rectitude  in  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  to  purity  of  conscience,  and  sincere  faith  and  love  ? 
Hence  we  derive  a confirmation  of  the  foregoing  exposition  of 
the  law,  which  traces  and  finds  in  its  precepts  all  the  duties  of 
piety  and  love.  For  they  who  attend  merely  to  dry  and  barren 
elements,  as  though  it  taught  them  but  half  of  the  Divine  will, 
are  declared  by  the  Apostle  to  have  no  knowledge  of  its  end. 

LII.  But  because  Christ  and  his  Apostles,  in  reciting  the 
substance  of  the  law,  sometimes  omit  the  first  table,  (s)  many 
persons  are  deceived  in  this  point,  who  wish  to  extend  their 
expressions  to  both  tables.  In  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  Christ 
calls  judgment,  mercy,  and  faith,  the  weightier  matters  of  the 
law.”  By  the  word  faith  it  is  evident  to  me  that  he  intends 
truth  or  fidelity  towards  men.  Some,  however,  in  order  to  ex- 
tend the  passage  to  the  whole  law,  take  the  word  faith  to  mean 
religion  towards  God.  But  for  this  there  is  no  foundation ; for 
Christ  is  treating  of  those  works  by  which  man  ought  to  prove 
himself  to  be  righteous.  If  we  attend  to  this  observation,  we 
shall  cease  also  to  wopder,  why,  in  another  place,  to  the  inquiry  of 
a young  man,  what  those  commandments  are  by  the  observance 
of  which  we  enter  into  life,  he  only  returns  the  following 
answer : “ Thou  shalt  do  no  murder,  Thou  shall  not  commit 
adultery.  Thou  shalt  not  steal.  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  wit- 
ness, Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother  ; and,  Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself.”  {t)  For  obedience  to  the  first  table 
consisted  chiefly  either  in  the  disposition  of  the  heart,  or  in 
ceremonies.  The  disposition  of  the  heart  was  not  visible,  and 
the  ceremonies  were  diligently  performed  by  hypocrites  ; but 
the  works  of  charity  are  such  as  enable  us  to  give  a certain 
evidence  of  righteousness.  But  the  same  occurs  in  the  Prophets 
so  frequently,  that  it  must  be  familiar  to  the  reader  who  is  but 
tolerably  conversant  with  them.  For  in  almost  all  cases  when 
they  exhort  to  repentance,  they  omit  the  first  table,  and  insist 
on  faith,  judgment,  mercy,  and  equity.  Nor  do  they  by  this 
method  neglect  the  fear  of  God,  but*  require  substantial  proof 
of  it  from  those  marks.  It  is  well  known  that  when  they  treat 
of  the  observation  of  the  law,  they  generally  insist  on  the 
second  table  ; because  it  is  in  it  that  the  love  of  righteousness 
and  integrity  is  principally  discovered.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
quote  the  passages,  as  every  person  will  of  himself  easily  re- 
mark what  I have  stated. 


(5)  Matt,  xxiii.  23. 


p)  Matt.  xix.  18,  19. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  375 

LIII.  Is  it,  then,  it  will  be  asked,  of  more  importance  to- 
wards the  attainment  of  righteousness  to  live  innocently  with 
men,  than  piously  towards  God  ? By  no  means.  But  because 
no  man  fulfils  all  the  duties  of  charity,  unless  he  really  fear 
God,  we  derive  from  those  duties  a proof  of  his  piety.  Be- 
sides, the  Lord,  well  knowing  that  he  can  receive  no  benefit 
from  us,  which  he  also  declares  by  the  Psalmist,  {v)  requires 
not  our  services  for  himself,  but  employs  us  in  good  works 
towards  our  neighbour.  It  is  not  without  reason,  then,  that  the 
Apostle  makes  all  the  perfection  of  the  saints  to  consist  in 
love  ][io)  which  in  another  place  he  very  justly  styles  “ the 
fulfilling  of  the  law ; ” adding,  that  ‘‘  he  that  loveth  another 
hath  fulfilled  the  law.”  (:z;)  Again:  that  “all  the  law  is  ful- 
filled in  one  word,  even  in  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour 
as  thyself.”  {y)  For  he  teaches  nothing  different  from  what  is 
taught  by  Christ  himself,  when  he  says,  “ All  things  whatso- 
ever ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to 
them ; for  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets.”  {z)  It  is  certain  that 
in  the  law  and  the  prophets,  faith,  and  all  that  pertains  to  the 
legitimate  worship  of  God,  hold  the  principal  place,  and  that 
love  occupies  an  inferior  station ; but  our  Lord  intends  that  the 
observance  of  justice  and  equity  among  men  is  only  prescribed 
to  us  in  the  law,  that  our  pious  fear  of  him,  if  we  really  possess 
any,  may  be  proved  by  our  actions. 

LIY.  Here,  then,  we  must  rest,  that  our  life  will  then  be 
governed  according  to  the  will  of  God,  and  the  prescriptions 
of  his  law,  when  it  is  in  all  respects  most  beneficial  to  our 
brethren.  But  we  do  not  find  in  the  whole  law  one  syllable, 
that  lays  down  any  rule  for  a man  respecting  those  things 
which  he  should  practise  or  omit  for  his  carnal  convenience. 
And  surely,  since  men  are  born  in  such  a state,  that  they  are 
entirely  governed  by  an  immoderate  self-love,  — a passion  which, 
how  great  soever  their  departure  from  the  truth,  they  always 
retain,  — there  was  no  need  of  a law  which  would  inflame  that 
love,  already  of  itself  too  violent.  Whence  it  plainly  appears, 
that  the  observance  of  the  commandments  consists  not  in  the 
love  of  ourselves,  but  in  the  love  of  God  and  of  our  neighbour  ; 
that  his  is  the  best  and  most  holy  life,  who  lives  as  little  as 
possible  to  himself ; and  that  no  man  leads  a worse  or  more 
iniquitous  life,  than  he  who  lives  exclusively  to  himself,  and 
makes  his  own  interest  the  sole  object  of  his  thoughts  and  pur- 
suits. Moreover,  the  Lord,  in  order  to  give  us  the  best  expres- 
sion of  the  strength  of  that  love  which  we  ought  to  exercise 
towards  our  neighbours,  has  regulated  it  by  the  standard  of  our 
self-love,  because  there  was  no  stronger  or  more  vehement  af- 

(v)  Psalm  xvi.  2.  {lo)  Ephes.  iii.  17.  (x)  Rom.  xiii.  8. 

{y)  Gal.  V.  14.  (z)  Matt.  vii.  12. 


376  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

fection.  And  the  force  of  the  expression  must  be  carefully 
examined ; for  he  does  not,  according  to  the  foolish  dreams  of 
some  sophists,  concede  the  first  place  to  self-love,  and  assign 
the  second  to  the  love  of  our  neighbour  ; but  rather  transfers 
to  others  that  affection  of  love  which  we  naturally  restrict  to 
ourselves.  Whence  the  Apostle  asserts  that  “ charity  seeketh 
not  her  own.”  {a)  Nor  is  their  argument,  that  every  thing 
regulated  by  any  standard  is  inferior  to  the  standard  by  which 
it  is  regulated,  worthy  of  the  least  attention.  For  God  does 
not  appoint  our  self-love  as  the  rule,  to  which  our  love  to 
others  should  be  subordinate ; but  whereas,  through  our  natural 
depravity,  our  love  used  to  terminate  in  ourselves,  he  shows 
that  it  ought  now  to  be  diffused  abroad  ; that  we  may  be  ready 
to  do  any  service  to  our  neighbour  with  as  much  alacrity, 
ardour,  and  solicitude,  as  to  ourselves. 

LY.  Now,  since  Christ  has  demonstrated,  in  the  parable  of 
the  Samaritan,  that  the  word  neighbour  ” comprehends  every 
man,  even  the  greatest  stranger,  we  have  no  reason  to  limit  the 
commandment  of  love  to  our  own  relations  or  friends.  I do 
not  deny,  that  the  more  closely  any  person  is  united  to  us,  the 
greater  claim  he  has  to  the  assistance  of  our  kind  offices.  For 
the  condition  of  humanity  requires,  that  men  should  perform 
more  acts  of  kindness  to  each  other,  in  proportion  to  the  close- 
ness of  the  bonds  by  which  they  are  connected,  whether  of 
relationship,  or  acquaintance,  or  vicinity  ; and  this  without  any 
offence  to  God,  by  whose  providence  we  are  constrained  to  it. 
But  I assert,  that  the  whole  human  race,  without  any  excep- 
tion, should  be  comprehended  in  the  same  affection  of  love, 
and  that  in  this  respect  there  is  no  difference  between  the  bar- 
barian and  the  Grecian,  the  worthy  and  unworthy,  the  friend 
and  the  foe  ; for  they  are  to  be  considered  in  God,  and  not  in 
themselves,  and  whenever  we  deviate  from  this  view  of  the 
subject,  it  is  no  wonder  if  we  fall  into  many  errors.  Where- 
fore, if  we  wish  to  adhere  to  the  true  law  of  love,  our  eyes 
must  chiefly  be  directed,  not  to  man,  the  prospect  of  whom 
would  impress  us  with  hatred  more  frequently  than  with  love, 
but  to  God,  who  commands  that  our  love  to  him  be  diffused 
among  all  mankind  ; so  that  this  must  always  be  a fundamental 
maxim  with  us,  that  whatever  be  the  character  of  a man,  yet 
we  ought  to  love  him  because  we  love  God. 

LVI.  Wherefore  the  schoolmen  have  discovered  either  their 
ignorance  or  their  wickedness  in  a most  pestilent  manner, 
when,  treating  of  the  precepts  prohibiting  the  desire  of  re- 
venge, and  enjoining  the  love  of  our  enemies,  which  were  an- 
ciently delivered  to  all  the  Jews,  and  afterwards  equally  to  all 


{a)  1 Cor.  xiii.  5. 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  377 

Christians,  they  nave  made  them  to  be  counsels  which  we  are 
at  liberty  to  obey  or  not  to  obey,  and  have  confined  the  neces- 
sary observance  of  them  to  the  monks,  who,  on  account  of  this 
very  circumstance,  would  be  more  righteous  than  plain  Chris- 
tians, because  they  voluntarily  bound  themselves  to  observe 
these  counsels.  The  reason  which  they  assign  for  not  receiv- 
ing them  as  laws,  is,  that  they  appear  too  burdensome  and 
grievous,  especially  to  Christians  who  are  under  the  law  of 
grace.  Do  they  presume  in  this  manner  to  disannul  the  eternal 
law  of  God  respecting  the  love  of  our  neighbour  ? Is  such  a 
distinction  to  be  found  in  any  page  of  the  law  ? On  • the  con- 
trary, does  it  not  abound  with  commandments  most  strictly  en- 
joining the  love  of  our  enemies  ? For  what  is  the  meaning  of 
the  injunction  to  feed  our  neighbour  when  he  is  hungry?  (6) 
to  direct  into  the  right  way  his  oxen  or  his  asses  when  they 
are  going  astray,  and  to  help  them  when  sinking  under  a bur- 
den ? (c)  Shall  we  do  good  to  his  cattle  for  his  sake,  and  feel 
no  benevolence  to  his  person  ? What ! is  not  the  word  of  the 
Lord  eternal?  Yengeance  is  mine,  I will  repay  : ” {d)  which 
is  expressed  in  another  passage  still  more  explicitly  : Thou 
shalt  not  avenge,  nor  bear  any  grudge  against  the  children  of 
thy  people.”  (e)  Let  them  either  obliterate  these  passages  from 
the  law,  or  acknowledge  that  the  Lord  was  a Legislator,  and 
no  longer  falsely  pretend  that  he  was  only  a counsellor. 

LVII.  And  what  is  the  meaning  of  the  following  expressions, 
which  they  have  presumed  to  abuse  by  the  absurdity  of  their 
comment  ? Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you, 
do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  Avhich  de- 
spitefully  use  you,  and  persecute  you  ; that  ye  may  be  the 
children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.”  (/)  Here,  Avho 
would  not  argue  with  Chrysostom,  that  the  allegation  of  such 
a necessary  cause  clearly  proves  these  to  be,  not  exhortations, 
but  commandments?  What  have  we  left  us,  after  being  ex- 
punged from  the  number  of  the  children  of  God  ? But  accord- 
ing to  them,  the  monks  will  be  the  only  sons  of  the  heavenly 
Father  ; they  alone  will  venture  to  invoke  God  as  their  Father. 
What  will  now  become  of  the  Church  ? Upon  the  same  prin- 
ciple it  will  be  confined  to  heathen  and  publicans.  For  Christ 
says,  If  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward  have  ye  ? 
do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same  ? ” {g)  Shall  not  we  be 
111  a happy  situation,  if  they  leave  us  the  title  of  Christians, 
but  deprive  us  of  the  inheritance  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven? 
The  argument  of  Augustine  is  equally  strong.  When  the 
Lord,  says  he,  prohibits  adultery,  he  forbids  you  to  violate  the 

(6)  Prov.  XXV.  21.  {d)  Rom.  xii.  10.  (/)  MaU  v.  41,4j. 

(c)  Exod.  xxiii.  4,  5.  (e)  Lev.  xix.  18.  (g)  Matt.  v.  46. 

VOL.  I.  48 


378  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

wife  of  your  enemy  no  less  than  of  your  friend : when  he  pro- 
hibits theft,  he  permits  you  not  to  steal  from  any  one,  whether 
he  be  a friend  or  an  enemy.  Now,  Paul  reduces  these  two  pro 
hibitions  of  theft  and  adultery  to  the  rule  of  love,  and  even 
teaches  that  they  are  “ briefly  comprehended  in  this  saying, 
namely.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.”  (A)  Either, 
then,  Paul  must  have  been  an  erroneous  expositor  of  the  law, 
or  it  necessarily  follows  from  this,  that  we  are  commanded  to  love, 
not  only  our  friends,  but  also  our  enemies.  Those,  therefore, 
who  so  licentiously  shake  off  the  yoke  common  to  the  children 
of  God,  evidently  betray  themselves  to  be  the  sons  of  Satan.  It 
is  doubtful  whether  they  have  discovered  greater  stupidity  or 
impudence  in  the  publication  of  this  dogma.  For  all  the 
fathers  decidedly  pronounce  that  these  are  mere  precepts. 
That  no  doubt  was  entertained  on  the  subject  in  the  time  of 
Gregory,  appears  from  his  positive  assertions ; for  he  treats  them 
as  precepts,  as  though  it  had  never  been  controverted.  And 
how  foolishly  do  they  argue  ! They  would  be  a burden,  say 
they,  too  grievous  for  Christians  ; as  though  truly  any  thing 
could  be  conceived  more  difficult,  than  to  love  God  with  all 
our  heart,  with  all  our  soul,  and  with  all  our  strength.  Com- 
pared with  this  law,  every  thing  must  be  accounted  easy, 
whether  it  be  to  love  an  enemy,  or  to  banish  from  the  mind 
all  desire  of  revenge.  To  our  imbecility,  indeed,  every  thing 
is  arduous  and  difficult,  even  the  smallest  point  in  the  law.  It 
is  the  Lord  in  whom  we  find  strength  : let  him  giv^  what  he 
commands,  and  let  him  command  what  he  pleases.  The  being 
Christians  under  the  law  of  grace  consists  not  in  unbounded 
license  uncontrolled  by  any  law,  but  in  being  ingrafted  into 
Christ,  by  whose  grace  they  are  delivered  from  the  curse  of 
the  law,  and  by  whose  Spirit  they  have  the  law  inscribed  on 
their  hearts.  This  grace  Paul  has  figuratively  denominated  a 
law,  in  allusion  to  the  law  of  God,  to  which  he  was  comparing 
and  contrasting  it.  Their  dispute  concerning  the  word  law  is 
a dispute  about  nothing. 

LVIII.  Of  the  same  nature  is  what  they  have  called  venial 
sin  — a term  which  they  apply  to  secret  impiety,  which  is  a 
breach  of  the  first  table,  and  to  the  direct  transgression  of  the 
last  commandment.  For  this  is  their  definition,  that  it  is 
evil  desire  without  any  deliberate  assent,  and  without  any 
long  continuance  in  the  heart.”  Now,  I assert  that  evil  desire 
cannot  enter  the  heart,  except  through  a deficiency  of  those 
things  which  the  law  requires.  We  are  forbidden  to  have  any 
strange  gods.  When  the  mind,  assaulted  by  mistrust,  looks 
around  to  some  other  quarter ; when  it  is  stimulated  by  a sud- 


(/<)  Rom.  xiii.  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


379 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

den  desire  of  transferring  its  happiness  from  God  to  some  other 
being  ; whence  proceed  these  emotions,  however  transient,  but 
from  the  existence  of  some  vacant  space  in  the  soul  to  receive 
such  temptations  ? And  not  to  protract  this  argument  to  greater 
ength,  we  are  commanded  to  love  God  with  all  our  heart, 
with  all  our  mind,  and  with  all  our  soul : therefore,  unless  all 
the  powers  of  our  soul  be  intensely  engaged  in  the  love  of 
God,  we  have  already  departed  from  the  obedience  required  by 
the  law  ; for  that  the  dominion  of  God  is  not  well  established 
in  our  conscience,  is  evident,  from  the  enemies  that  there  rebel 
against  his  government,  and  interrupt  the  execution  of  his 
commands.  That  the  last  commandment  properly  belongs  to 
this  point,  has  been  already  demonstrated.  Have  we  felt  any 
evil  desire  in  our  heart  ? we  are  already  guilty  of  concupis- 
cence, and  are  become  at  once  transgressors  of  the  law ; be- 
cause the  Lord  forbids  us,  not  only  to  plan  and  attempt  any 
thing  that  would  prove  detrimental  to  another,  but  even  to  be 
stimulated  and  agitated  with  concupiscence.  Now,  the  curse 
of  God  always  rests  on  the  transgression  of  the  law.  We  have 
no  reason,  therefore,  to  exempt  even  the  most  trivial  emotions 
of  concupiscence  from  the  sentence  of  death.  In  determining 
the  nature  of  different  sins,”  says  Augustine,  “ let  us  not  use 
deceitful  balances,  to  weigh  what  we  please  and  how  we 
please,  according  to  our  own  humour,  saying.  This  is  heavy, 
— This  is  light ; but  let  us  borrow  the  Divine  balance  from 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  from  the  treasury  of  the  Lord,  and 
therein  weigh  what  is  heavy  ; or  rather  let  us  weigh  nothing 
ourselves,  but  acknowledge  the  weights  already  determined  by 
the  Lord.”  And  what  says  the  Scripture  ? The  assertion  of 
Paul,  that  “the  wages  of  sin  is  death,”  (^)  sufficiently  demon- 
strates this  groundless  distinction  to  have  been  unknown  to 
him.  As  we  have  already  too  strong  a propensity  to  hypocrisy, 
this  opiate  ought  by  no  means  to  have  been  added,  to  lull  our 
consciences  into  greater  insensibility. 

LIX.  I wish  these  persons  would  consider  the  meaning  of 
this  declaration  of  Christ  : “ Whosoever  shall  break  one  of 
these  least  commandments,  and  shall  teach  men  so,  he  shall  be 
called  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.”  {k)  Are  not  they 
of  this  number,  who  thus  presume  to  extenuate  the  transgres- 
sion of  the  law,  as  though  it  were  not  worthy  of  death  ? But 
they  ought  to  consider,  not  merely  what  is  commanded,  but 
who  it  is  that  gives  the  commands ; because  the  smallest  trans- 
gression of  the  law,  which  he  has  given,  is  a derogation  from 
his  authority.  Is  the  violation  of  the  Divine  majesty  in  any 
case  a trivial  thing  in  their  estimation?  Lastly,  if  God  has  de- 


(i)  Rom.  vi.  23. 


{k)  Matt,  V.  19. 


380  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

dared  his  will  in  the  law,  whatever  is  contrary  to  the  law  dis- 
pleases him.  Will  they  pretend  that  the  wrath  of  God  is  so 
debilitated  and  disarmed,  that  the  punishment  of  death  cannot 
immediately  follow  ? He  has  unequivocally  declared,  if  they 
could  induce  themselves  to  listen  to  his  voice,  rather  than  ob- 
scure the  plain  truth  with  their  frivolous  subtleties,  The  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shall  die  ; ” {1)  and,  which  I have  before  cited. 
The  wages  of  sin  is  death.”  (m)  They  acknowledge  it  to  be 
sin,  because  it  is  impossible  to  deny  it ; yet  they  contend  that  it 
is  not  mortal  sin.  But,  as  they  have  hitherto  too  much  re- 
signed themselves  to  infatuation,  they  should  at  length  learn  to 
return  to  the  exercise  of  their  reason.  If  they  persevere  in 
their  dreams,  we  will  take  our  leave  of  them.  Let  the  children 
of  God  know  that  all  sin  is  mortal;  because  it  is  a rebellion 
against  the  will  of  God,  which  necessarily  provokes  his  wrath  ; 
because  it  is  a transgression  of  the  law,  against  which  the  Di- 
vine judgment  is  universally  denounced  ; and  that  the  offences 
of  the  saints  are  venial,  not  of  their  own  nature,  but  because 
they  obtain  pardon  through  the  mercy  of  God. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CHRIST,  THOUGH  KNOWN  TO  THE  JEWS  UNDER  THE  LAW,  YET 
CLEARLY  REVEALED  ONLY  IN  THE  GOSPEL. 

As  it  was  not  without  reason,  or  without  effect,  that  God 
v/as  pleased,  in  ancient  times,  to  manifest  himself  as  a Father 
by  means  of  expiations  and  sacrifices,  and  that  he  consecrated  to 
himself  a chosen  people,  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  was  known, 
even  then,  in  the  same  image  in  which  he  now  appears  to  us 
with  meridian  splendour.  Therefore  Malachi,  after  having 
enjoined  the  Jews  to  attend  to  the  law  of  Moses,  and  to  perse- 
vere in  the  observance  of  it,  (because  after  his  death  there  was  to 
be  an  interruption  of  the  prophetical  office,)  immediately  an- 
nounces, that  ‘Hhe  Sun  of  righteousness  shall  arise.”  (7^)  In 
this  language  he  suggests,  that  the  law  tended  to  excite  in  the 
pious  an  expectation  of  the  Messiah  that  was  to  come,  and  that 
at  his  advent  there  was  reason  to  hope  for  a much  greater  de- 
gree of  light.  For  this  reason  Peter  says  that  “ the  Prophets 
have  inquired  and  searched  diligently  concerning  the  salvation,” 
which  is  now  manifested  in  the  gospel ; and  that  “ it  was  re- 


{l)  Ezek.  xviii.  20. 


(m)  Rom.  vi.  23. 


(rt)  Mai.  iv.  2. 


CHAP.  IX,]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  381 

vealed  to  them,  that  not  unto  themselves,  but  unto  us,  they  did 
minister  the  things  which  are  now  reported  unto  you  by  them 
that  have  preached  the  gospel  unto  you.”  (o)  Not  that  their 
instructions  were  useless  to  the  ancient  people,  or  unprofitable 
to  themselves,  but  because  they  did  not  enjoy  the  treasure, 
which  God  through  their  hands  has  transmitted  to  us.  For  in 
the  present  day,  the  grace,  which  was  the  subject  of  their  testi- 
mony, is  familiarly  exhibited  before  our  eyes ; and  whereas 
they  had  but  a small  taste,  we  have  offered  to  us  a more  copious 
fruition  of  it.  Therefore  Christ,  who  asserts  that  ‘‘  Moses  wrote 
of  him,”  {p)  nevertheless  extols  that  measure  of  grace  in 
which  we  excel  the  Jews.  Addressing  his  disciples,  he  says, 
“ Blessed  are  your  eyes,  for  they  see  ; and  your  ears,  for  they 
hear.”  {q)  “ For  I tell  you,  that  many  prophets  and  kings 

have  desired  to  see  those  things  which  ye  see,  and  have  not 
seen  them  ; and  to  hear  those  things  which  ye  hear,  and  have 
not  heard  them.”  (r)  This  is  no  small  recommendation  of  the 
evangelical  revelation,  that  God  has  preferred  us  to  those  holy 
fathers  who  were  eminent  for  singular  piety.  To  this  declara- 
tion that  other  passage  is  not  at  all  repugnant,  where  Christ  says, 
Abraham  saw  my  day,  and  was  glad.”  (s)  For  though  his 
prospect  of  a thing  so  very  remote  was  attended  with  much 
obscurity,  yet  there  was  nothing  wanting  to  the  certainty  of  a 
well  founded  hope  ; and  hence  that  joy  which  accompanied 
the  holy  patriarch  even  to  his  death.  Neither  does  this  asser- 
tion of  John  the  Baptist,  “ No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time ; 
the  only  begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he 
hath  declared  him,”  (t)  exclude  the  pious,  who  had  died  before 
his  time,  from  a participation  of  the  understanding  and  light 
which  shine  in  the  person  of  Christ ; but,  comparing  their  condi- 
tion with  ours,  it  teaches  us  that  we  have  a clear  manifestation 
of  those  mysteries,  of  which  they  had  only  an  obscure  prospect 
through  the  medium  of  shadows ; as  the  author  of  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  more  copiously  and  excellently  shows,  that 
“God,  who  at  sundry  times,  and  in  divers  manners,  spake  in 
time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days 
spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son.”  (v)  Therefore,  though  the  only 
begotten  Son,  who  is  now  to  us  “ the  brightness  of  the  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  the  person,”  (20)  of  God  the  Father, 
was  formerly  known  to  the  Jews,  as  we  have  elsewhere  shown 
by  a quotation  from  Paul,  that  he  was  the  leader  of  their  an- 
cient deliverance  from  Egypt ; yet  this  also  is  a truth,  which  is 
asserted  by  the  same  Paul  in  another  place,  that  “ God,  who 
commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in 

(0)  l Peter  i.  10—12.  (g)  Matt.  xiii.  16.  (s)  John  viii.  .'SG.  (v)  Heb.  i.  1, 2 

(p)  John  V.  46.  (r)  Luke  x.  24.  (t)  John  i.  18.  (w)  Heb.  i.  3. 


382  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.”  (a:)  For  when  he  appeared 
in  this  his  image,  he  made  himself  visible,  as  it  were,  in  com- 
parison with  the  obscure  and  shadowy  representation  of  him 
which  had  been  given  before.  This  renders  the  ingratitude  and 
obstinacy  of  those,  who  shut  their  eyes  amid  this  meridian  blaze, 
so  much  the  more  vile  and  detestable.  And  therefore  Paul 
says  that  Satan,  the  god  of  this  world,  hath  blinded  their 
minds,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ  should 
shine  unto  them.”(y) 

II.  Now,  I understand  the  gospel  to  be  a clear  manifestation 
of  the  mystery  of  Christ.  I grant  indeed,  since  Paul  styles  the 
gospel  the  doctrine  of  faith^  (z)  that  whatever  promises  we 
find  in  the  law  concerning  the  gracious  remission  of  sins,  by 
which  God  reconciles  men  to  himself,  are  accounted  parts  of  it. 
For  he  opposes  faith  to  those  terrors  which  torment  and  ha- 
rass the  conscience,  if  salvation  is  to  be  sought  by  works. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  taking  the  word  gospel  in  a large  sense, 
it  comprehends  all  those  testimonies,  which  God  formerly  gave 
to  the  fathers,  of  his  mercy  and  paternal  favour ; but  it  is  more 
eminently  applicable  to  the  promulgation  of  the  grace  exhibited 
in  Christ.  This  acceptation  is  not  only  sanctioned  by  com- 
mon use,  but  supported  by  the  authority  of  Christ  and  the 
Apostles.  Whence  it  is  properly  said  of  him,  that  he  “ preached 
the  gospel  of  the  kingdom.”  {a)  And  Mark  introduces  himself 
with  this  preface : The  beginning  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ.”  But  it  is  needless  to  collect  more  passages  to  prove  a 
thing  sufficiently  known.  Christ,  then,  by  his  advent,  hath 
brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gospel.”  {h) 
By  these  expressions  Paul  means,  not  that  the  fathers  were  im- 
merged  in  the  shades  of  death,  till  the  Son  of  God  became  in- 
carnate ; but,  claiming  for  the  gospel  this  honourable  preroga- 
tive, he  teaches  that  it  is  a new  and  unusual  kind  of  legation, 
in  which  God  has  performed  those  things  that  he  had  promised, 
that  the  truth  of  the  promises  might  appear  in  the  person  of 
his  Son.  For  though  the  faithful  have  always  experienced  the 
truth  of  the  assertion  of  Paul,  that  “ all  the  promises  of  God  in 
him  are  Yea,  and  in  him  Amen,”  (c)  because  they  have  been 
sealed  in  their  hearts,  yet,  since  he  has  completed  in  his  body 
all  the  parts  of  our  salvation,  the  lively  exhibition  of  those  things 
has  justly  obtained  new  and  singular  praise.  Hence  this  de- 
claration of  Christ : Hereafter  ye  shall  see  heaven  open,  and 
the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending  upon  the  Son  of 
man.”  {d)  For  though  he  seems  to  allude  to  the  ladder  which 

(x)  2 Cor.  iv.  6.  (y)  2 Cor.  iv.  4.  (z)  1 Tim.  iv.  6. 

(a)  Matt.  ix.  35.  {b)  2 Tim.  i.  10.  (c)  2 Cor.  i.  20.  {d)  John  i.  51. 


CHAP.  IX.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  383 

the  patriarch  Jacob  saw  in  a vision,  yet  he  displays  the  supe- 
rior excellence  of  his  advent  by  this  character  — that  he  has 
opened  the  gate  of  heaven  to  give  us  free  admittance  into  it. 

III.  Nevertheless,  we  must  beware  of  the  diabolical  imagi- 
nation of  Servetus,  who,  while  he  designs  to  extol  the  magni- 
tude of  the  grace  of  Christ,  or  at  least  professes  such  a design, 
totally  abolishes  all  the  promises,  as  though  they  were  termina- 
ted together  with  the  law.  He  pretends,  that  by  faith  in  the 
gospel  we  receive  the  completion  of  all  the  promises  ; as  though 
there  were  no  distinction  between  us  and  Christ.  I have  just 
observed,  that  Christ  left  nothing  incomplete  of  all  that  was 
essential  to  our  salvation ; but  it  is  not  a fair  inference,  that 
we  already  enjoy  the  benefits  procured  by  him ; for  this  would 
contradict  the  declaration  of  Paul,  that  “ hope  is  laid  up  for 
ns.”  (e)  I grant,  indeed,  that  when  we  believe  in  Christ,  we  at 
the  same  time  pass  from  death  to  life  ; but  we  should  also  re- 
member the  observation  of  John,  that  though  we  are  now  the 
sons  of  God,  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be  ; but  we 
know  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him ; for  we 
shall  see  him  as  he  is.”  (/)  Though  Christ,  therefore,  offers  us 
in  the  gospel  a present  plenitude  of  spiritual  blessings,  yet  the 
fruition  of  them  is  concealed  under  the  custody  of  hope,  till 
we  are  divested  of  our  corruptible  body,  and  transfigured  into 
the  glory  of  him  who  has  gone  before  us.  In  the  mean  time, 
the  Holy  Spirit  commands  us  to  rely  on  the  promises  ; and  his 
authority  we  ought  to  consider  sufficient  to  silence  all  the 
clamours  of  Servetus.  For  according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul, 
godliness  hath  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that 
which  is  to  come  ; ” (g)  and  therefore  he  boasts  of  being  an 
Apostle  of  Christ,  according  to  the  promise  of  life  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.”  (h)  In  another  place  he  apprizes  us  that  we 
have  the  same  promises  which  were  given  to  the  saints  in 
former  times,  (i)  Finally,  he  represents  it  as  the  summit  of 
felicity,  that  we  are  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  (k) 
Nor,  indeed,  have  we  otherwise  any  enjoyment  of  Christ,  any 
further  than  as  we  embrace  him  invested  with  his  promises. 
Hence  it  is,  that  he  dwells  in  our  hearts,  and  yet  we  live  like 
pilgrims  at  a distance  from  him ; because  “ we  walk  by  faith, 
and  not  by  sight.”  Nor  is  there  any  contrariety  in  these  two 
positions,  that  we  possess  in  Christ  all  that  belongs  to  the  per- 
fection of  the  life  of  heaven,  and  yet  that  faith  is  a vision  of 
invisible  blessings.  Only  there  is  a diflference  to  be  observed 
in  the  nature  or  quality  of  the  promises ; because  the  gospel 
affords  a clear  discovery  of  that  which  the  law  has  represented 
in  shadows  and  types. 

(e)  Col.  i.  5.  (g)  1 Tim.  iv.  8.  (i)  2 Cor.  vii.  1. 

(/)  1 John  iii.  2.  (h)  2 Tim.  i.  1.  (k)  Ephes.  i.  13. 


384  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

IV.  This  likewise  evinces  the  error  of  those  who  never 
make  any  other  comparison  between  the  Law  and  the  Gospel, 
than  between  the  merit  of  works  and  the  gratuitous  imputation 
of  righteousness.  This  antithesis,  I grant,  is  by  no  means  to 
be  rejected  ; because  Paul  by  the  word  laio  frequently  intends 
the  rule  of  a righteous  life,  in  which  God  requires  of  us  what 
we  owe  to  him,  affording  us  no  hope  of  life,  unless  we  fulfil 
every  part  of  it,  and,  on  the  contrary,  annexing  a curse  if  we 
are  guilty  of  the  smallest  transgression.  This  is  the  sense  in 
which  he  uses  it  in  those  passages,  where  he  argues  that  we 
are  accepted  by  God  through  grace,  and  are  accounted  righteous 
through  his  pardon  of  our  sins,  because  the  observance  of  the 
law,  to.  which  the  reward  is  promised,  is  not  to  be  found  in  any 
man.  Paul,  therefore,  justly  represents  the  righteousness  of  the 
law  and  that  of  the  gospel  as  opposed  to  each  other.  But  the 
gospel  has  not  succeeded  the  whole  law,  so  as  to  introduce  a 
different  way  of  salvation  ; but  rather  to  confirm  and  ratify  the 
promises  of  the  law,  and  to  connect  the  body  with  the  shadows. 
For  when  Christ  says  that  the  law  and  the  prophets  were 
until  John,”  he  does  not  abandon  the  fathers  to  the  curse 
which  the  slaves  of  the  law  cannot  escape ; he  rather  implies 
that  they  were  only  initiated  in  the  rudiments  of  religion,  so 
that  they  remained  far  below  the  sublimity  of  the  evangelical 
doctrine.  Wherefore,  when  Paul  calls  the  gospel  “ the  power 
of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth,”  he  after- 
wards adds  that  it  is  “ witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets.” {1)  But  at  the  end  of  the  same  Epistle,  although  he 
asserts  that  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ  is  “ the  revelation  of 
the  mystery  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began,”  he 
qualifies  this  sentiment  with  the  following  explication  — that  it 
‘‘  is  now  made  manifest,  and  by  the  Scriptures  of  the  prophets 
made  known  to  all  nations.”  (m)  Hence  we  conclude,  that 
when  mention  is  made  of  the  whole  law,  the  gospel  differs 
from  it  only  with  respect  to  a clear  manifestation  ; but  on  ac- 
count of  the  inestimable  plenitude  of  grace,  which  has  been 
displayed  to  us  in  Christ,  the  celestial  kingdom  of  God  is  justly 
said  to  have  been  erected  in  the  earth  at  his  advent. 

y.  Now,  John  was  placed  between  the  Law  and  the  Gospel, 
holding  an  intermediate  office  connected  with  both.  For 
though,  in  calling  Christ  “the  liamb  of  God”  and  “the  victim 
for  the  expiation  of  sins,”  (n)  he  preached  the  substance  of  the 
gospel ; yet,  because  he  did  not  clearly  express  that  incompara- 
ble power  and  glory  which  afterwards  appeared  in  his  resur- 
rection, Christ  affirms  that  he  is  not  equal  to  the  Apostles. 
This  is  his  meaning  in  the  following  words : “ Among  them 


(0  Rom.  i.  1C ; iii.  21. 


(m)  Rom.  xvi.  25,  26. 


(n)  John  i.  29. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  385 

that  are  born  of  women,  there  hath  not  risen  a greater  than 
John  the  Baptist : notwithstanding,  he  that  is  least  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  greater  than  he.”(o)  For  he  is  not  there 
commending  the  persons  of  men,  but  after  having  preferred 
John  to  all  the  prophets,  he  allots  the  highest  degree  of  honour 
to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  which  we  have  elsewhere  seen 
is  signified  by  “ the  kingdom  of  heaven.”  When  John  himself 
said  that  he  was  only  a ‘Woice,”  (j9)  as  though  he  were  in- 
ferior to  the  prophets,  this  declaration  proceeded  not  from  a 
pretended  humility  ; he  meant  to  signify  that  he  was  not  in- 
trusted with  a proper  embassy,  but  acted  mereiy  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  a herald,  according  to  the  prediction  of  Malachi : 

Behold,  I will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet  before  the  coming 
of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord.”((/)  Nor  indeed, 
through  the  whole  course  of  his  ministry,  did  he  aim  at  any 
thing  but  procuring  disciples  for  Christ,  which  he  also  pioves 
from  Isaiah  to  have  been  the  commission  given  him  by  God. 
In  this  sense  he  was  called  by  Christ  a burning  and  a shining 
light,”  (r)  because  the  full  day  had  not  yet  arrived.  Yet  this 
is  no  reason  why  he  should  not  be  numbered  among  the 
preachers  of  the  gospel,  as  he  used  the  same  baptism  which 
was  afterwards  delivered  to  the  apostles.  But  it  was  not  till 
after  Christ  was  received  into  the  celestial  glory,  that  the  more 
free  and  rapid  progress  of  the  apostles  completed  Avhat  John 
had  begun. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  SIMILARITY  OF  THE  OLD  AND  NEW  TESTAMENTS. 

From  the  preceding  observations  it  may  now  be  evidi.nt, 
that  all  those  persons,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  whom 
God  has  adopted  into  the  society  of  his  people,  have  been  fede- 
rally connected  with  him  by  the  same  law  and  the  same  doc- 
trine which  are  in  force  among  us  : but  because  it  is  of  no 
small  importance  that  this  point  be  established,  I shall  show, 
by  way  of  appendix,  since  the  fathers  were  partakers  with  us 
of  the  same  inheritance,  and  hoped  for  the  same  salvation 
through  the  grace  of  our  common  Mediator,  how  far  their  con- 
dition in  this  connection  was  different  from  ours.  For  though 
the  testimonies  we  have  collected  from  the  law  and  the  prophets 
in  proof  of  this,  render  it  sufficiently  evident  that  the  people 

(o)  Matt,  xi  11.  (p)  John  i.  23.  (g)  Mai.  iv.  5.  (r)  John  v.  35. 

VOL.  I.  49 


386  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1* 

of  God  have  never  had  any  other  rule  of  religion  and  piety,  yet 
because  some  writers  have  raised  many  disputes  concerning  the 
ditference  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  which  may  occasion 
doubts  in  the  mind  of  an  undiscerning  reader,  we  shall  assign  a 
particular  chapter  for  the  better  and  more  accurate  discussion  of 
this  subject.  Moreover,  what  would  otherwise  have  been  very 
useful,  has  now  been  rendered  necessary  for  us  by  Servetus  and 
some  madmen  of  the  sect  of  the  Anabaptists,  who  entertain 
no  other  ideas  of  the  Israelitish  nation,  than  of  a herd  of  swine, 
whom  they  pretend  to  have  been  pampered  by  the  Lord  in  this 
world,  without  the  least  hope  of  a future  immortality  in  heaven. 
To  defend  the  pious  mind,  therefore,  from  this  pestilent  error, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  remove  all  difficulties  which  may  arise 
from  the  mention  of  a diversity  between  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  let  us,  as  we  proceed,  examine  what  similarity 
there  is  between  them,  and  what  difference  ; what  covenant 
the  Lord  made  with  the  Israelites,  in  ancient  times,  before  the 
advent  of  Christ,  and  what  he  has  entered  into  with  us  since 
his  manifestation  in  the  flesh. 

II.  And,  indeed,  both  these  topics  may  be  despatched  in  one 
word.  The  covenant  of  all  the  fathers  is  so  far  from  differing 
substantially  from  ours,  that  it  is  the  very  same  ; it  only  varies 
in  the  administration.  But  as  such  extreme  brevity  would  not 
convey  to  any  man  a clear  understanding  of  the  subject,  it  is 
necessary,  if  we  would  do  any  good,  to  proceed  to  a more 
diffuse  explication  of  it.  But  in  showing  their  similarity,  or 
rather  unity,  it  will  be  needless  to  recapitulate  all  the  particu- 
lars which  have  already  been  mentioned,  and  unseasonable  to 
introduce  those  things  which  remain  to  be  discussed  in  some 
other  place.  We  must  here  insist  chiefly  on  three  principal 
points.  We  have  to  maintain.  First,  that  carnal  opulence  and 
felicity  were  not  proposed  to  the  Jews  as  the  mark  towards 
which  they  should  ultimately  aspire,  but  that  they  were  adopt- 
ed to  the  hope  of  immortality,  and  that  the  truth  of  this  adop- 
tion was  certified  to  them  by  oracles,  by  the  law,  and  by  the  pro- 
phets. Secondly,  that  the  covenant,  by  which  they  were  united 
to  the  Lord,  was  founded,  not  on  any  merits  of  theirs,  but  on 
the  mere  mercy  of  God  who  called  them.  Thirdly,  that  they 
both  possessed  and  knew  Christ  as  the  Mediator,  by  whom 
they  were  united  to  God,  and  became  partakers  of  his  promises. 
The  second  of  these  points,  as  perhaps  it  is  not  yet  sufficiently 
known,  shall  be  demonstrated  at  large  in  its  proper  place.  For 
we  shall  prove  by  numerous  and  explicit  testimonies  of  the 
prophets,  that  whatever  blessing  the  Lord  ever  gave  or  promised 
to  his  people,  proceeded  from  his  indulgent  goodness.  The 
third  point  has  been  clearly  demonstrated  in  several  places. 
And  we  have  not  wholly  neglected  the  first. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  387 

III.  In  discussing  the  first  point,  therefore,  because  it  princi- 
pally belongs  to  the  present  argument,  and  is  the  grand  subject 
of  their  controversy  against  us,  we  will  use  the  more  diligent 
application  ; yet  in  such  a manner,  that  if  any  thing  be  wanting 
to  the  explication  of  the  others,  it  may  be  supplied  as  we  pro- 
ceed, or  added  afterwards  in  a suitable  place.  Indeed,  the  apostle 
removes  every  doubt  respecting  all  these  points,  when  he  says, 
that  God  the  Father  ‘^promised  afore  by  his  prophets  in  the  holy 
Scriptures,  the  gospel  concerning  his  Son,”  (s)  which  he  pro- 
mulgated in  the  appointed  time  : and  again,  that  the  righteous- 
ness of  faith,  which  is  revealed  in  the  gospel,  is  witnessed  by 
the  law  and  the  prophets.”  {t)  For  the  gospel  does  not  detain 
men  in  the  joy  of  the  present  life,  but  elevates  them  to  the 
hope  of  immortality;  does  not  fasten  them  to  terrestrial  de- 
lights, but  announcing  to  them  a hope  reserved  in  heaven,  does 
as  it  were  transport  them  thither.  For  this  is  the  description 
which  he  gives  in  another  place  : “ In  whom  also  after  that  ye 
believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise, 
which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  until  the  redemption 
of  the  purchased  possession.”  (v)  Again  : We  heard  of  your 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  of  the  love  which  ye  have  to  all  the 
saints,  for  the  hope  which  is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven,  where- 
of ye  heard  before  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel.” 
Again : “ He  called  you  by  our  gospel,  to  the  obtaining  of  the 
glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.”  (x)  Whence  it  is  called  “the 
word  of  salvation,”  and  “ the  power  of  God  to  the  salvation 
of  believers,”  and  “ the  kingdom  of  heaven.”  Now,  if  the 
doctrine  of  the  gospel  be  spiritual,  and  open  a way  to  the  pos- 
session of  an  immortal  life,  let  us  not  suppose  that  they,  to 
whom  it  was  promised  and  announced,  were  totally  negligent 
and  careless  of  their  souls,  and  stupefied  in  the  pursuit  of 
corporeal  pleasures.  Nor  let  any  one  here  cavil,  that  the  pro- 
mises which  are  recorded  in  the  law  and  the  prophets,  respect- 
ing the  gospel,  were  not  designed  for  the  Jews.  For  just  after 
having  spoken  of  the  gospel  being  promised  in  the  law,  he 
adds,  “ that  what  things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them 
who  are  under  the  law.”  (y)  This  was  in  another  argument, 
I grant ; but  when  he  said  that  whatever  the  law  inculcates 
truly  belonged  to  the  Jews,  he  was  not  so  forgetful  as  not  to  re- 
member what  he  had  affirmed,  a few  verses  before,  concerning 
the  gospel  promised  in  the  law.  By  declaring  that  the  Old 
Testament  contained  evangelical  promises,  therefore,  the 
apostle  most  clearly  demonstrates  that  it  principally  related  to 
a future  life. 

IV.  For  the  same  reason  it  follows,  that  it  was  founded  on 

(s)  Rom.  i.  1 — 3 (v)  Ephes.  i.  13, 14.  (x)  2 Thess.  ii.  14. 

(t)  Rom.  iii.  2K  (w)  Col.  i.  4,  5.  (y)  Rom.  iii.  19. 


388  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

the  free  mercy  of  God,  and  confirmed  by  the  mediation  of 
Christ.  For  even  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  only  announces, 
that  sinners  are  justified  by  the  paternal  goodness  of  God,  inde- 
pendently of  any  merit  of  their  own  ; and  the  whole  substance 
of  it  terminates  in  Christ.  Who,  then,  dares  to  represent  the 
Jews  as  destitute  of  Christ,  — them  with  whom  we  are  in- 
formed the  evangelical  covenant  was  made,  of  which  Christ  is 
the  sole  foundation  ? Who  dares  to  represent  them  as  strangers 
to  the  benefit  of  a free  salvation,  to  whom  we  are  informed 
the  doctrine  of  the  righteousness  of  faith  was  communicated  ? 
But  not  to  be  prolix  in  disputing  on  a clear  point,  we  have  a 
remarkable  expression  of  the  Lord  : “ Abraham  rejoiced  to  see 
my  day  ; and  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad.”  (z)  And  what  Christ 
there  declares  concerning  Abraham,  the  apostle  shows  to  have 
been  universal  among  the  faithful,  when  he  says  that  Christ 
remains  ^^the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever.”  (a) 
For  he  there  speaks,  not  only  of  the  eternal  Divinity  of  Christ, 
but  of  his  power,  which  has  been  perpetually  manifested  to  the 
faithful.  Wherefore  both  the  blessed  Yirgin  and  Zachariah 
declare,  in  their  songs,  that  the  salvation  revealed  in  Christ  is 
a performance  of  the  promises  which  the  Lord  had  made  to 
Abraham  and  the  patriarchs,  (b)  If  the  Lord,  in  the  mani- 
festation of  Christ,  faithfully  performed  his  ancient  oath,  it  can- 
not be  denied  that  the  end  of  the  Old  Testament  was  always 
in  Christ  and  eternal  life. 

V.  Moreover  the  apostle  makes  the  Israelites  equal  to  us, 
not  only  in  the  grace  of  the  covenant,  but  also  in  the  significa- 
tion of  the  sacraments.  For  when  he  means  to  adduce  exam- 
ples of  the  punishments  with  which  the  Scripture  states  them 
to  have  been  formerly  chastised,  in  order  to  deter  the  Corin- 
thians from  running  into  similar  crimes,  he  begins  by  premi- 
sing, that  we  have  no  reason  to  arrogate  any  preeminence  to 
ourselves,  which  can  deliver  us  from  the  Divine  vengeance 
inflicted  on  them ; since  the  Lord  not  only  favoured  them  with 
the  same  benefits,  but  illustrated  his  grace  among  them  by  the 
same  symbols  ; (c)  as  though  he  had  said.  If  ye  confide  in  being 
beyond  the  reach  of  danger,  because  both  baptism  by  which  you 
have  been  sealed,  and  the  supper  which  you  daily  receive,  have 
excellent  promises,  while  at  the  same  time  you  despise  the 
Divine  goodness,  and  live  licentious  lives,  — know  ye,  that  the 
Jews  also  were  not  destitute  of  such  symbols,  though  the  Lord 
inflicted  on  them  his  severest  judgments.  They  were  baptized 
in  their  passage  through  the  sea,  and  in  the  cloud  by  which 
they  were  protected  from  the  fervour  of  the  sun.  Our  oppo- 
nents maintain  that  passage  to  have  been  a carnal  baptism, 

(z)  John  viii.  56.  (a)  Heb.  xiii.  8.  (h)  Luke  i.  54,  72.  (c)  I Cor.  x.  1 — 11, 


/ 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  389 

corresponding  in  some  degree  to  our  spiritual  one.  Bnt  if  that 
were  admitted,  the  apostle’s  argument  would  not  proceed ; for 
his  design  here  is  to  prevent  Christians  from  supposing  that 
they  excel  the  Jews  in  the  privilege  of  baptism.  Nor  is  what 
immediately  follows,  that  they  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual 
meat,  and  did  all  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink,”  which  he 
interprets  of  Christ,  liable  to  this  cavil. 

VI.  To  invalidate  this  declaration  of  Paul,  they  object  the 
assertion  of  Christ,  ‘‘Your  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  are  dead.  If  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  (that  is, 
my  flesh,)  he  shall  live  for  ever.”  {d)  But  the  two  passages  are 
reconciled  without  any  difficulty.  The  Lord,  because  he  was 
addressing  auditors  who  only  sought  to  be  satisfied  with  cor- 
poreal sustenance,  but  were  unconcerned  about  food  for  the 
soul,  accommodates  his  discourse  in  some  measure  to  their 
capacity,  and  institutes  a comparison  between  manna  and  his 
own  body,  particularly  to  strike  their  senses.  They  demand 
that  in  order  to  acquire  authority  to  himself,  he  should  prove 
his  power  by  some  miracle,  such  as  Moses  performed  in  the 
desert,  when  he  obtained  manna  from  heaven.  In  the  manna, 
however,  they  had  no  idea ’of  any  thing  but  a remedy  for  cor- 
poreal hunger,  with  which  the  people  were  then  afflicted. 
They  did  not  penetrate  to  that  sublimer  mystery  of  which  Paul 
treats.  Christ,  therefore,  to  demonstrate  the  superiority  of  the 
blessing  they  ought  to  expect  from  him,  to  that  which  they 
said  their  fathers  had  received  from  Moses,  makes  this  compa- 
rison : If  it  be  in  your  opinion  a great  and  memorable  miracle, 
that  the  Lord,  to  prevent  his  people  from  perishing  in  the  wil- 
derness, supplied  them,  by  means  of  Moses,  with  heavenly  food, 
which  served  them  as  a temporary  sustenance,  — hence  conclude 
how  much  more  excellent  that  food  must  be,  which  communi- 
cates immortality.  We  see,  then,  why  the  Lord  omitted  the 
principal  thing  designed  by  the  manna,  and  only  remarked  the 
lowest  advantage  that  resulted  from  it.  It  was  because  the 
Jews,  as  if  with  an  intention  of  reproaching  him,  contrasted 
him  with  Moses,  who  had  supplied  the  necessities  of  the  people 
with  manna.  He  replies,  that  he  is  the  dispenser  of  a far  su- 
perior favour,  in  comparison  with  which  the  corporeal  suste- 
nance of  the  people,  the  sole  object  of  their  great  admiration, 
deserves  to  be  considered  as  nothing.  Knowing  that  the  Lord, 
when  he  rained  manna  from  heaven,  not  only  poured  it  down 
for  the  support  of  their  bodies,  but  likewise  dispersed  it  as  a 
spiritual  mystery,  to  typify  that  spiritual  vivification  which  is 
experienced  in  Christ,  Paul  does  not  neglect  that  view  of  the 
subject  Avhich  is  most  deserving  of  consideration.  Wherefore 


{d)  John  vi.  49,  51. 


S90  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II, 

it  is  certainly  and  clearly  proved,  that  the  same  promises  of  an 
eternal  and  heavenly  life,  with  Avhich  the  Lord  now  favours  us, 
were  not  only  communicated  to  the  Jews,  but  even  sealed  and 
confirmed  by  sacrament's  truly  spiritual.  This  subject  is  argued 
at  length  by  Augustine  against  Faustus  the  Manichaean. 

VIL  But  if  the  reader  would  prefer  a recital  of  testimonies 
from  the  law  and  the  prophets,  to  show  him  that  the  spiritual 
covenant  was  common  also  to  the  fathers,  as  we  have  heard 
from  Christ  and  his  apostles,  — I will  attend  to  this  wish,  and 
that  with  the  greater  readiness,  because  our  adversaries  will 
thereby  be  more  decisively  confuted,  and  will  have  no  pretence 
for  any  future  cavil.  I will  begin  with  that  demonstration, 
which,  though  1 know  the  Anabaptists  will  superciliously  deem 
it  futile  and  almost  ridiculous,  yet  will  have  considerable 
weight  with  persons  of  docility  and  good  understanding.  And 
I take  it  for  granted,  that  there  is  such  a vital  efficacy  in  the 
Divine  word  as  to  quicken  the  souls  of  all  those  whom  God 
favours  with  a participation  of  it.  For  the  assertion  of  Peter 
has  ever  been  true,  that  it  is  an  incorruptible  seed,  which  ahi- 
deth  for  ever ; (e)  as  he  also  concludes  from  the  words  of 

Isaiah.  (/)  Now,  when  God  anciently  united  the  Jews  with 
himself  in  this  sacred  bond,  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  separated 
them  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  For  when  I say,  that  they 
embraced  the  word  which  was  to  connect  them  more  closely 
with  God,  I advert  not  to  that  general  species  of  communica- 
tion with  him,  which  is  diffused  through  heaven  and  earth,  and 
all  the  creatures  in  the  universe,  which  although  it  animates 
all  things  according  to  their  respective  natures,  yet  does  not 
deliver  from  the  necessity  of  corruption.  I refer  to  that  par- 
ticular species  of  communication,  by  which  the  minds  of  the 
pious  are  enlightened  into  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  in  some 
measure  united  to  him.  Since  Adam,  Abel,  Noah,  Abraham, 
and  the  other  patriarchs,  were  attached  to  God  by  such  an  illu- 
mination of  his  word,  I maintain,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
they  had  an  entrance  into  his  immortal  kingdom.  For  it  was 
a real  participation  of  God,  which  cannot  be  separated  from  the 
blessing  of  eternal  life. 

VIII.  If  the  subject  still  appear  involved  in  any  obscurity, 
let  us  proceed  to  the  very  form  of  the  covenant ; which  will 
not  only  satisfy  sober  minds,  but  will  abundantly  prove  the  ig- 
norance of  those  who  endeavour  to  oppose  it.  For  the  Lord 
has  always  made  this  covenant  with  his  servants  : “ I will  be 
your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people.”  {g)  These  expressions, 
according  to  the  common  explanation  of  the  prophets,  compre- 
hend life,  and  salvation,  and  consummate  felicity.  For  it  is  not 


(e)  1 Peter  i.  23,  25. 


(/)  Isaiah  xl.  8. 


{g)  Lev.  XX vi.  12. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  391 

without  reason  that  David  frequently  pronounces,  how  “ blessed 
is  the  nation  whose  God  is  the  Lord  ; and  the  people  whom  he 
hath  chosen  for  his  own  inheritance  ,*  ” (A)  and  that  not  on  ac- 
count of  any  earthly  felicity,  but  because  he  delivers  from 
death,  perpetually  preserves,  and  attends  with  everlasting 
mercy,  those  whom  he  has  taken  for  his  people.  As  it  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  other  prophets,  ‘‘Art  thou  not  from  everlasting, 
O Lord  my  God,  mine  Holy  One?  we  shall  not  died’ (/) 
“ The  Lord  is  our  Lawgiver,  the  Lord  is  our  King ; he  will 
save  us.”  (A)  “Happy  art  thou,  O Israel:  who  is  like  unto 
thee,  O people  saved  by  the  Lord?”(/)  But  not  to  labour 
much  on  a point  which  does  not  require  it,  we  are  frequently 
reminded,  in  reading  the  prophets,  that  we  shall  have  a pleni- 
tude of  all  blessings,  and  even  a certainty  of  salvation,  provided 
the  Lord  be  our  God.  And  that  on  good  ground ; for  if  his 
face,  as  soon  as  it  has  begun  to  shine,  be,  a present  pledge  of 
salvation,  will  God  manifest  himself  to  any  man  without  open- 
ing the  treasures  of  salvation  to  him  ? For  God  is  our  God,  on 
the  express  condition  of  his  “ walking  in  the  midst  of  us,”  as 
he  declared  by  Moses,  {m)  But  this  presence  of  his  cannot  be 
obtained  without  the  possession  of  life.  And  though  nothing 
further  had  been  expressed,  they  had  a promise  of  spiritual  life 
sufficiently  clear  in  these  words  : “ I am  the  Lord  your  God.”  {71) 
For  he  announced  that  he  would  be  a God,  not  only  to  their 
bodies,  but  chiefly  to  their  souls  ; for  the  soul,  unless  united  to 
God  by  righteousness,  remains  alienated  from  him  at  death. 
But  let  that  union  take  place,  and  it  will  be  attended  with 
eternal  salvation. 

IX.  Moreover,  he  not  only  declared  himself  to  be  their  God, 
but  promised  to  continue  so  for  ever ; in  order  that  their 
hope,  not  contented  with  present  blessings,  might  be  extended 
to  eternity.  And  that  the  use  of  the  future  tense  conveyed 
this  idea  to  them,  appears  from  many  expressions,  where  the 
faithful  console  themselves  not  only  amidst  present  evils,  but  for 
futurity,  that  God  will  never  desert  them.  But  in  regard  to  the 
second  part  of  the  promise,  he  still  more  plainly  encouraged 
them  concerning  the  extension  of  the  Divine  blessing  to  them 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  present  life  : “ I will  be  a God  to  thy 
seed  after  thee.”  (0)  For  if  he  intended  to  declare  his  benevo- 
lence to  them  after  they  were  dead,  by  blessing  their  posterity, 
much  more  would  he  not  fail  of  manifesting  his  favour  towards 
themselves.  For  God  is  not  like  men,  who  transfer  their  love 
to  the  children  of  their  friends,  because  death  takes  away  their 
opportunity  of  performing  kind  offices  to  those  who  were  ob- 

{h)  Psalm  cxliv.  15;  xxxiii.  12.  {i)  Hab.  i.  12.  (/c)  Isaiah  xxxiii.  22. 

(/)  Deut.  xxxiii.  22.  (w)  Lev.  xxvi.  12.  (n)  Exod.  vi.  7.  (y)  Gen.  xvii.  7 


392 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

jects  of  their  regard.  But  God,  whose  beneficence  is  not  in- 
terrupted by  death,  deprives  not  the  dead  of  the  blessings  of 
his  mercy,  which  for  their  sakes  he  diffuses  through  a thousand 
generations.  The  design  of  the  Lord,  therefore,  was  to  show 
them,  by  a clear  proof,  the  magnitude  and  abundance  of  his 
goodness  which  they  should  experience  after  death,  when  he 
described  its  exuberance  as  reaching  to  all  their  posterity,  {p) 
Now,  the  Lord  sealed  the  truth,  and,  as  it  were,  exhibited  the 
completion  of  this  promise,  when  he  called  himself  the  God  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  long  after  they  were  dead,  {q)  Foi 
what  is  implied  in  it  ? Would  it  not  have  been  a ridiculous 
appellation,  if  they  had  perished  ? It  would  have  been  just  as 
if  he  had  said,  I am  the  God  of  those  who  have  no  existence. 
Wherefore,  the  evangelists  relate,  that  with  this  single  argu- 
ment the  Sadducees  were  so  embarrassed  by  Christ,  (r)  as  to 
be  unable  to  deny  that  Moses  had  given  a testimony  in  favour 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  ; for  they  had  learned  from 
Moses  himself,  that  “ all  his  saints  are  in  his  hand.”  (s) 
Whence  it  was  easy  to  infer,  that  death  had  not  annihilated 
those  whom  he,  who  is  the  arbiter  of  life  and  death,  had  received 
into  his  guardianship  and  protection. 

X.  Now,  to  come  to  the  principal  point  on  which  this  con- 
troversy turns,  let  us  examine,  whether  the  faithful  themselves 
were  not  so  instructed  by  the  Lord,  as  to  be  sensible  that  they 
had  a better  life  in  another  world,  and  to  meditate  on  that  to 
the  neglect  of  the  present.  In  the  first  place,  the  course  of 
life  which  was  divinely  enjoined  them  was  a perpetual  exercise, 
by  which  they  were  reminded  that  they  were  the  most  mise- 
rable of  all  mankind,  if  they  had  no  happiness  but  in  the 
present  life.  Adam,  rendered  most  unhappy  by  the  mere  re- 
membrance of  his  lost  felicity,  finds  great  difficulty  in  supply- 
ing his  wants  by  anxious  toils,  {v)  Nor  does  the  Divine  maie- 
diction  confine  itself  to  his  manual  labours ; he  experiences 
the  bitterest  sorrow  from  that  which  was  his  only  remaining 
consolation.  Of  his  two  sons,  he  is  deprived  of  one  by  the 
parricidal  hands  of  his  brother;  the  survivor  is  deservedly  the 
object  of  his  detestation  and  abhorrence,  {id)  Abel,  cruelly 
assassinated  in  the  flower  of  his  age,  exhibits  an  example  of 
human  calamity.  Noah,  while  the  whole  world  securely 
abandons  itself  to  sensual  delights,  consumes  a valuable  part 
of  his  life  with  excessive  fatigue  in  building  the  ark.  (;^•)  His 
escape  from  death  was  attended  with  greater  distress  than  if  he 
had  died  a hundred  times.  For  besides  that  the  ark  was,  as  it 
were,  a sepulchre  to  him  for  ten  months,  {y)  nothing  could  be 

(j9)  Exod.  XX.  6.  (</)  Exod.  id.  6.  (r)  Matt.  xxii.  32 — 34.  Luke  xx.  37—40. 

{s)  Deut.  xxxiii.  3.  (v)  Gen.  iii.  17 — 19. 

(ic)  Gen.  iv.  8,  14.  (z)  Gen.  vi.  14—21.  {y)  Gen.  vii.  11  j viii.  13. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  393 

more  disagreeable  than  to  be  detained  for  so  long  a period  al- 
most immersed  in  the  ordure  of  animals.  After  having  escaped 
from  such  great  difficulties,  he  meets  with  a fresh  occasion  of 
grief.  He  sees  himself  ridiculed  by  his  own  son,  and  is  con- 
strained to  pronounce  a curse  with  his  own  mouth  upon  him, 
whom  by  the  great  goodness  of  God  he  had  received  safe  from 
the  deluge,  (z) 

XL  Abraham  is  one  who  ought  to  be  deemed  equal  to  a 
host,  if  we  consider  his  faith,  which  is  proposed  to  us  as  the 
best  standard  of  believing,  so  that  we  must  be  numbered  in  his 
family,  in  order  to  be  the  children  of  God.  Now,  what  would 
be  more  absurd,  than  that  Abraham  should  be  the  father  of  all 
the  faithful,  and  not  possess  even  the  lowest  place  among 
them  ? But  he  cannot  be  excluded  from  the  number,  nor  even 
from  the  most  honourable  station,  without  the  destruction  of 
the  whole  Church.  Now,  with  respect  to  the  circumstances  of 
his  life  ; — when  he  is  first  called,  he  is  torn  by  the  Divine  com- 
mand from  his  country,  his  parents,  and  his  friends,  the  enjoy- 
ment of  whom  is  supposed  to  give  life  its  principal  relish  ; as 
though  God  positively  intended  to  deprive  him  of  all  the  plea- 
sure«!  of  life,  (a)  As  soon  as  he  has  entered  the  land  in  which 
he  is  commanded  to  reside,  he  is  driven  from  it  by  a famine. 
He  removes,  in  search  of  relief,  to  a place  where,  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  his  own  safety,  he  finds  it  necessary  to  disown  his  wife, 
which  would  probably  be  more  afflictive  to  him  than  many 
deaths,  (b)  After  having  returned  to  the  country  of  his  resi- 
dence, he  is  again  expelled  from  it  by  famine.  What  kind  of 
felicity  is  it  to  dwell  in  such  a country,  where  he  must  so 
frequently  experience  hunger,  and  even  perish  for  want  of 
sustenance,  unless  he  leaves  it  ? In  the  country  of  Abimelech, 
he  is  again  driven  to  the  same  necessity  of  purchasing  his  own 
personal  safety  with  the  loss  of  his  wife,  (c)  While  he  wan- 
ders hither  and  thither  for  many  years  in  an  unsettled  state,  he 
is  compelled,  by  the  continual  quarrels  of  his  servants,  to  send 
away  his  nephew,  whom  he  regarded  as  a son.  (d)  There  is  no 
doubt  that  he  bore  this  separation  just  as  he  would  the  ampu- 
tation of  one  of  his  limbs.  Soon  after  he  is  informed  that 
enemies  have  carried  him  away  captive,  (e)  Whithersoever  he 
directs  his  course,  he  finds  himself  surrounded  by  savage  bar- 
barians, who  will  not  even  permit  him  to  drink  the  water  of 
wells  which  with  immense  labour  he  has  himself  digged.  For 
he  could  not  have  bought  the  use  of  them  from  the  king  of  Gerar, 
if  it  had  not  been  previously  prohibited.  (/)  When  he  arrives 
to  old  age,  beyond  the  time  of  having  children,  he  experiences 

(z)  Gen.  ix.  24, 25.  (a)  Gen.  xii.  1.  (6)  Gen.  xii.  10 — 15.  (c)  Gen.  xx.  1, 2. 

(d)  Gen.  xiii.  7 — 11.  (e)  Gen.  xiv.  12,  13.  (/)  Gen.  xxi.  25 — 30. 

VOL.  I.  50 


394  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

the  most  disagreeable  and  painful  circumstance  with  which 
that  age  is  attended,  (g)  He  sees  himself  destitute  of  posterity, 
till,  beyond  all  expectation,  he  begets  Ishmael  ; whose  birth  he 
purchases  at  a dear  rate,  while  he  is  wearied  with  the  re- 
proaches of  Sarah,  just  as  if  he  encouraged  the  contumacy  of 
his  maid-servant,  and  so  were  himself  the  cause  of  the  domestic 
disturbance.  (A)  At  length  Isaac  is  born  ; but  his  birth  is  at- 
tended with  this  condition,  that  Ishmael  the  first-born  must  be 
banished  from  the  family,  and  abandoned  like  an  enemy,  (i) 
When  Isaac  is  left  alone  to  solace  the  good  man  in  his  decli- 
ning years,  he  is  soon  after  commanded  to  sacrifice  him.  (k) 
What  can  the  human  mind  imagine  more  calamitous,  than  for 
a father  to  become  the  executioner  of  his  own  son  ? If  he  had 
been  taken  away  by  sickness,  every  one  would  have  thought 
the  aged  parent  unhappy  in  the  extreme,  as  having  had  a son 
given  him  in  mockery,  at  the  loss  of  whom,  his  former  grief 
on  account  of  his  being  destitute  of  children  would  certainly 
be  redoubled.  If  he  had  been  massacred  by  some  stranger, 
the  calamity  would  have  been  greatly  increased  by  the  horri- 
ble nature  of  his  end ; but  to  be  slain  by  his  father’s  own  hand 
exceeds  all  the  other  instances  of  distress.  In  short,  through 
the  whole  course  of  his  life,  Abraham  was  so  driven  about  and 
afflicted,  that  if  any  one  wished  to  give  an  example  of  a life 
full  of  calamity,  he  could  not  find  one  more  suitable.  Nor  let 
it  be  objected,  that  he  was  not  entirely  miserable,  because  he 
had  at  length  a prosperous  deliverance  from  such  numerous  and 
extreme  dangers.  For  we  cannot  pronounce  his  to  be  a happy 
life,  who  for  a long  period  struggles  through  an  infinity  of 
difficulties  : but  his,  who  is  exempted  from  afflictions,  and  fa- 
voured with  the  peaceful  enjoyment  of  present  blessings. 

XII.  Isaac,  though  afllicted  with  fewer  calamities,  yet  scarcely 
ever  enjoys  the  smallest  taste  of  pleasure.  He  also  experiences 
those  vexations  which  permit  not  a man  to  be  happy  in  the 
world.  Famine  drives  him  from  the  land  of  Canaan ; his 
wife  is  torn  from  his  bosom;  his  neighbours  frequently 
harass  him,  and  take  every  method  of  distressing  him,  so 
that  he  also  is  constrained  to  contend  with  them  about 
water.  (/)  In  his  own  family  he  suffers  much  uneasiness  from 
Esau’s  wives  ; (m)  he  is  distressed  by  the  discord  of  his  sons, 
and  unable  to  remedy  that  great  evil,  but  by  the  exile  of  him 
to  whom  he  had  given  the  blessing,  (n)  With  respect  to  Jacob, 
he  is  an  eminent  example  of  nothing  but  extreme  infelicity. 
He  passes  his  childhood  at  home,  amidst  the  menaces  and  ter- 
rors of  his  elder  brother,  to  which  he  is  at  length  constrained 

(g)  Gen.  XV.  2.  (h)  Gen.  xvi.  1 — 15. 

(()  Gen.  xxi.  2," 3,  10 — 14.  (/.)  Gen.  xxii.  2.  (/)  Gen.  xxyi.  1,  7,  20,  21. 

(ni)  Gen.  xxvi.  34,  35.  (n)  Gen.  xxviii.  5. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  39o 

to  give  way.  (o)  A fugitive  from  his  parents  and  his  native 
soil,  in  addition  to  the  bitterness  of  exile,  he  is  treated  with  im- 
kindness  by  his  uncle  Laban.  It  is  not  sufficient  for  him  to  en- 
dure a most  hard  and  severe  servitude  of  seven  years,  but  he  is 
fraudulently  deceived  in  a wife,  {p)  For  the  sake  of  another 
wire  he  must  enter  on  a new  servitude,  (y)  in  which,  as  he 
himself  complains,  he  is  scorched  all  the  day  by  the  fervid  rays 
of  the  sun,  and  through  the  wakeful  night  benumbed  by  the 
icy  cold,  (r)  During  twenty  years,  which  he  spends  in  such 
extreme  hardships,  he  is  daily  afflicted  with  fresh  injuries  from 
his  father-in-law.  Nor  does  he  enjoy  tranquillity  in  his  own 
family,  which  he  sees  distracted  and  almost  torn  asunder  by 
the  animosities,  contentions,  and  rivalship  of  his  wives,  (s) 
When  he  is  commanded  to  return  to  his  own  country,  he  is 
obliged  to  depart  in  a manner  resembling  an  ignominious  flight. 
Nor  even  then  can  he  escape  the  iniquity  of  his  father-in-law, 
but  is  harassed  with  his  reproaches  and  insults  in  the  midst  of 
his  journey,  {t)  Immediately  after,  he  falls  into  a much  greater 
difficulty.  For  as  he  advances  towards  his  brother,  he  has 
death  before  his  eyes  in  as  many  forms  as  a cruel  and  inveter- 
ate enemy  can  possibly  contrive.  He  is  exceedingly  tormented 
and  distracted  with  dreadful  terrors,  while  he  is  expecting  the  ap- 
proach of  his  brother  ; when  he  sees  him,  he  falls  at  his  feet  like 
a person  half  dead,  till  he  finds  him  more  reconciled  than  he 
could  have  ventured  to  hope,  {v)  Moreover,  on  his  first  en- 
trance into  the  land,  he  is  deprived  of  Rachel,  his  dearly  be- 
loved wife,  {w)  Afterwards  he  hears  that  the  son  whom  he 
had  by  her,  and  whom,  therefore,  he  loved  above  the  rest,  is 
torn  asunder  by  wild  beasts.  The  severity  of  his  grief  on  ac- 
count of  his  death  is  expressed  by  himself,  when,  after  many 
days  of  mourning,  he  obstinately  refuses  all  consolation,  saying, 
will  go  down  into  the  grave  unto  my  son  mourning.”  (r) 
In  the  mean  time,  the  rape  and  violation  of  his  daughter,  and  the 
rashness  of  his  sons  in  revenging  it,  which  not  only  made  him 
an  object  of  abhorrence  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  country, 
but  put  him  in  immediate  danger  of  being  massacred  ; Avhat 
abundant  sources  were  these  of  anxiety,  grief,  and  vexa- 
tion ! {y)  Then  follows  the  horrible  crime  of  Reuben,  his 
first-born,  than  which  no  greater  affliction  could  befall  him. 
For  if  the  pollution  of  a man’s  wife  be  numbered  among  the 
greatest  miseries,  what  shall  we  say  of  it,  when  the  crime  is 
perpetrated  by  his  own  son  1 {z)  Not  long  after,  his  family  is 
contaminated  with  incest ; (a)  so  that  such  a number  of  dis- 


(o)  Gen.  xxvii.  41 — 45. 
(/>)  Gen.  xxix.  20,  23,  25. 
\q)  Gen.  xxix.  27. 

(7 ) Gen.  xxxi.  40,  41. 


(5)  Gen.  XXX.  1. 

{t)  Gen.  xxxi.  25,  36. 
(t?)  Gen.  xxxii,  xxxiii. 
(w)  Gen.  XXXV.  19. 


{x)  Gen.  xxxvii.  32—  35. 
{y)  Gen.  xxxiv. 

(z)  Gen.  XXXV.  22. 

(rt)  Gen.  xxxviii.  IS-- 18. 


396  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

graceful  occurrences  may  be  expected  to  break  a heart  other- 
wise very  firm  and  unbroken  by  calamities.  Towards  the  end 
of  life,  when  he  is  seeking  sustenance  for  himself  and  family 
in  a season  of  famine,  his  ears  are  wounded  by  the  report  of 
a new  calamity,  which  informs  him  that  one  of  his  sons  is  de- 
tained in  prison ; and  in  order  to  recover  him  he  is  obliged  to 
intrust  his  darling  Benjamin  to  the  care  of  the  rest.  (6)  Who 
can  suppose  that  in  such  an  accumulation  of  distresses  he  had 
a single  moment  of  respite  ? He  himself,  who  is  best  able  to 
give  a testimony  respecting  himself,  declares  to  Pharaoh,  that 
his  days  on  the  earth  have  been  few  and  evil,  (c)  By  affirming 
that  he  has  lived  in  continual  miseries,  he  denies  that  he  has 
enjoyed  that  prosperity  which  the  Lord  had  promised  him. 
Therefore  either  Jacob  formed  an  improper  and  ungrateful 
estimate  of  the  favour  of  God,  or  he  spake  the  truth  in  assert- 
ing that  he  had  been  miserable  on  the  earth.  If  his  affirmation 
was  true,  it  follows  that  his  hope  was  not  fixed  on  terrestrial 
things. 

XIII.  If  these  holy  fathers  expected,  as  undoubtedly  they 
did  expect,  a life  of  happiness  from  the  hand  of  God,  they  both 
knew  and  contemplated  a different  kind  of  blessedness  from 
that  of  this  terrestrial  life.  This  the  apostle  very  beautifully 
shows,  when  he  says,  “ By  faith  Abraham  sojourned  in  the 
land  of  promise,  as  in  a strange  country,  dwelling  in  tabernacles 
with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with  him  of  the  same  promise  ; 
for  he  looked  for  a city  which  hath  foundations,  whose  build- 
er and  maker  is  God.  These  all  died  in  faith,  not  having  re- 
ceived the  promises,  but  having  seen  them  afar  off,  and  were 
persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced  them  and  confessed  that  they 
were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth.  For  they  that  say  such 
things  declare  plainly  that  they  seek  a country.  And  truly  if 
they  had  been  mindful  of  that  country  from  whence  they  came 
out,  they  might  have  had  opportunity  to  have  returned.  But 
now  they  desire  a better  country,  that  is,  a heavenly ; where- 
fore God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God ; for  he  hath 
prepared  for  them  a city.”  (c?)  For  they  would  have  been 
stupid  beyond  all  comparison,  so  steadily  to  follow  promises,  of 
which  there  appeared  no  hope  on  earth,  unless  they  had  ex- 
pected the  completion  of  them  in  another  world.  But  the 
apostle,  with  great  force,  principally  insists  on  this  — that  they 
called  the  present  life  a pilgrimage,  as  is  also  stated  by  Mo- 
ses, (e)  For  if  they  were  strangers  and  sojourners  in  the  land 
of  Canaan,  what  became  of  the  Divine  promise,  by  which  they 
had  been  appointed  heirs  of  it  ? This  manifestly  implies,  there- 
fore, that  the  promise,  which  the  Lord  had  given  them  concern- 


(h)  Gea  xlii. 


(c)  Gen.  xlvii.  9.  {d)  Heb.  xi.  9,  &c.  (c)  Gen.  xlvii.  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


397 


CHAP.  X.] 

ing  the  possession  of  it,  related  to  something  more  remote. 
Wherefore  they  never  acquired  a foot  of  land  in  Canaan, 
except  for  a sepulchre  ; by  which  they  testified  that  they  had 
no  hope  of  enjoying  the  benefit  of  the  promise  till  after  death. 
And  this  is  the  reason  why  Jacob  thought  it  so  exceedingly 
desirable  to  be  buried  there,  that  he  made  his  son  Joseph 
promise  it  to  him  by  oath ; (/)  and  why  Joseph  commanded 
that  his  bones  should  be  removed  thither,  even  several  ages 
after  his  death,  when  they  would  have  been  long  reduced  to 
ashes,  (g) 

XIY.  In  short,  it  evidently  appears,  that  in  all  the  pursuits 
of  life  they  kept  in  view  the  blessedness  of  the  future  state. 
For  why  should  Jacob  have  so  eagerly  desired,  and  exposed 
himself  to  such  danger  in  endeavouring  to  obtain,  the  primo- 
geniture, which  would  occasion  his  exile,  and  almost  his  re- 
jection from  his  family,  but  from  which  he  could  derive  no 
possible  benefit,  unless  he  had  his  views  fixed  on  a nobler 
blessing  ? And  that  such  was  his  view  he  declared  in  these 
words,  which  he  uttered  with  his  expiring  breath : “ I have 
waited  for  thy  salvation,  O Lord.”  (h)  What  salvation  could 
he  expect,  when  he  felt  himself  about  to  expire,  unless  he  had 
seen  in  death  the  commencement  of  a new  life  ? But  why  do 
we  argue  concerning  the  saints  and  children  of  God,  when 
even  one,  who  in  other  respects  endeavoured  to  oppose  the 
truth,  was  not  entirely  destitute  of  such  a knowledge  ? For 
what  was  the  meaning  of  Balaam,  when  he  said,  Let  me  die 
the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his,”  (i) 
but  the  same  which  David  afterwards  expressed  in  the  follow- 
ing words  ? Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of 
his  saints.”  (A:)  “Evil  shall  slay  the  wicked.”  (/)  If  death 
were  the  ultimate  bound  of  human  existence,  no  difference 
could  be  observed  in  it  between  the  righteous  and  the  impious ; 
the  distinction  between  them  consists  in  the  different  destinies 
which  await  them  after  death. 

XV.  We  have  not  yet  proceeded  beyond  Moses ; whose 
only  office,  our  opponents  allege,  was  to  persuade  a cainal 
people  to  the  worship  of  God  by  the  fertility  of  the  land,  and 
an  abundance  of  all  things : and  yet,  unless  any  one  wilfully 
rejects  the  evidence  presented  to  him,  we  already  discover  a 
clear  declaration  of  a spiritual  covenant.  But  if  we  come  down 
to  the  prophets,  there  we  have  the  fullest  revelation  both  of 
eternal  life  and  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  And  first,  with 
what  perspicuity  and  certainty  does  David  direct  all  his  wri- 
tings to  this  end ; though,  as  he  was  prior  to  the  rest  in  point 

(/)  Gen.  xlvii.  30.  (k)  Gen.  xlix.  18.  (k)  Psalm  cxvi.  15. 

(g)  Gen.  1.  25.  (i)  Numb,  xxiii.  10.  (1)  Psalm  xxxiv.  21. 


398  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

of  time,  so,  according  to  the  order  of  the  Divine  dispensation, 
he  shadowed  forth  the  heavenly  mysteries  more  obscurely 
than  they  did ! What  estimate  he  formed  of  his  terres- 
trial habitation,  the  following  passage  declares : I am  a 
stranger  with  thee,  and  a sojourner,  as  all  my  fathers  were. 
Verily,  every  man  at  his  best  estate  is  altogether  vanity. 
Surely  every  man  walketh  in  a vain  show.  And  now,  Lord, 
what  wait  I for?  my  hope  is  in  thee.”  (7?i)  He  who,  after 
having  confessed  that  there  is  nothing  substantial  or  permanent 
on  earth,  still  retains  the  constancy  of  his  hope  in  God,  cer- 
tainly contemplates  the  felicity  reserved  for  him  in  another 
world.  To  this  contemplation  he  frequently  recalls  the  faith- 
ful, whenever  he  wishes  to  afford  them  true  consolation.  For 
in  another  place,  after  having  spoken  of  the  brevity  and  the 
transitory  nature  of  human  life,  he  adds,  “ But  the  mercy  of 
the  Lord  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear 
him.”  (/?)  Similar  to  which  is  the  following  : ‘‘  Of  old  hast 
thou  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth  ; and  the  heavens  are 
the  work  of  thy  hands.  They  shall  perish,  but  thou  shalt 
endure  ; yea,  all  of  them  shall  wax  old  like  a garment ; as  a 
vesture  shalt  thou  change  them,  and  they  shall  be  changed ; 
but  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years  shall  have  no  end.  The 
children  of  thy  servants  shall  continue,  and  their  seed  shall  be 
established  before  thee.”  (o)  If,  notwithstanding  the  destruc- 
tion of  heaven  and  earth,  the  pious  cease  not  to  be  established 
before  the  Lord,  it  follows  that  their  salvation  is  connected 
with  his  eternity.  But  this  hope  cannot  be  at  all  supported, 
unless  it  rest  on  the  promise  which  we  find  in  Isaiah  : The 
heavens,”  saith  the  Lord,  “ shall  vanish  away  like  smoke,  and 
the  earth  shall  wax  old  like  a garment,  and  they  that  dwell 
therein  shall  die  in  like  manner  ; but  my  salvation  shall  be 
for  ever,  and  my  righteousness  shall  not  be  abolished  ; ” 
where  perpetuity  is  ascribed  to  righteousness  and  salvation, 
considered  not  as  resident  in  God,  but  as  experienced  by  men. 

XVI.  Nor  can  what  he  frequently  says  concerning  the 
prosperity  of  the  faithful  be  understood  in  any  other  sense 
than  as  referring  to  the  manifestation  of  the  glory  of  heaven. 
Such  are  the  following  passages  : ‘‘  The  Lord  preserveth  the 
souls  of  his  saints ; he  delivereth  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
wicked.  Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the 
upright  in  heart.”  (q)  Again  : The  righteousness  of  the  right- 
eous endureth  for  ever ; his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honour. 
The  desire  of  the  wicked  shall  perish.”  (r)  Again  : Surely 
the  righteous  shall  give  thanks  unto  thy  name ; the  upright 

(m)  Psalm  xxxix.  12,  5,  6,  7.  (o)  Psalm  cii.  25 — 28.  (q)  Psalm  xcvii.  10,  11. 

(w)  Psalm  ciii.  17.  {p)  Isaiah  li.  6.  (r)  Psalm  cxii.  9,  10. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  399 

shall  dwell  in  thy  presence.”  (s)  Again  : “ The  righteous 
shall  be  had  in  everlasting  remembrance.”  (l)  Again  : The 
Lord  redeemeth  the  soul  of  his  servants.”  (v)  For  the  Lord 
frequently  leaves  his  servants  to  the  rage  of  the  impious,  not 
only  to  be  harassed,  but  to  be  torn  asunder  and  ruined  ; he 
sutfers  good  men  to  languish  in  obscurity  and  meanness,  while 
the  impious  are  almost  as  glorious  as  the  stars  ; nor  does  he 
exhilarate  the  faithful  with  the  light  of  his  countenance,  so 
that  they  can  enjoy  any  lasting  pleasure.  Wherefore  David 
does  not  dissemble  that,  if  the  faithful  fix  their  eyes  on  the 
present  state  of  things,  they  will  be  most  grievously  tempted 
with  an  apprehension  lest  innocence  should  obtain  from  God 
neither  favour  nor  reward.  So  much  does  impiety  in  most  cases 
prosper  and  flourish,  while  the  pious  are  oppressed  with  ig- 
nominy, poverty,  contempt,  and  distress  of  every  kind.  My 
feet,”  says  he,  were  almost  gone;  my  steps  had  well  nigh 
slipped.  For  I was  envious  at  the  foolish,  when  I saw  the 
prosperity  of  the  wicked.”  (^^7)  At  length  he  concludes  his 
account  of  them : “ When  I thought  to  know  this,  it  was  too 
painful  for  me  ; until  I went  into  the  sanctuary  of  God ; theia 
understood  I their  end.”  (a;) 

XVII.  We  may  learn,  then,  even  from  this  confession  of 
David,  that  the  holy  fathers  under  the  Old  Testament  were  not 
ignorant,  that  God  rarely  or  never  in  this  world  gives  his  servants 
those  things  which  he  promises  them,  and  that,  therefore,  they 
elevated  their  minds  to  the  sanctuary  of  God,  where  they  had 
a treasure  in  reserve  which  is  not  visible  amid  the  shadows  of  the 
present  life.  This  sanctuary  was  the  last  judgment,  which,  not 
being  discernible  by  their  eyes,  they  were  contented  to  appre 
hend  by  faith.  Relying  on  this  confidence,  whatever  events 
might  befall  them  in  the  world,  they,  nevertheless,  had  no  doubt 
that  there  would  come  a time  when  the  Divine  promises  would 
be  fulfilled.  This  is  evident  from  the  following  passages : I 
will  behold  thy  face  in  righteousness  : I shall  be  satisfied,  when 
I awake,  with  thy  likeness.”  (y)  Again  : I am  like  a green 
olive-tree  in  the  house  of  God.”  (z)  Again  : The  righteous 
shall  flourish  like  the  palm-tree  : he  shall  grow  like  a cedar 
in  Lebanon.  Those  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord 
shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  God.  They  shall  still  bring 
forth  fruit  in  old  age  ; they  shall  be  fat  and  flourishing.”  He 
had  just  before  said,  O Lord,  how  great  are  thy  works ! and 
thy  thoughts  are  very  deep.  When  the  wicked  spring  as  the 
grass,  and  when  all  the  workers  of  iniquity  do  flourish,  it  is 
that  they  shall  be  destroyed  for  ever.”  (a)  Where  can  this 

(5)  Psalm  cxl.  13.  (?o)  Psalm  Ixxiii.  2.  (z)  Psalm  lii.  8. 

(t)  , Psalm  cxii.  6.  (x)  Psalm  Ixxiii.  16,  17.  (a)  Psalm  xcii.  12— 

(®)  Psalm  xxxiv.  22.  (?/)  Psalm  xvii.  15.  14,  5,  7. 


400  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOR  II. 

beauty  and  gracefulness  of  the  faithful  be  found,  but  where 
the  appearance  of  this  world  has  been  reversed  by  the  ma- 
nifestation of  the  kingdom  of  God  ? When  they  could  turn 
their  eyes  towards  that  eternity,  despising  the  momentary 
rigour  of  present  calamities,  they  securely  broke  forth  into 
the  following  expressions  : The  Lord  shall  never  suffer  the 
righteous  to  be  moved.  But  thou,  O God,  shalt  bring  them” 
(wicked  men)  ‘‘down  into  the  pit  of  destruction.”  (6)  Where, 
in  this  world,  is  the  pit  of  destruction,  to  absorb  the  wicked,  as 
an  instance  of  whose  felicity  it  is  mentioned  in  another  place 
that  without  languishing  for  any  long  time  “ they  go  down  to 
the  grave  in  a moment  ? ” (c)*  Where  is  that  great  stability  of 
the  saints,  whom  David  himself,  in  the  language  of  complaint, 
frequently  represents  as  not  only  troubled,  but  oppressed  and 
consumed  ? He  certainly  had  in  view,  not  any  thing  that 
results  from  the  agitations  of  the  world,  which  are  even  more 
tumultuous  than  those  of  the  sea,  but  what  will  be  accom- 
plished by  the  Lord,  when  he  shall  one  day  sit  in  judgment 
to  fix  the  everlasting  destiny  of  heaven  and  earth.  This  ap- 
pears from  another  psalm,  in  which  he  gives  the  following 
beautiful  description  : “ They  that  trust  in  their  wealth,  and 
boast  themselves  in  the  multitude  of  their  riches ; none  of 
them  can  by  any  means  redeem  his  brother,  nor  give  to  God  a 
ransom  for  him.  For  he  seeth  that  wise  men  die,  likewise 
the  fool  and  the  brutish  person  perish,  and  leave  their  wealth 
to  others.  Their  inward  thought  is,  that  their  houses  shall 
continue  for  ever,  and  their  dwelling-places  to  all  generations  ; 
they  call  their  lands  after  their  own  names.  Nevertheless  man 
being  in  honour  abideth  not  : he  is  like  the  beasts  that  perish. 
This  their  way  is  their  folly : yet  their  posterity  approve  their 
sayings.  Like  sheep  they  are  laid  in  the  grave ; death  shall 
feed  on  them  ,•  and  the  upright  shall  have  dominion  over 
them  in  the  morning  ; and  their  beauty  shall  consume  in  the 
grave  from  their  dwelling.”  (d)  In  the  first  place,  this  derision 
of  fools,  for  placing  their  dependence  on  the  mutable  and  trans- 
itory blessings  of  the  world,  shows  that  the  wise  ought  to 
seek  a very  different  felicity.  But  he  more  evidently  discloses 
the  mystery  of  the  resurrection,  when  he  establishes  the  reign 
of  the  pious  after  the  ruin  and  destruction  of  the  wicked. 
For  what  shall  we  understand  by  “ the  morning  ” which  he 
mentions,  but  the  revelation  of  a new  life  commencing  after 
the  conclusion  of  the  present  ? 

XVIII.  Hence  arose  that  reflection,  Avhich  served  the  faith- 
ful as  a consolation  under  their  miseries,  and  a remedy  for  their 
sufferings  : “ The  anger  of  the  Lord  endureth  but  a moment ; 


(b)  Psalm  Iv.  22,  23. 


(c)  Job  xxi.  13. 


(rf)  Psalm  xlix.  6,  &c. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


401 


CHAP.  X.] 

in  his  favour  is  life.”  [e]  How  did  they  limit  their  afflictions 
to  a moment,  who  were  afflicted  all  their  lifetime  ? When 
did  they  perceive  so  long  a duration  of  the  Divine  goodness, 
of  which  they  had  scarcely  the  smallest  taste  ? If  their  views 
had  been  confined  to  the  earth,  they  could  have  made  no  such 
discovery  ; but  as  they  directed  their  eyes  towards  heaven, 
they  perceived,  that  the  afflictions  with  which  the  Lord  exer- 
cises his  saints  are  but  for  a small  moment,”  and  that  the 
mercies  ” with  which  he  gathers  ” them  are  everlast- 
ing. ”(/)  On  the  other  hand,  they  foresaw  the  eternal  and 
never-ending  perdition  of  the  impious,  who  had  been  happy, 
as  in  a dream,  for  a single  day.  Hence  the  following  senti- 
ments : The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed  ; but  the  name  of 
the  wicked  shall  rot.”  {g)  ‘‘Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord 
is  the  death  of  his  saints.”  (A)  Also  in  Samuel : “ The  Lord 
will  keep  the  feet  of  his  saints,  and  the  wicked  shall  be  silent 
in  darkness.”  {i)  These  expressions  suggest  to  us,  that  they 
well  knew,  that  whatever  vicissitudes  may  befall  the  saints,  yet 
their  last  end  will  be  life  and  salvation  ; and  that  the  pros- 
perity of  the  impious  is  a pleasant  path,  which  gradually  leads 
to  the  gulf  of  everlasting  death.  Therefore  they  called  the 
death  of  such  the  “destruction  of  the  uncircumcised,”  (A;)  as 
of  those  from  whom  all  hope  of  resurrection  had  been  cut  off. 
Wherefore  David  could  not  conceive  a more  grievous  impreca- 
tion than  this : “ Let  them  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  the 
living,  and  not  be  written  with  the  righteous.”  (/) 

XIX.  But  the  following  declaration  of  Job  is  remukable 
beyond  all  others  : “I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that 
he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth ; and  though 
after  my  skin,  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall 
I see  God ; whom  I shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall 
behold,  and  not  another.”  (m)  Some,  who  wish  to  display 
their  critical  sagacity,  cavil  that  this  is  not  to  be  understood  of 
the  final  resurrection,  but  even  of  the  first  day  on  which  Job 
expected  God  to  be  more  propitious  to  him.  Though  we  partly 
concede  this,  we  shall  extort  an  acknowledgment  from  them, 
whether  they  are  willing  or  not,  that  Job  could  never  have 
attained  to  such  an  enlarged  hope,  if  his  thoughts  had  been 
confined  to  the  earth.  We  must,  therefore,  be  obliged  to  con- 
fess that  he,  who  saw  that  his  Redeemer  would  be  present 
with  him  even  when  lying  in  the  sepulchre,  must  have  eleva- 
ted his  views  to  a future  immortality.  For  to  them,  who  think 
only  of  the  present  life,  death  is  a source  of  extreme  despair, 
which,  however,  could  not  annihilate  his  hope.  “ Though  he 

(e)  Psalm  xxx.  5.  Qi)  Psalm  cxvi.  15. 

(/)  Isaiah  liv.  7,  8.  (i)  1 Sam.  ii.  9. 

{g)  Prov.  X.  7.  (/t)  Ezek.  xxviii.  10  xxxi.  18. 

VOL.  I.  51 


(l)  Psalm  Ixix.  28. 

(m)  Job  xix.  25,  &c. 


402  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  ll. 

slay  me,”  said  he,  yet  will  I trust  in  him.”  [n)  Nor  let  any 
trifler  here  object,  that  these  were  the  expressions  of  a few  per- 
sons, and  are  far  from  furnishing  proof  that  such  a doctrine  was 
current  among  the  Jews.  I will  immediately  reply,  that  these 
few  persons  did  not  in  these  declarations  reveal  any  recondite 
wisdom,  in  which  only  superior  understandings  were  separate- 
ly and  privately  instructed ; but  that  the  Holy  Spirit  having 
constituted  them  teachers  of  the  people,  they  publicly  promul- 
gated the  Divine  mysteries  which  were  to  be  generally  re- 
ceived, and  to  be  the  principles  of  the  popular  religion.  When 
we  hear  the  public  oracles  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  therefore,  in 
which  he  has  so  clearly  and  evidently  spoken  of  the  spiritual 
life  in  the  Jewish  church,  it  would  be  intolerable  perverseness 
to  apply  them  entirely  to  the  carnal  covenant,  in  which  no 
mention  is  made  but  of  the  earth  and  earthly  opulence. 

XX.  If  we  descend  to  the  later  prophets,  there  we  may 
freely  expatiate  as  quite  at  home.  For  if  it  was  not  difficult 
to  prove  our  point  from  David,  Job,  and  Samuel,  we  shall  do  it 
there  with  much  greater  facility.  For  this  is  the  order  and 
economy  which  God  observed  in  dispensing  the  covenant  of 
his  mercy,  that  as  the  course  of  time  accelerated  the  periqd  of 
its  full  exhibition,  he  illustrated  it  from  day  to  day  with  addi- 
tional revelations.  Therefore,  in  the  beginning,  when  the  first 
promise  was  given  to  Adam,  it  was  like  the  kindling  of  some 
feeble  sparks.  Subsequent  accessions  caused  a considerable 
enlargement  of  the  light,  which  continued  to  increase  more  and 
more,  and  diffused  its  splendour  through  a wide  extent, 
till  at  length,  every  cloud  being  dissipated,  Christ,  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness,  completely  illuminated  the  whole  world. 
There  is  no  reason  to  fear,  therefore,  if  we  Avant  the  suffrages 
of  the  prophets  in  support  of  our  cause,  that  they  will  fail  us. 
But  as  I perceive  it  would  be  a very  extensive  field,  which 
would  engross  more  of  our  attention  than  the  nature  of  our 
design  will  admit,  — for  it  would  furnish  matter  for  a large  vo- 
lume, — and  as  I also  think  that  by  what  has  been  already  said, 
I have  prepared  the  Avay  even  for  a reader  of  small  penetration 
to  proceed  without  any  difficulties,  I shall  abstain  from  a pro- 
lixity which  at  present  is  not  very  necessary.  I shall  only 
caution  the  reader  to  advance  with  the  clew  which  we  have  put 
into  his  hand ; namely,  that  whenever  the  prophets  mention 
the  blessedness  of  the  faithful,  scarcely  any  vestiges  of  which 
are  discernible  in  the  present  life,  he  should  recur  to  this  dis- 
tinction ; that  in  order  to  the  better  elucidation  of  the  Divine 
goodness,  the  prophets  represented  it  to  the  people  in  a figura- 
tive manner  ; but  that  they  gave  such  a representation  of  it  as 


(n)  Job  xiii.  15. 


CHAP.  X.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  403 

■VTould  withdraw  the  mind  from  earth  and  time,  and  the  ele- 
ments  of  this  world,  all  which  must  ere  long  perish,  and  would 
necessarily  excite  to  a contemplation  of  the  felicity  of  the  fu- 
ture spiritual  life. 

XXL  We  will  content  ourselves  with  one  example.  When 
the  Israelites,  after  being  carried  to  Babylon,  perceived  how 
very  much  their  dispersion  resembled  a death,  they  could 
scarcely  be  convinced  that  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel  concerning 
their  restitution  (o)  was  not  a mere  fable  ; for  they  considered 
it  in  the  same  light,  as  if  he  had  announced,  that  putrid  car- 
casses would  be  restored  to  life.  The  Lord,  in  order  to  show 
that  even  that  difficulty  would  not  prevent  him  from  displaying 
his  beneficence,  gave  the  prophet  a vision  of  a field  full  of  dry 
bones,  which  he  instantaneously  restored  to  life  and  vigour 
solely  by  the  power  of  his  word.  The  vision  served  indeed  to 
correct  the  existing  incredulity  ; but  at  the  same  time  it  re- 
minded the  Jews,  how  far  the  power  of  the  Lord  extended  be- 
yond the  restoration  of  the  people,  since  the  mere  expression 
of  his  will  so  easily  reanimated  the  dry  and  dispersed  bones. 
Wherefore  you  may  properly  compare  that  passage  with  another 
of  Isaiah  : “ Thy  dead  men  shall  live  ; together  with  my  dead 
body  shall  they  arise.  Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  dust  ; 
for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the  earth  shall  cast  out 
the  dead.  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers, 
and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  : hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a 
little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast.  For,  behold, 
the  Lord  cometh  out  of  his  place  to  punish  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  for  their  iniquity:  the  earth  also  shall  disclose  her 
blood,  and  shall  no  more  cover  her  slain.”  {p) 

XXII.  It  would  be  absurd,  however,  to  attempt  to  reduce 
every  passage  to  such  a canon  of  interpretation.  For  there  are 
some  places,  which  show  without  any  disguise  the  future  im- 
mortality which  awaits  the  faithful  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Such  are  some  which  we  have  recited,  and  such  are  many 
others,  but  particularly  these  two  ; one  in  Isaiah  : “ As  the  new 
heavens  and  the  new  earth  which  I will  make,  shall  remain  be- 
fore me,  saith  the  Lord,  so  shall  your  seed  and  your  name  re- 
main. And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  from  one  new  moon  to 
another,  and  from  one  sabbath  to  another,  shall  all  flesh  come 
to  worship  before  me,  saith  the  Lord.  And  they  shall  go  forth, 
and  look  upon  -the  carcasses  of  the  men  that  have  transgressed 
against  me  ; for  their  worm  shall  not  die,  neither  shall  their 
fire  be  quenched.”  {q)  And  another  in  Daniel : At  that  time 
shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince  which  standeth  for 
the  children  of  thy  people ; and  there  shall  be  a time  of  trouble 


(o)  Ezek.  xxxvii. 


(p)  Isaiah  xxvi.  19 — 21. 


{q)  Isaiah  Ixvi.  22 — 24. 


404  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a nation  even  to  that  same 
time  ; and  at  that  time  thy  people  shall  be  delivered,  every  one 
that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book.  And  many  of  them 
that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  ever- 
lasting life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.”  (r) 
XXIII.  Now,  the  two  remaining  points,  that  the  fathers  had 
Christ  as  the  pledge  of  their  covenant,  and  that  they  reposed  in 
him  all  their  confidence  of  the  blessing,  being  less  controverti- 
ble and  more  plain,  I shall  take  no  pains  to  prove  them.  We 
may  safely  conclude,  therefore,  what  all  the  machinations  of 
the  devil  can  never  subvert,  that  the  Old  Testament,  or  co- 
venant which  the  Lord  made  with  the  Israelitish  nation,  was 
not  limited  to  terrestrial  things,  but  contained  a promise  of 
spiritual  and  eternal  life  ; the  expectation  of  which  must  have 
been  impressed  on  the  minds  of  all  who  truly  consented  to  the 
covenant.  Then  let  us  drive  far  away  from  us  this  absurd 
and  pernicious  notion,  either  that  the  Lord  proposed  nothing 
else  to  the  Jews,  or  that  the  Jews  sought  nothing  else,  but 
an  abundance  of  food,  carnal  delights,  flourishing  wealth, 
external  power,  a numerous  offspring,  and  whatever  is  es- 
teemed valuable  by  a natural  man.  For  under  the  present 
dispensation,  Christ  promises  to  his  people  no  other  kingdom 
of  heaven,  than  where  they  may  sit  down  with  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob ; (s)  and  Peter  asserted  the  Jews  of  his  time 
to  be  heirs  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  when  he  said  that  “ they 
were  the  children  of  the  prophets,  and  of  the  covenant  which 
God  made  with  their  fathers.”  (t)  And  that  this  might  not 
only  be  testified  in  words,  the  Lord  also  proved  it  by  a matter 
of  fact.  For  on  the  day  in  which  he  rose  from  the  dead,  he 
honoured  many  of  the  saints  with  a participation  of  his  resur- 
rection, and  caused  them  to  appear  in  the  city  ; (tt)  thus  fur 
nishing  a certain  assurance  that  whatever  he  did  and  suffered 
for  the  acquisition  of  eternal  salvation,  belonged  to  the  faith- 
ful of  the  Old  Testament  as  much  as  to  us.  For,  as  Peter 
declares,  they  also  were  endued  with  the  same  Spirit,  who  is 
the  author  of  our  regeneration  to  life,  (zv)  When  we  are  in- 
formed that  the  same  Spirit,  which  is  as  it  were  a spark  of 
immortality  in  us,  and  is  therefore  called  in  one  place  “ the 
earnest  of  our  inheritance,”  (.t)  dwelt  in  a similar  manner  in 
them,  how  can  we  dare  to  deprive  them  of  the  inheritance  of 
eternal  life  ? It  is  therefore  the  more  surprising,  that  the  Sad- 
ducees  formerly  fell  into  such  stupidity  as  to  deny  the  resur- 
rection, and  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  since  they  had  proofs 
of  these  points  from  such  clear  testimonies  of  Scripture.  And 
the  folly  of  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  in  the  present  age,  in 

(r)  Dan.  xii.  1,  a.  (t)  Acts  iii.  25.  . (tc)  Acts  xv.  8. 

(s)  Matt.  viii.  il.  (u)  Matt,  xxvii.  52.  (x)  Eph.  i.  14. 


CHAP.  XI.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  405 

expecting  an  earthly  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  would  be  equal- 
ly extraordinary,  had  not  the  Scriptures  long  before  pre- 
dicted that  they  would  thus  be  punished  for  their  rejection  of 
the  gospel.  For  it  was  consistent  with  the  righteous  judgment 
of  God  to  strike  with  blindness  the  minds  of  those,  who,  re- 
jecting the  light  of  heaven  when  presented  to  them,  kept 
themselves  in  voluntary  darkness.  Therefore  they  read 
Moses,  and  assiduously  turn  over  his  pages,  but  are  prevented 
by  an  interposing  veil  from  perceiving  the  light  which  beams 
m his  countenance  ]{y)  and  thus  it  will  remain  covered  and 
concealed  to  them,  till  they  are  converted  to  Christ,  from 
whom  they  now  endeavour  as  much  as  they  can  to  withdraw 
and  divert  it. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  DIFFERENCE  OF  THE  TWO  TESTAMENTS. 

) 

What,  then,  it  will  be  said,  will  there  be  no  difference  left 
between  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New  ? and  what  becomes 
of  all  those  passages  of  Scripture,  where  they  are  compared  toge- 
ther as  things  that  are  very  different  ? I readily  admit  the  dif- 
ferences which  are  mentioned  in  the  Scripture,  but  I maintain 
that  they  derogate  nothing  from  the  unity  already  established  ; 
as  will  be  seenNvhen  we  have  discussed  them  in  proper  order. 
But  the  principal  differences,  as  far  as  my  observation  or 
memory  extends,  are  four  in  number ; to  which  if  any  one 
choose  to  add  a fifth,  I shall  not  make  the  least  objection.  I 
assert,  and  engage  to  demonstrate,  that  all  these  are  such  as 
pertain  rather  to  the  mode  of  administration,  than  to  the  sub- 
stance. In  this  view,  they  will  not  prevent  the  promises  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testament  from  remaining  the  same,  and  the 
promises  of  both  Testaments  from  having  in  Christ  the  same 
foundation.  Now,  the  first  difference  is,  that  although  it  was 
always  the  will  of  the  Lord  that  the  minds  of  his  people  should 
be  directed,  and  their  hearts  elevated,  towards  the  celestial  in- 
heritance, yet,  in  order  that  they  might  be  the  better  encouraged 
to  hope  for  it,  he  anciently  exhibited  it  for  their  contemplation 
and  partial  enjoyment  under  the  figures  of  terrestrial  blessings 
Now,  having  by  the  gospel  more  clearly  and  explicitly  re- 
vealed the  grace  of  the  future  life,  he  leaves  the  inferior  mode 
of  instruction  which  he  used  with  the  Israelites,  and  directs 

{y)  2 Cor.  iii.  14 — 16. 


406  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

our  minds  to  tlie  immediate  contemplation  of  it.  Those  who 
overlook  this  design  of  God,  suppose  that  the  ancients  ascended 
no  higher  than  the  corporeal  blessings  which  were  promised 
them ; they  so  frequently  hear  the  land  of  Canaan  mentioned 
as  the  eminent,  and  indeed  the  only,  reward  for  the  observers 
of  the  Divine  law.  They  hear  that  God  .threatens  the  trans- 
gressors of  this  law  with  nothing  more  severe  than  being  ex- 
j)e]led  from  the  possession  of  that  country,  and  dispersed  into 
foreign  lands.  They  see  this  to  be  nearly  the  whole  substance 
of  all  the  blessings  and  of  all  the  curses  pronounced  by  Moses. 
Hence  they  confidently  conclude,  that  the  Jews  were  separa- 
ted from  other  nations,  not  for  their  own  sakes,  but  for  ours, 
that  the  Christian  Church  might  have  an  image,  in  whose  ex- 
ternal form  they  could  discern  examples  of  spiritual  things. 
But  since  the  Scripture  frequently  shows,  that  God  himself 
appointed  the  terrestrial  advantages  with  which  he  favoured 
them  for  the  express  purpose  of  leading  them  to  the  hope  of 
celestial  blessings,  it  argued  extreme  inexperience,  not  to  say 
stupidity,  not  to  consider  such  a dispensation.  The  point  of 
controversy  between  us  and  these  persons,  is  this : they  main- 
tain that  the  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan  was  accounted 
by  the  Israelites  their  supreme  and  ultimate  blessedness,  but 
that  to  us,  since  the  revelation  of  Christ,  it  is  a figure  of  the 
heavenly  inheritance.  We,  on  the  contrary,  contend,  that  in 
the  earthly  possession  which  they  enjoyed,  they  contemplated, 
as  in  a mirror,  the  future  inheritance  which  they  believed  to 
be  prepared  for  them  in  heaven. 

II.  This  will  more  fully  appear  from  the  similitude  which 
Paul  has  used  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  {z)  He  compares 
the  Jewish  nation  to  a young  heir,  who,  being  yet  incapable  of 
governing  himself,  follows  the  dictates  of  a tutor  or  a governor, 
to  whose  charge  he  has  been  committed.  His  application  of 
this  similitude  chiefly  to  the  ceremonies,  is  no  objection  against 
the  propriety  of  its  application  to  our  present  purpose.  The 
same  inheritance  was  destined  for  them  as  for  us ; but  they 
were  not  of  a sufficient  age  to  be  capable  of  entering  on  the 
possession  and  management  of  it.  The  Church  among  them 
was  the  same  as  among  us  ; but  it  was  yet  in  a state  of  child- 
hood. Therefore  the  Lord  kept  them  under  this  tuition,  that 
he  might  give  them  the  spiritual  promises,  not  open  and  un- 
concealed, but  veiled  under  terrestrial  figures.  Therefore, 
when  he  admitted  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  with  their  pos- 
terity, to  the  hope  of  immortality,  he  promised  them  the  land 
of  Canaan  as  their  inheritance  ; not  that  their  hopes  might 
le?minate  in  that  land,  but  that  in  the  prospect  of  it  they  might 


(z)  Gal.  iv. 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  407 

exercise  and  confirm  themselves  in  the  liope  of  that  true  in- 
heritance which  was  not  yet  visible.  And  that  they  might 
not  be  deceived,  a superior  promise  was  given  them,  which 
nroved  that  country  not  to  be  the  highest  blessing  which  God 
would  bestow.  Thus  Abraham  is  not  permitted  to  grow  indo- 
lent after  having  received  a promise  of  the  land,  but  a greater 
promise  elevates  his  mind  to  the  Lord.  For  he  hears  him 
saying,  Abram,  I am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceeding  great  re- 
ward.” {a)  Here  we  see  that  the  Lord  proposes  himself  to 
Abraham  as  his  ultimate  reward,  that  he  may  not  seek  an  un- 
certain and  transitory  one  in  the  elements  of  this  world,  but 
may  consider  that  which  can  never  fade  away.  God  after- 
wards annexes  a promise  of  the  land,  merely  as  a symbol  of  his 
benevolence,  and  a type  of  the  heavenly  inheritance.  And 
that  this  was  the  opinion  of  the  saints,  is  plain  from  their  own 
language.  Thus  David  rises  from  temporary  blessings  to  that 
consummate  and  ultimate  felicity.  My  soul  longeth,  yea, 
even  fainteth,  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord.”(^>)  ‘‘God  is  my 
portion  for  ever.”  (c)  Again  : “ The  Lord  is  the  portion  of 
mine  inheritance  and  of  my  cup  : thou  maintainest  my  lot.”  {d) 
Again : “ I cried  unto  thee,  O Lord  : I said,  Thou  art  my 
refuge  and  my  portion  in  the  land  of  the  living.”  (e)  Persons 
who  venture  to  express  themselves  thus,  certainly  profess  that 
in  their  hopes  they  rise  above  the  world  and  all  present  bless- 
ings. Nevertheless  the  prophets  frequently  describe  this  bless- 
edness of  the  future  world  under  the  type  which  the  Lord  had 
given  them.  In  this  sense  we  must  understand  the  following 
passages  : “ The  righteous  shall  inherit  the  land  ; ” (/)  “ But 

the  wicked  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  earth  ; ” {g)  and  various 
predictions  of  Isaiah,  which  foretell  the  future  prosperity  of  Je- 
rusalem, and  the  abundance  that  will  be  enjoyed  in  Zion. 
We  see  that  all  these  things  are  inapplicable  to  the,  land  of  our 
pilgrimage,  or  to  the  earthly  Jerusalem,  but  that  they  belong  to 
the  true  country  of  the  faithful,  and  to  that  celestial  city,  where 
“ the  Lord  commanded  the  blessing,  even  life  for  evermore.”  {h) 
III.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  saints,  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, are  represented  as  holding  this  mortal  life  with  its 
blessings  in  higher  estimation  than  becomes  us  now.  For  al- 
though they  well  knew  that  they  ought  not  to  rest  in  it  as  the 
end  of  their  course,  yet  when  they  recollected  what  characters 
of  his  grace  the  Lord  had  impressed  on  it,  in  order  to  instruct 
them  in  a manner  suitable  to  their  tender  state,  they  felt  a 
greater  degree  of  pleasure  in  it  than  if  they  had  considered  it 
merely  in  itself.  But  as  the  Lord,  in  declaring  his  benevolence 

(a)  Gen.  xv.  1.  (h)  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  2.  (c)  Psalm  Ixxiii.  26. 

{d)  Psalm  xvi.  5.  (e)  Psalm  cxlii.  5. 

(/)  Psalm  xxxvii.  2.9.  {g)  Prov.  ii.  22.  (/i)  Psalm  cxxxiii.  3. 


408  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [eOOK  II. 

to  the  faithful  by  present  blessings,  gave  them,  under  these 
types  and  symbols,  a figurative  exhibition  of  spiritual  felicity, 
so,  on  the  other  hand,  in  corporal  punishments  he  exemplified 
his  judgment  against  the  reprobate.  Therefore,  as  the  favours 
of  God  were  more  conspicuous  in  earthly  things,  so  also  were  his 
punishments.  Injudicious  persons,  not  considering  this  analogy 
and  harmony  (so  to  speak)  between  the  punishments  and  re- 
wards, wonder  at  so  great  a variety  in  God,  that  in  ancient 
times  he  was  ready  to  avenge  all  the  transgressions  of  men  by 
the  immediate  infliction  of  severe  and  dreadful  punishments,  but 
now,  as  if  he  had  laid  aside  his  ancient  wrath,  punishes  with 
far  less  severity  and  frecpiency  ; and  on  this  account  they 
almost  adopt  the  notion  of  the  Manichseans,  that  the  God  of  the 
Old  Testament  is  a different  being  from  the  God  of  the  New. 
But  we  shall  easily  get  rid  of  such  difficulties,  if  we  direct  our 
attention  to  that  dispensation  of  God,  which  I have  observed  ; 
namely,  that  during  that  period,  in  which  he  gave  the  Israelites 
his  covenant  involved  in  some  degree  of  obscurity,  he  intended 
to  signify  and  prefigure  the  grace  of  future  and  eternal  felicity 
by  terrestrial  blessings,  and  the  grievousness  of  spiritual  death 
by  corporal  punishments. 

IV.  Another  difference  between  the  Old  Testament  and  the 
New  consists  in  figures,  because  the  former,  in  the  absence  of 
the  truth,  displayed  merely  an  image  and  shadow  instead  of 
the  body  ; but  the  latter  exhibits  the  present  truth  and  the  sub- 
stantial body.  (^)  And  this  is  generally  mentioned  wherever 
the  New  Testament  is  opposed  to  the  Old,  but  is  treated  more 
at  large  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  than  in  any  other 
place,  (k)  The  apostle  is  there  disputing  against  those  Avho 
supposed  that  the  observance  of  the  Mosaic  law  could  not  be 
abolished,  without  being  followed  by  the  total  ruin  of  religion. 
To  refute  this  error,  he  adduces  the  prediction  of  the  psalmist 
concerning  the  priesthood  of  Christ ; (1)  for  since  he  has  an 
eternal  priesthood  committed  to  him,  Ave  may  argue  the  cer- 
tain abolition  of  that  priesthood,  in  which  ucav  priests  daily 
succeeded  each  other,  (m)  But  he  proves  the  superiority  of 
the  appointment  of  this  new  Priest,  because  it  is  confirmed 
with  an  oath.  (71)  He  afterwards  adds  that  this  transfer  of  the 
priesthood  implies  also  a change  of  the  covenant.  (0)  And  he 
proves  that  this  change  Avas  necessary,  because  such  Avas  the 
imbecility  of  the  law,  that  it  could  bring  nothing  to  perfec- 
tion. (p)  Then  he  proceeds  to  state  the  nature  of  this  imbe- 
cility ; namely,  that  the  laAV  prescribed  external  righteousnesses, 
consisting  in  carnal  ordinances,  Avhich  could  not  make  the  ob- 

(^)  Col.  ii.  17.  (J>-)  Heb.  x.  1,  &c.  (/)  Heb.  vii.  17.  Psalm  cx.  4. 

Heb.  vii.  23,  24.  (71)  Heb.  vii.  20,  21.  (0)  Heb.  vii.  12.  (j:?)  Heb.  vii.  19. 


CHAP.  XI.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  409 

servers  of  them  “ perfect  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience,”  that 
by  animal  victims  it  could  neither  expiate  sins  nor  procure 
true  holiness,  (q)  He  concludes,  therefore,  that  it  contained  “a 
shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  but  not  the  very  image  of  the 
things ; ” (r)  and  that  consequently  it  had  no  other  office,  bnt 
to  serve  as  an  introduction  to  ‘^a  better  hope,”  (s)  which  is  ex- 
hibited in  the  gospel.  Here  we  have  to  inquire  in  what 
respect  the  Legal  covenant  is  compared  with  the  Evangelical, 
the  ministry  of  Christ  with  the  ministry  of  Moses.  For  if  the 
comparison  related  to  the  substance  of  the  promises,  there 
would  be  a great  discordance  between  the  two  testaments ; 
but  as  the  state  of  the  question  leads  us  to  a dilferent  point, 
we  must  attend  to  the  scope  of  the  apostle,  in  order  to  discover 
the  truth.  Let  us,  then,  bring  forward  the  covenant,  which 
God  has  once  made,  which  is  eteornal,  and  never  to  be  abo- 
lislu'd.  The  accomplishment,  whence  it  derives  its  establish- 
ment and  ratification,  is  Christ.  While  such  a confirmation 
was  waited  for,  the  Lord  by  Moses  prescribed  ceremonies,  to 
servi"*-  as  solemn  symbols  of  the  confirmation.  It  came  to  be  a 
subject  of  contention,  whether  the  ceremonies  ordained  in  the 
law  ought  to  cease  and  give  place  to  Christ.  Now,  though  these 
ceremonies  were  only  accidents  or  concomitants  of  the  covenant, 
yet  being  the  instruments  of  its  administration,  they  bear  the 
name  of  the  covenant ; as  it  is  common  to  give  to  other  sacra- 
ments the  names  of  the  things  they  represent.  In  a word,  there- 
fore, what  is  here  called  the  Old  Testament  is  a solemn  method 
of  confirming  the  covenant,  consisting  of  ceremonies  and  sacri- 
fices. Since  it  contains  nothing  substantial,  unless  we  pro- 
ceed further,  the  apostle  contends  that  it  ought  to  be  repealed 
and  abrogated,  in  order  to  make  way  for  Christ,  the  Surety  and 
Mediator  of  a better  testament,  (^)  by  whom  eternal  sanctifica- 
tion has  been  at  once  procured  for  the  elect,  and  those  trans- 
gressions obliterated,  which  remained  under  the  law.  Or,  if 
you  prefer  it,  take  the  following  statement  of  it  ; that  the  Old 
Testament  of  the  Lord  was  that  which  was  delivered  to  the 
Jews,  involved  in  a shadowy  and  inefficacious  observance  of 
ceremonies,  and  that  it  was  therefore  temporary,  because  it  re- 
mained as  it  were  in  suspense,  till  it  was  supported  by  a firm 
and  substantial  confirmation ; but  that  it  was  made  new  and 
eternal,  when  it  was  consecrated  and  established  by  the  blood 
of  Christ.  Whence  Christ  calls  the  cup  which  he  gives  to 
his  disciples  in  the  supper,  the  cup  of  the  New  Teslament  in 
his  blood ; ” (u)  to  signify  that  when  the  testament  of  God  is 
sealed  with  his  blood,  the  truth  of  it  is  then  accomplished,  and 
thus  it  is  made  new  and  eternal. 

(q)  Heb.  ix.  13,  14  ; x.  4.  (r)  Heb.  x.  1.  (s)  Heb.  vii.  19. 

(1)  Heb.  vii.  22.  (u)  Matt,  xxvi  28. 

VOL.  I.  52 


410  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

V.  Hence  it  appears  in  what  sense  the  apostle  said,  that  the 
Jews  were  conducted  to  Christ  by  the  tuition  of  the  law,  be- 
fore he  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,  {lu)  He  confesses  also 
that  they  were  children  and  heirs  of  God,  but  such  as,  on  ac- 
count of  their  age,  required  to  be  kept  under  the  care  of  a 
tutor,  {x)  For  it  was  reasonable  that  before  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness was  risen,  there  should  be  neither  such  a full  blaze 
of  revelation,  nor  such  great  clearness  of  understanding. 
Therefore  the  Lord  dispensed  the  light  of  his  Avord  to  them 
in  such  a manner,  that  they  had  yet  only  a distant  and  obscure 
prospect  of  it.  Paul  describes  this  slenderness  of  understand- 
ing as  a state  of  childhood,  which  it  was  the  Lord’s  will  to 
exercise  in  the  elements  of  this  world  and  in  external  obser- 
vances, as  rules  of  puerile  discipline,  till  the  manifestation  of 
Christ,  by  Avhom  the  knowledge  of  the  faithful  was  to  grow  to 
maturity.  Christ  himself  alluded  to  this  distinction,  when  he 
said,  The  law  and  the  prophets  were  until  John  : since  that 
time  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached:”  {y)  What  discoveries 
did  Moses  and  the  prophets  make  to  their  contemporaries  ? 
They  afforded  them  some  taste  of  that  wisdom  which  A^'as  in 
after  times  to  be  clearly  manifested,  and  gave  them  a distant 
prospect  of  its  future  splendour.  But  when  Christ  could  be 
plainly  pointed  out,  the  kingdom  of  God  was  revealed.  For 
in  him  are  discovered  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knoAv- 
ledge,”  (2:)  by  which  we  penetrate  almost  into  the  furthest  re- 
cesses of  heaven. 

YI.  Nor  is  it  any  objection  to  our  argument,  that  scarcely  a 
person  can  be  found  in  the  Christian  Church,  Avho  is  to  be 
compared  Avith  Abraham  in  the  excellency  of  his  faith  ; or 
that  the  prophets  Avere  distinguished  by  such  energy  of  the 
Spirit  as,  even  at  this  day,  is  sufficient  to  illuminate  the  Av-hole 
Avorld.  For  our  present  inquiry  is,  not  Avhat  grace  the  Lord 
has  conferred  on  a feAV,  but  what  is  the  ordinary  method 
Avhich  he  has  pursued  in  the  instruction  of  his  people ; such  as 
is  found  even  among  the  prophets  themselves,  Avho  were  endued 
Avith  peculiar  knoAvledge  above  others.  For  their  preaching  is 
obscure,  as  relating  to  things  very  distant,  and  is  comprehended 
in  types.  Besides,  notAvithstanding  their  Avonderful  eminence 
in  knoAvledge,  yet  because  they  Avere  under  a necessity  of  sub- 
mitting to  the  same  tuition  as  the  rest  of  the  people,  they  are 
considered  as  sustaining  the  character  of  children  as  Avell  as 
others.  «f^inally,  none  of  them  possessed  knoAvledge  so  clear 
as  not  to  partake  more  or  less  of  the  obscurity  of  the  age. 
Whence  this  obserA^ation  of  Christ  : Many  prophets  and 
kings  have  desired  to  see  those  things  Avhich  ye  see,  and  have 


(w)  Gal.  ill.  24. 


{%)  Gal.  iv.  1,  &c. 


{y)  Luke  xvi.  16.  (z)  Col.  ii.  3. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


411 


CHAP.  XI.] 

not  seen  them  ; and  to  hear  those  things  which  ye  hear,  and 
have  not  heard  them.”  («)  ^‘Blessed  are  your  eyes,  for  they 
see;  and  your  ears,  for  they  hear.”(Z>)  And,  indeed,  it  is 
reasonable  that  the  presence  of  Christ  should  be  distinguished 
by  the  prerogative  of  introducing  a clearer  revelation  of  the 
mysteries  of  heaven.  To  the  same  purpose  also  is  the  passage, 
which  we  have  before  cited  from  the  First  Epistle  of  Peter, 
that  it  was  revealed  to  them,  that  the  principal  advantage  of 
their  labours  would  be  experienced  in  our  times,  (c) 

VII.  I come  now  to  the  third  difference,  which  is  taken 
from  Jeremiah,  whose  words  are  these : “ Behold,  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I will  make  a new  covenant  with 
the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Judah  ; not  accord- 
ing to  the  covenant  that  I made  with  their  fathers  in  the  day 
that  I took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt ; which  my  covenant  they  brake,  although  I was  a 
husband  to  them,  saith  the  Lord ; but  this  shall  be  the  cove- 
nant that  I will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel.  After  those 
days,  saith  the  Lord,  I will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts, 
and  write  it  in  their  hearts ; and  will  be  their  God,  and  they 
shall  be  my  people.  And  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man 
his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying.  Know  the 
Lord ; for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least  of  them  unto 
the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord ; for  I will  forgive  their 
iniquity,  and  I will  remember  their  sin  no  more.”  {d)  From 
this  passage  the  apostle  took  occasion  to  institute  the  following 
comparison  between  the  law  and  the  gospel : he  calls  the  for- 
mer a literal,  the  latter  a spiritual  doctrine ; the  former, 
he  says,  was  engraven  on  tables  of  stone,  but  the  latter 
is  inscribed  on  the  heart ; (e)  the  former  was  the  preaching 
of  death,  but  the  latter  of  life ; the  former  was  the  minis- 
tration of  condemnation,  but  the  latter  of  righteousness ; the 
former  is  abolished,  but  the  latter  remains.  As  the  design  of 
the  apostle  was  to  express  the  sense  of  the  prophet,  it  will  be 
sufficient  for  us  to  consider  the  language  of  one  of  them,  in 
order  to  discover  the  meaning  of  both.  There  is,  however, 
some  difference  between  them.  For  the  apostle  speaks  of  the 
law  in  less  honourable  terms  than  the  prophet  does  ; and  that 
not  simply  with  respect  to  the  law  itself,  but,  because  there 
were  some  disturbers,  who  were  full  of  improper  zeal  forffhelaw, 
and  by  their  perverse  attachment  to  the  ceremonies  obscured 
the  glory  of  the  gospel,  he  disputes  concerning  the  nature  of 
the  law  with  reference  to  their  error  and  foolish  affection  for  it. 
This  peculiarity  in  Paul,  therefore,  will  be  worthy  of  our  obser- 

(«.)  Luke  X.  24.  {h)  Matt.  xiii.  16.  (c)  1 Peter  i.  12. 

(d)  Jer.  xxxl.  31,  &c.  (c)  2 Cor.  iii.  6,  &'C. 


412  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

vation.  Both  of  them,  as  they  contrast  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
taments with  each  other,  consider  nothing  in  the  law,  but  what 
properly  belongs  to  it.  For  example,  the  law  contains  fre- 
quent promises  of  mercy ; but  as  they  are  borrowed  from 
another  dispensation,  they  are  not  considered  as  part  of  the  law, 
when  the  mere  nature  of  the  law  is  the  subject  of  discussion. 
All  that  they  attribute  to  it  is,  that  it  enjoins  what  is  right,  and 
prohibits  crimes ; that  it  proclaims  a reward  for  the  followers 
of  righteousness,  and  denounces  punishments  against  transgres- 
sors ; but  that  it  neither  changes  nor  corrects  the  depravity  of 
heart  which  is  natural  to  all  men. 

VIII.  Now,  let  us  explain  the  comparison  of  the  apostle  in 
all  its  branches.  In  the  first  place,  the  Old  Testament  is  lite- 
ral, because  it  was  promulgated  without  the  efficacy  of  the 
Spirit ; the  New  is  spiritual,  because  the  Lord  has  engraven 
it  in  a spiritual  manner  on  the  hearts  of  men.  The  second 
contrast,  therefore,  serves  as  an  elucidation  of  the  first.  The 
Old  Testament  is  the  revelation  of  death,  because  it  can  only 
involve  all  mankind  in  a curse  ; the  New  is  the  instrument  of 
life,  because  it  delivers  us  from  the  curse,  and  restores  us  to 
favour  with  God.  The  former  is  the  ministry  of  condemna- 
tion, because  it  convicts  all  the  children  of  Adam  of  unright- 
eousness ; the  latter  is  the  ministry  of  righteousness,  because  it 
reveals  the  mercy  of  God,  by  which  we  are  made  righteous. 
The  last  contrast  must  be  referred  to  the  legal  ceremonies. 
The  law  having  an  image  of  things  that  were  at  a distance,  it 
was  necessary  that  in  time  it  should  be  abolished  and  disap- 
pear. The  gospel,  exhibiting  the  body  itself,  retains  a firm 
and  perpetual  stability.  Jeremiah  calls  even  the  moral  law  a 
weak  and  frail  covenant,  but  for  another  reason ; namely,  be- 
cause it  was  soon  broken  by  the  sudden  defection  of  an  un- 
grateful people.  But  as  such  a violation  arises  from  the  fault 
of  the  people,  it  cannot  be  properly  attributed  to  the  Testament. 
The  ceremonies,  however,  which  at  the  advent  of  Christ  were 
abolished  by  their  own  weakness,  contained  in  themselves  the 
cause  of  their  abrogation.  Now,  this  difference  between  the 
‘Getter”  and  the  “spirit”  is  not  to  be  understood  as  if  the 
Lord  had  given  his  law  to  the  Jews  without  any  beneficial  re- 
sult, without  one  of  them  being  converted  to  him ; but  it  is 
used  in  .a  way  of  comparison,  to  display  the  plenitude  of  grace 
with  which  the  same  Legislator,  assuming  as  it  were  a new 
character,  has  honoured  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  For  if 
we  survey  the  multitude  of  those,  from  among  all  nations, 
whom,  by  the  influence  of  his  Spirit  in  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel,  the  Lord  has  regenerated  and  gathered  into  commu- 
nion witli  his  Church,  we  shall  say  that  those  of  the  ancient 
Israelites,  who  cordially  and  sincerely  embraced  the  covenant 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


413 


CHAP.  XI.] 

of  the  Lord,  were  extremely  few ; though,  if  estimated  by 
themselves  without  any  comparison,  they  amounted  to  a con- 
siderable number. 

IX.  The  fourth  difference  arises  out  of  the  third.  For  the 
Scripture  calls  the  Old  Testament  a covenant  of  bondage,  be- 
cause it  produces  fear  in  the  mind  ; but  the  New  it  describes 
as  a covenant  of  liberty,  because  it  leads  the  heart  to  confidence 
and  security.  Thus  Paul,  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his  Epistle 
to  the  Romans,  says,  ‘‘Ye  have  not  received  the  spirit  of 
bondage  again  to  fear  ; but  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adop- 
tion, whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father.”  (/)  To  the  same  pur- 
pose is  that  passage  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  the 
faithful  now  “ are  not  come  unto  the  mount  that  might  be 
touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire,  nor  unto  blackness,  and 
darkness,  and  tempest,”  where  nothing  can  be  either  heard  or 
seen,  but  what  must  strike  terror  into  the  mind ; so  that  even 
Moses  himself  is  exceedingly  afraid  at  the  sound  of  the  terrible 
voice,  which  they  all  pray  that  they  may  hear  no  more  ; but 
that  now  the  faithful  “ are  come  unto  mount  Sion,  and  unto 
the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,”  (^)  &c. 
What  Paul  briefly  touches  in  the  passaige  which  we  have 
adduced  from  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  he  explains  more  at 
large  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  when  he  allegorizes  the 
two  sons  of  Abraham  in  the  following  manner  — that  Agar,  the 
bond- woman,  is  a type  of  mount  Sinai,  where  the  people  of 
Israel  received  the  law  ; that  Sarah,  the  free-woman,  is  a figure 
of  the  celestial  Jerusalem,  whence  proceeds  the  gospel.  That 
as  the  son  of  Agar  is  born  in  bondage,  and  can  never  attain  to 
the  inheritance,  and  the  son  of  Sarah  is  born  free,  and  has  a 
right  to  the  inheritance,  {h)  so  by  the  law  we  were  devoted  to 
slavery,  but  by  the  gospel  alone  are  regenerated  to  liberty. 
Now,  the  whole  may  be  summed  up  thus  — that  the  Old  Testa- 
ment filled  men’s  consciences  with  fear  and  trembling  ; but 
that  by  the  benefit  of  the  New  Testament,  they  are  delivered, 
and  enabled  to  rejoice.  The  former  kept  their  consciences 
under  a yoke  of  severe  bondage  ; but  by  the  liberality  of  the 
latter  they  are  emancipated  and  admitted  to  liberty.  If  any 
one  object  to  us  the  case  of  the  holy  fathers  of  the  Israelitish 
people,  that  as  they  were  clearly  possessed  of  the  same  spirit 
of  faith  as  we  are,  they  must  consequently  have  been  partakers 
of  the  same  liberty  and  joy,  we  reply,  that  neither  of  these 
originated  from  the  law  ; but  that,  when  they  felt  themselves, 
by  means  of  the  law,  oppressed  with  their  servile  condition, 
and  wearied  with  disquietude  of  conscience,  they  fled  for  refuge 
to  the  gospel ; and  that  therefore  it  was  a peculiar  advantage 


(/)  Rom.  viii.  15. 


{g)  Heb.  xii.  18,  &c. 


{h)  Gal.  iv.  22,  &c. 


414  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOR  I/, 

of  the  New  Testament,  that  they  enjoyed  an  exception  from 
the  common  law  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  were  exempted 
from  those  evils.  Besides,  we  shall  deny  that  they  were  fa- 
voured with  the  spirit  of  liberty  and  security,  to  such  a degree 
as  not  to  experience  from  the  law  some  measure  both  of  fear 
and  of  servitude.  For  notwithstanding  their  enjoyment  of  that 
privilege,  which  they  obtained  by  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  yet 
they  were  subject  to  the  same  observances  and  burdens  as  the 
people  in  general.  As  they  were  obliged,  therefore,  to  a diligent 
observance  of  these  ceremonies,  which  were  emblems  of  the  state 
of  pupilage  similar  to  bondage,  and  the  hand-writing,  by  which 
they  confessed  themselves  guilty  of  sin,  did  not  release  them 
from  the  obligation,  they  may  justly  be  said,  in  comparison 
with  us,  to  have  been  under  a testament  of  bondage  and  fear, 
when  we  consider  the  common  mode  of  procedure  which  the 
Lord  then  pursued  with  the  Israelitish  nation. 

X.  The  three  last  comparisons  which  we  have  mentioned 
are  between  the  law  and  the  gospel.  In  these,  therefore,  the 
Old  Testament  ” denotes  the  laio  ; and  the  New  Testament,” 
the  gospel  The  first  comparison  extends  further,  for  it  com- 
prehends also  the  promises,  which  were  given  before  the  law. 
When  Augustine  denied  that  they  ought  to  be  considered  as 
part  of  the  Old  Testament,  he  gave  a very  proper  opinion,  and 
intended  the  same  that  we  now  teach  ; for  he  had  in  view  those 
passages  of  Jeremiah  and  Paul,  in  which  the  Old  Testament  is 
distinguished  from  the  word  of  grace  and  mercy.  He  very 
judiciously  adds  also  in  the  same  place,  that  the  children  of  the 
promise,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  who  have  been  re- 
generated by  God,  and,  under  the  influence  of  faith  working  by 
love,  have  obeyed  his  commands,  belong  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment ; and  that^  in  hope,  not  of  carnal,  terrestrial,  and  temporal 
things,  but  of  spiritual,  celestial,  and  eternal  blessings ; especially 
believing  in  the  Mediator,  through  whom  they  doubted  not  that 
the  Spirit  was  dispensed  to  them  to  enable  them  to  do  their 
duty,  and  that  whenever  they  sinned  they  were  pardoned. 
For  this  is  the  very  same  thing  which  I meant  to  assert : That 
all  the  saints,  whom,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  the 
Scripture  mentions  as  having  been  peculiarly  chosen  by  God, 
have  been  partakers  of  the  same  blessing  with  us  to  eternal 
salvation.  Between  our  distinction  and  that  of  Augustine 
there  is  this  difference  — that  ours  (according  to  this  declaration 
of  Christ,  the  law  and  the  prophets  were  until  John  ; since 
that  time  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached;  ”)(«)  distinguishes 
between  the  clearness  of  the  gospel  and  the  more  obscure  dis- 
pensation of  the  word  which  preceded  it ; whilst  the  other  merely 


{i)  Luke  xvi.  16. 


CHAP.  XI. J CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  415 

discriminates  the  weakness  of  the  law  from  the  stability  of  the 
gospel.  Here  it  must  also  be  remarked  concerning  the  holy 
fathers,  that  though  they  lived  under  the  Old  Testament,  they 
did  not  rest  satisfied  with  it,  but  always  aspired  after  the  New, 
and  thus  enjoyed  a certain  participation  of  it.  For  all  those 
who  contented  themselves  with  present  shadows,  and  did  not 
extend  their  views  to  Christ,  are  condemned  by  the  apostle  as 
blind  and  under  the  curse.  For,  to  say  nothing  on  other  points, 
what  greater  ignorance  can  be  imagined  than  to  hope  for  an 
expiation  of  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  an  animal  ? than  to  seek 
for  the  purification  of  the  soul  by  an  external  ablution  with 
water  ? than  to  wish  to  appease  God  with  frigid  ceremonies,  as 
though  they  afforded  him  great  pleasure  ? For  all  these  absurdi- 
ties are  chargeable  on  those  who  adhere  to  the  observances  of 
the  law,  without  any  reference  to  Christ. 

XL  The  fifth  difference,  which  we  may  add,  consists  in 
this — that  till  the  advent  of  Christ,  the  Lord  selected  one 
nation,  to  which  he  would  limit  the  covenant  of  his  grace. 
Moses  says,  When  the  Most  High  divided  to  the  nations 
their  inheritance,  when  he  separated  the  sons  of  Adam,  — the 
Lord’s  portion  is  his  people ; Jacob  is  the  lot  of  his  inheri- 
tance.” (/;)  In  another  place  he  thus  addresses  the  people: 
‘‘Behold,  the  heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  is  the  Lord’s 
thy  God,  the  earth  also,  with  all  that  therein  is.  Only  the 
Lord  had  a delight  in  thy  fathers  to  love  them,  and  he  chose 
their  seed  after  them,  even  you  above  all  people.”  (/)  There- 
fore he  favoured  that  people  with  the  exclusive  knowledge  of 
his  name,  as  though  they  alone  of  all  mankind  belonged 
to  him ; he  deposited  his  covenant  as  it  were  in  their  bosom ; 
to  them  he  manifested  the  presence  of  his  power ; he  honoured 
them  with  every  privilege.  But  to  omit  the  rest  of  his  benefits, 
the  only  one  that  relates  to  our  present  argument  is,  that  he 
united  them  to  himself  by  the  communication  of  his  word,  in 
order  that  he  might  be  denominated  and  esteemed  their  God. 
In  the  mean  time  he  suffered  other  nations,  as  though  they  had 
no  business  or  intercourse  with  him,  to  walk  in  vanity ; (m) 
nor  did  he  employ  means  to  prevent  their  destruction  by  send- 
ing them  the  only  remedy  — the  preaching  of  his  word.  The 
Israelitish  nation,  therefore,  were  then  as  darling  sons ; others 
were  strangers : they  were  known  to  him,  and  received  under 
his  faithful  protection  ; others  were  left  to  their  own  darkness . 
they  were  sanctified  by  God  ; others  were  profane  : they  were 
honoured  with  the  Divine  presence ; others  were  excluded 
from  approaching  it.  But  when  the  fulness  of  the  time  was 
come,  {n)  appointed  for  the  restoration  of  all  things,  (o)  and 

{k)  Deut.  xxxii.  8,  9.  {1)  Deut.  x.  14.  (m)  Acts  xiv.  16. 

(n)  Gal.  iv.  4.  (o)  Matt.  xvii.  11. 


416  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

the  Reconciler  of  God  and  men  was  manifested,  {p)  the  barrier 
was  demolished,  which  had  so  long  confined  the  Divine  mercy 
within  the  limits  of  the  Jewish  church,  and  peace,  was  an- 
nounced to  them  who  were  at  a distance,  and  to  them  who 
were  near,  that  being  both  reconciled  to  God,  they  might 
coalesce  into  one  people.  Wherefore  there  is  neither  Greek 
nor  Jew,  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision,  but  Christ  is  all  and 
in  all ; ” (^)  ‘‘to  whom  the  heathen  are  given  for  his  inheri- 
tance, and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  posses- 
sion ; ” (r)  that  he  may  have  a universal  “dominion  from  sea 
to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.”  (s) 

Xn.  The  vocation  of  the  Gentiles,  therefore,  is  an  eminent 
illustration  of  the  superior  excellence  of  the  New  Testament 
above  the  Old.  It  had,  indeed,  before  been  most  explicitly  an- 
nounced in  numerous  predictions  of  the  prophets ; but  so  as 
that  the  completion  of  it  was  deferred  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
Messiah.  And  even  Christ  himself  made  no  advances  towards 
it  at  the  first  commencement  of  his  preaching,  but  deferred  it 
till  he  should  have  completed  all  the  parts  of  our  redemption, 
finished  the  time  of  his  humiliation,  and  received  from  the 
Father  “ a name  which  is  above  every  name,  before  which 
every  knee  shall  bow.”  {t)  Wherefore,  when  this  season  was 
not  yet  arrived,  he  said  to  a Canaanitish  woman,  “ I am  not 
sent  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel : ” {u)  nor 
did  he  permit  the  apostles,  in  his  first  mission  of  them,  to  ex- 
ceed these,  limits.  “ Go  not,”  says  he,  “ into  the  way  of  the 
Gentiles,  and  into  any  city  of  the  Samaritans  enter  ye  not ; 
but  go  rather  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.”  (w) 
And  though  this  calling  of  the  Gentiles  was  announced  by  so 
many  testimonies,  yet  when  the  apostles  were  about  to  enter 
upon  it,  it  appeared  to  them  so  novel  and  strange,  that  they 
dreaded  it,  as  if  it  had  been  a prodigy : indeed  it  was  with 
trepidation  and  reluctance  that  they  at  length  engaged  in  it. 
Nor  is  this  surprising ; for  it  seemed  not  at  all  reasonable,  that 
the  Lord,  who  for  so  many  ages  had  separated  the  Israelites 
from  the  rest  of  the  nations,  should,  as  it  were,  suddenly  change 
his  design,  and  annihilate  this  distinction.  It  had  indeed  been 
predicted  in  the  prophecies ; but  they  could  not  pay  such  great 
attention  to  the  prophecies,  as  to  be  wholly  unmoved  with  the 
novelty  of  the  circumstance,  which  forced  itself  on  their  obser- 
vation. Nor  were  the  specimens,  which  the  Lord  had  formerly 
given,  of  the  future  vocation  of  the  Gentiles,  sufficient  to  in- 
fluence them.  For  besides  his  having  called  only  very  few  of 
them,  he  had  even  incorporated  them  into  the  family  of  Abra- 


(w)  Eph.  ii.  14.  {q)  Col.  iii.  11.  (r)  Psalm  ii.  8.  {s)  Psalm  Ixxii.  8. 

(f)  Phil.  ii.  9,  iO.  (m)  Matt.  xv.  24.  (ic)  Matt.  x.  5,  6. 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  417 

ham,  that  they  might  be  added  to  his  people  : but  by  that 
public  vocation,  the  Gentiles  were  not  only  raised  to  an  equal- 
ity with  the  Jews,  but  appeared  to  succeed  to  their  places  as 
though  they  had  been  dead.  Besides,  of  all  the  strangers 
whom  God  had  before  incorporated  into  the  Church,  none 
were  ever  placed  on  an  equality  with  the  Jews.  Therefore 
it  is  not  without  reason  that  Paul  so  celebrates  this  ‘^mys- 
tery which  was  hidden  from  ages  and  from  generations,”  (a;) 
and  which  he  represents  as  an  object  of  admiration  even  to 
angels,  {y) 

XIII.  In  these  four  or  five  points,  I think  I have  given  a 
correct  and  faithful  statement  of  the  whole  of  the  difference 
between  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament,  as  far  as  is  sufficient 
for  a simple  system  of  doctrine.  But  because  some  persons  re- 
present this  variety  in  the  government  of  the  Church,  these  dif- 
ferent modes  of  instruction,  and  such  a considerable  alteration  of 
rites  and  ceremonies,  as  a great  absurdity,  we  must  reply  to 
them,  before  we  proceed  to  other  subjects.  And  this  may  be 
done  in  a brief  manner,  since  the  objections  are  not  so  strong 
as  to  require  a laborious  refutation.  It  is  not  reasonable,  they 
say,  that  God,  who  is  perpetually  consistent  with  himself, 
should  undergo  so  great  a change  as  afterwards  to  disallow 
what  he  had  once  enjoined  and  commanded.  I reply,  that  God 
ought  not  therefore  to  be  deemed  mutable,  because  he  has  ac- 
commodated different  forms  to  different  ages,  as  he  knew 
would  be  suitable  for  each.  If  the  husbandman  prescribes 
different  employments  to  his  family  in  the  winter,  from  those 
which  he  allots  them  in  the  summer,  we  must  not  therefore 
accuse  him  of  inconstancy,  or  impute  to  him  a deviation  from 
the  proper  rules  of  agriculture,  which  are  connected  with  the 
perpetual  course  of  nature.  Thus,  also,  if  a father  instructs, 
governs,  and  manages  his  children  one  way  in  infancy,  another 
in  childhood,  and  another  in  youth,  we  must  not  therefore 
charge  him  with  being  inconstant,  or  forsaking  his  own  de- 
signs. Why,  then,  do  we  stigmatize  God  with  the  character  of 
inconstancy,  because  he  has  made  an  apt  and  suitable  distinc- 
tion between  different  times  ? The  last  similitude  ought  fully 
to  sat  sfy  us.  Paul  compares  the  Jews  to  children,  and  Chris- 
tians to  youths,  {z)  What  impropriety  is  there  in  this  part  of 
the  government  of  God,  that  he  detained  them  in  the  rudiments 
which  were  suitable  to  them  on  account  of  their  age,  but  has 
placed  us  under  a stronger  and  more  manly  discipline  ? It  is  a 
proof,  therefore,  of  the  constancy  of  God,  that  he  has  delivered 
the  same  doctrine  in  all  ages,  and  perseveres  in  requiring  the 
same  worship  of  his  name  w^hich  he  commanded  from  the 


(x)  Col.  i.  26. 
VOL.  I.  53 


{y)  Eph.  ill.  10. 


(z)  Gal.  iv.  1—3. 


418  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

beginning.  By  changing  the  external  form  and  mode,  he  has 
discovered  no  mutability  in  himself,  but  has  so  far  accommo- 
dated himself  to  the  capacity  of  men,  which  is  various  and 
mutable. 

XIV.  But  they  inquire  whence  this  diversity  proceeded, 
except  from  the  will  of  God.  Could  he  not,  as  well  from  the 
beginning  as  since  the  advent  of  Christ,  give  a revelation  of 
eternal  life  in  clear  language  without  any  figures,  instruct  his 
people  by  a few  plain  sacraments,  bestow  his  Holy  Spirit,  and 
diffuse  his  grace  through  all  the  world  ? This  is  just  the  same 
as  if  they  were  to  quarrel  with  God,  because  he  created  the 
world  at  so  late  a period,  whereas  he  might  have  done  it  be- 
fore ; or  because  he  has  appointed  the  alternate  vicissitudes 
of  summer  and  winter,  of  day  and  night.  But  let  us  not  doubt 
what  ought  to  be  believed  by  all  pious  men,  that  whatever  is 
done  by  God  is  done  wisely  and  righteously  ; although  we 
frequently  know  nothing  of  the  causes  which  render  such 
transactions  necessary.  For  it  would  be  arrogating  too  much 
to  ourselves,  not  to  permit  God  to  keep  the  reasons  of  his  de- 
crees concealed  from  us.  But  it  is  surprising,  say  they,  that 
he  now  rejects  and  abominates  the  sacrifices  of  cattle,  and  all 
the  apparatus  of  the  Levitical  priesthood,  with  which  he  used 
to  be  delighted ; as  though  truly  these  external  and  transi- 
tory things  could  afford  pleasure  to  God,  or  affect  him  in  any 
way  whatever.  It  has  already  been  observed,  that  he  did 
none  of  these  things  on  his  own  account,  but  appointed  them 
all  for  the  salvation  of  men.  If  a physician  cure  a young  man 
of  any  disease  by  a very  excellent  method,  and  afterAvards 
adopt  a different  mode  of  cure  with  the  same  person  when  ad- 
vanced in  years,  shall  we  therefore  say  that  he  rejects  the 
method  of  cure  which  he  before  approved?  We  Avill  rather 
say,  that  he  perseveres  in  the  same  system,  and  considers  the 
difference  of  age.  Thus  it  was  necessary,  before  the  appear- 
ance of  Christ,  that  he  should  be  prefigured,  and  his  future 
advent  announced  by  one  kind  of  emblems  ; since  he  has  been 
manifested,  it  is  right  that  he  should  be  represented  by  others. 
But  with  respect  to  the  Divine  vocation,  now  more  widely  ex- 
tended among  all  nations  since  the  advent  of  Christ  than  it 
was  before,  and  with  regard  to  the  more  copious  effusion  of  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit,  who  can  deny,  that  it  is  reasonable  and 
just  for  God  to  retain  under  his  own  poAver  and  Avill  the  free 
dispensation  of  his  favours  ; that  he  may  illuminate  Avhat  na- 
tions he  pleases ; that  Avherever  he  pleases  he  may  introduce 
the  preaching  of  his  Avord ; that  he  may  give  to  his  instruction 
whatever  kind  and  degree  of  profit  and  success  he  pleases  ; that 
wherever  he  pleases,  in  any  age,  he  may  punish  the  ingratitude 
of  the  Avorld  by  depriving  them  of  the  knoAvledge  of  his  name, 


CHAP.  XII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  419 

and  when  he  pleases  restore  it  on  account  of  his  mercy  ? We 
see,  therefore,  the  absurdity  of  the  cavils  with  which  impious 
men  disturb  the  minds  of  the  simple  on  this  subject,  to  call  in 
question  either  the  righteousness  of  God  or  the  truth  of  the 
Scripture. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  NECESSITY  OF  CHRIST  BECOMING  MAN  IN  ORDER  TO  FI  LFIL 
THE  OFFICE  OF  MEDIATOR. 

It  was  of  great  importance  to  our  interests,  that  he,  who 
was  to  be  our  Mediator,  should  be  both  true  God  and  true  man. 
If  an  inquiry  be  made  concerning  the  necessity  of  this,  it  was 
not  indeed  a simple,  or,  as  we  commonly  say,  an  absolute 
necessity,  but  such  as  arose  from  the  heavenly  decree,  on 
which  the  salvation  of  men  depended.  But  our  most  merciful 
Father  has  appointed  that  which  was  best  for  us.  For  since 
our  iniquities,  like  a cloud  intervening  between  us  and  him, 
had  entirely  alienated  us  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  no  one 
that  could  not  approach  to  God  could  be  a mediator  for  the 
restoration  of  peace.  But  who  could  have  approached  to  him? 
Could  any  one  of  the  children  of  Adam  ? They,  with  their 
parent,  all  dreaded  the  Divine  presence.  Could  any  one  of  the 
angels  ? They  also  stood  in  need  of  a head,  by  a connection 
with  whom  they  might  be  confirmed  in  a perfect  and  unvary- 
ing adherence  to  their  God.  What,  then,  could  be  done  ? Our 
situation  was  truly  deplorable,  unless  the  Divine  majesty  itself 
would  descend  to  us  ; for  we  could  not  ascend  to  it.  Thus  it 
was  necessary  that  the  Son  of  God  should  become  Immanuel, 
that  is,  God  with  us ; and  this  in  order  that  there  might  be  a 
mutual  union  and  coalition  between  his  Divinity  and  the  na- 
ture of  man ; for  otherwise  the  proximity  could  not  be  suffi- 
ciently near,  nor  could  the  affinity  be  sufficiently  strong,  to 
authorize  us  to  hope  that  God  would  dwell  with  us.  So  great 
was  the  discordance  between  our  pollution  and  the  perfect  pu- 
rity of  God.  Although  man  had  remained  immaculately  inno- 
cent, yet  his  condition  would  have  been  too  mean  for  him  to 
approach  to  God  without  a Mediator.  What,  then,  can  he  do, 
after  having  been  plunged  by  his  fatal  fall  into  death  and  hell, 
defiled  with  so  many  blemishes,  putrefying  in  his  own  corrup- 
tion, and,  in  a word,  overwhelmed  with  every  curse  ? It  is  not 
without  reason,  therefore,  that  Paul,  when  about  to  exhibit 
Christ  in  the  character  of  a Mediator,  expressly  speaks  of  him 


420 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[boor  II 


as  a man.  “ There  is  one  Mediator,”  he  says,  “between  God 
and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus.”  {a)  He  might  have  called 
him  God,  or  might  indeed  have  omitted  the  appellation  of  man, 
as  well  as  that  of  God ; but  because  the  Spirit,  who  spake  by 
him,  knew  our  infirmity,  he  has  provided  a very  suitable 
remedy  against  it,  by  placing  the  Son  of  God  familiarly  among 
us,  as  though  he  were  one  of  us.  Therefore,  that  no  one  may 
distress  himself  where  he  is  to  seek  the  Mediator,  or  in  what 
way  he  may  approach  him,  the  apostle,  by  denominating  him 
a man,  apprizes  us  that  he  is  near,  and  even  close  to  us,  since 
he  is  our  own  flesh.  He  certainly  intends  the  same  as  is  sta- 
ted in  another  place  more  at  large  — “ that  we  have  not  a 
high  priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our 
infirmities,  but  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet 
without  sin.”  (6) 

H.  This  will  still  more  fully  appear,  if  we  consider,  that  it 
was  no  mean  part  which  the  Mediator  had  to  perform ; namely, 
to  restore  us  to  the  Divine  favour,  so  as,  of  children  of  men,  to 
make  us  children  of  God ; of  heirs  of  hell,  to  make  us  heirs  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Who  could  accomplish  this,  unless 
the  Son  of  God  should  become  also  the  Son  of  man,  and  thus 
receive  to  himself  what  belongs  to  us,  and  transfer  to  us  that 
which  is  his,  and  make  that  which  is  his  by  nature  ours  by 
grace  ? Depending,  therefore,  on  this  pledge,  we  have  confi- 
dence that  we  are  the  children  from  God,  because  he,  who  is  the 
Son  of  God  by  nature,  has  provided  himself  a body  from  our 
body,  flesh  from  our  flesh,  bones  from  our  bones,  (c)  that  he 
might  be  the  same  with  us : he  refused  not  to  assume  that 
which  was  peculiar  to  us,  that  we  also  might  obtain  that 
which  he  had  peculiar  to  him  ; and  that  so  in  common  with 
us  he  might  be  both  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Son  of  man. 
Hence  arises  that  holy  fraternity,  which  he  mentions  with  his 
own  mouth  in  the  following  words  : “ I ascend  unto  my  Fa- 
ther, and  your  Father  ; and  to  my  God,  and  your  God.”  {d) 
On  this  account  we  have  a certainty  of  the  inheritance  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  because  the  only  Son  of  God,  to  whom  it 
exclusively  belonged,  has  adopted  us  as  his  brethren ; and  if 
we  are  his  brethren,  we  are  consequently  co-heirs  to  the  inheri- 
tance. (e)  Moreover  it  was  highly  necessary  also  for  this 
reason,  that  he  who  was  to  be  our  Redeemer  should  be  truly 
both  God  and  man.  It  was  his  office  to  swallow  up  death  ; 
who  could  do  this,  but  he  who  was  life  itself?  It  was  his  to 
overcome  sin ; who  could  accomplish  this,  but  righteousness 
itself?  It  was  his  to  put  to  flight  the  powers  of  the  world  and 
of  the  air  ; who  could  do  this,  but  a power  superior  both  to 


(a)  1 Tim.  ii.  5. 


(h)  Heb.  iv.  15. 


(c)  Eph.  V.  30. 


(d)  John  XX.  17. 


(e)  Rom.  viii.  17. 


CHAP.  XII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  421 

the  world  and  to  the  air  ? Now,  who  possesses  life  or  right- 
eousness, or  the  empire  and  power  of  heaven,  but  God  alone  ? 
Therefore  the  most  merciful  God,  when  he  determined  on  our 
redemption,  became  himself  our  Redeemer  in  the  person  of  his 
only  begotten  Son ! 

III.  Another  branch  of  our  reconciliation  with  God  was 
this  — that  man,  who  had  ruined  himself  by  his  own  disobe- 
dience, should  remedy  his  condition  by  obedience,  should 
satisfy  the  justice  of  God,  and  suffer  the  punishment  of  his 
sin.  Our  Lord  then  made  his  appearance  as  a real  man ; he 
put  on  the  character  of  Adam,  and  assumed  his  name,  to  act 
as  his  substitute  in  his  obedience  to  the  Father,  to  lay  down 
our  flesh  as  the  price  of  satisfaction  to  the  justice  of  God ; and 
to  suffer  the  punishment  which  we  had  deserved,  in  the  same 
nature  in  which  the  offence  had  been  committed.  As  it  would 
have  been  impossible,  therefore,  for  one  who  was  only  God  to 
suJfer  death,  or  for  one  who  was  a mere  man  to  overcome  it, 
he  associated  the  human  nature  with  the  Divine,  that  he  might 
submit  the  weakness  of  the  former  to  death,  as  an  atonement 
for  sins ; and  that  with  the  power  of  the  latter  he  might  con- 
tend with  death,  and  obtain  a victory  on  our  behalf.  Those 
who  despoil  Christ,  therefore,  either  of  his  Divinity  or  his  hu- 
manity, either  diminish  his  majesty  and  glory,  or  obscure  his 
goodness.  Nor  are  they,  on  the  other  hand,  less  injurious  to 
men,  whose  faith  they  weaken  and  subvert ; since  it  cannot 
stand  any  longer  than  it  rests  upon  this  foundation.  Moreover, 
the  Redeemer  to  be  expected  was  that  Son  of  Abraham  and 
David,  whom  God  had  promised  in  the  law  and  the  prophets. 
Hence  the  minds  of  the  faithful  derive  another  advantage,  be- 
cause from  the  circumstance  of  his  ancestry  being  traced  to 
David  and  to  Abraham,  they  have  an  additional  assurance  that 
this  is  the  Christ,  who  was  celebrated  in  so  many  prophecies. 
But  we  should  particularly  remember,  what  I have  just  stated  — 
that  our  common  nature  is  a pledge  of  our  fellowship  with  the 
Son  of  God ; that,  clothed  in  our  flesh,  he  vanquished  sin  and 
death,  in  order  that  the  victory  and  triumph  might  be  ours  ; 
that  the  flesh  which  he  received  from  us  he  offered  up  as  a 
sacrifice,  in  order  to  expiate  and  obliterate  our  guilt,  and  ap- 
pease the  just  wrath  of  the  Father. 

IV.  The  persons  who  consider  these  things,  with  the  dili- 
gent attention  which  they  deserve,  will  easily  disregard  vague 
speculations  which  attract  minds  that  are  inconstant  and  fond 
of  novelty.  Such  is  the  notion,  that  Christ  would  have  be- 
come man,  even  though  the  human  race  had  needed  no  re- 
demption. I grant,  indeed,  that  at  the  original  creation,  and  in 
the  state  of  integrity,  he  was  exalted  as  head  ov^er  angels  and 
men  ; for  which  reason  Paul  calls  him  ‘‘  the  first-born  of  every 


422  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  1l, 

creature  ; ” (/)  but  since  the  whole  Scriptures  proclaim,  that  he 
was  clothed  in  flesh  in  order  to  become  a Redeemer,  it  argues 
excessive  temerity  to  imagine  another  cause  or  another  end  for 
it.  The  end  for  which  Christ  was  promised  from  the  begin- 
ning, is  siifliciently  known ; it  was  to  restore  a fallen  world, 
and  to  succour  ruined  men.  Therefore  under  the  law  his 
image  was  exhibited  in  sacrifices,  to  inspire  the  faithful  with  a 
hope  that  God  would  be  propitious  to  them,  after  he  should  be 
reconciled  by  the  expiation  of  their  sins.  And  as,  in  all  ages, 
even  before  the  promulgation  of  the  law,  the  Mediator  Avas 
never  promised  without  blood,  we  conclude  that  he  was  des- 
tined by  the  eternal  decree  of  God  to  purify  the  pollution  of 
men  ; because  the  effusion  of  blood  is  an  emblem  of  expiation. 
The  prophets  proclaimed  and  foretold  him,  as  the  future  re- 
conciler of  God  and  men.  As  a sufficient  specimen  of  all,  we 
refer  to  that  very  celebrated  testimony  of  Isaiah,  where  he 
predicts,  that  he  should  be  smitten  of  God  for  the  transgressions 
of  the  people,  that  the  chastisement  of  their  peace  might  be 
upon  him  ; and  that  he  should  be  a priest  to  offer  up  himself 
as  a victim ; that  by  his  stripes  others  should  be  healed ; and 
that  because  all  men  had  gone  astray,  and  been  dispersed  like 
sheep,  it  had  pleased  the  Lord  to  afflict  him  and  to  lay  on 
him  the  iniquities  of  all.  (g)  As  we  are  informed  that  Christ 
is  particularly  appointed  by  God  for  the  relief  of  miserable 
sinners,  all  who  pass  these  bounds  are  guilty  of  indulging  a 
foolish  curiosity.  When  he  himself  appeared  in  the  world,  he 
declared  the  design  of  his  advent  to  be,  to  appease  God  and 
restore  us  from  death  to  life.  The  apostles  testified  the  same. 
Thus  John,  before  he  informs  us  that  the  Word  was  made  flesh, 
mentions  the  defection  of  man.  (h)  But  our  principal  attention 
is  due  to  Christ  himself  speaking  of  his  own  office.  He  says, 
God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  Avhosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.”  (i)  Again  : The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is, 
when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  ; and 
they  that  hear  shall  live.”  {k)  ‘‘  I am  the  resurrection  and  the 
life  ; he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall 
he  live.”  (1)  Again:  ‘‘The  Son  of  man  is  come  to  save  that 
Avhich  was  lost.”  Again  : “ They  that  be  whole  need  not 
a physician.”  (71)  There  would  be  no  end,  if  I meant  to  quote 
all  the  passages.  The  apostles  with  one  consent  call  us  back 
to  this  principle  ; for  certainly,  if  he  had  not  come  to  reconcile 
God,  the  honour  of  his  priesthood  would  have  been  lost,  for  a 
priest  is  appointed  as  a Mediator  to  intercede  between  God  and 

(/)  Col.  i.  15.  (^)  Isaiali  liii.  4,  &c.  (h)  John  i.  9,  &c. 

(i)  John  iii.  16.  (k)  John  v.  25. 

(I)  John  xi.  25.  (m)  Matt,  xviii.  11.  («)  Matt.  ix.  12. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


423 


CHAP.  XII.] 

men : (o)  he  could  not  have  been  our  righteousness,  because  he 
was  made  a sacrifice  for  us,  that  God  might  not  impute  sins  to 
us.  {jp)  Finally,  he  would  have  been  despoiled  of  all  the  noble 
characters  under  which  he  is  celebrated  in  the  Scripture. 
This  assertion  of  Paul  would  have  no  foundation : “ What  the 
law  could  not  do,  God,  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh.”  {q)  Nor 
would  there  be  any  truth  in  what  he  teaches  in  another  place, 
that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  towards  man 
appeared  ” (r)  in  the  gift  of  Christ  as  a Redeemer.  To  con- 
clude, the  Scripture  no  where  assigns  any  other  end,  for  which 
the  Son  of  God  should  choose  to  become  incarnate,  and  should 
also  receive  this  command  from  the  Father,  than  that  he  might 
be  made  a sacrifice  to  appease  the  Father  on  our  account. 
“ Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer  ; 
and  that  repentance  should  be  preached  in  his  name.”  (s) 
Therefore  doth  my  Father  love  me,  because  I lay  down  my 
life.  This  commandment  have  I received  of.  my  Father.”  {t) 
‘•As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so 
must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up.”  {u)  Again  : “ Father,  save 
me  from  this  hour ; but  for  this  cause  came  I unto  this 
hour.”  {iv)  “ Father,  glorify  thy  Son.”  {x)  Where  he  clearly 
assigns,  as  the  end  of  his  assumption  of  human  nature,  that  it 
was  to  be  an  expiatory  sacrifice  for  the  abolition  of  sins.  For 
the  same  reason,  Zacharias  pronounces  that  he  is  come,  accord- 
ing to  the  promise  given  to  the  fathers,  “ to  give  light  to  them 
that  sit  in  the  shadow  of  death.”  {y)  Let  us  remember  that 
all  these  things  are  spoken  of  the  Son  of  God,  “ in  whom,” 
according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  “ are  hidden  all  the  trea- 
sures of  wisdom  and  knowledge,”  (z)  and  besides  whom  he 
glories  in  knowing  nothing,  (a) 

V.  If  any  one  object,  that  it  is  not  evinced  by  any  of  these 
things,  that  the  same  Christ,  who  has  redeemed  men  from  con- 
demnation, could  not  have  testified  his  love  to  them  by  assum- 
ing their  nature,  if  they  had  remained  in  a state  of  integrity 
and  safety,  — we  briefly  reply,  that  since  the  Spirit  declares 
these  two  things,  Christ’s  becoming  our  Redeemer,  and  his 
participation  of  the  same  nature,  to  have  been  connected  by 
the  eternal  decree  of  God,  it  is  not  right  to  make  any  further 
inquiry.  For  he  who  feels  an  eager  desire  to  know  something 
more,  not  being  content  with  the  immutable  appointment  of 
God,  shows  himself  also  not  to  be  contented  with  this  Christ, 
who  has  been  given  to  us  as  the  price  of  our  redemption. 

(o)  Heb.  V.  1.  (s)  Luke  xxiv.  46,  47.  (or)  John  xvii.  1. 

(p)  2 Cor.  V.  19.  (t)  John  x.  17,  18.  (y)  Luke  i.  72,  79. 

(q)  Rom.  viii.  3.  (u)  John  iii.  14.  (z)  Col.  ii.  3 

(r)  Titus  iii.  4.  (w)  John  xii.  27.  (a)  1 Cor.  ii  2. 


424  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

Paul  not  only  tells  us  the  end  of  his  mission,  but  ascending  to 
the  sublime  mystery  of  predestination,  very  properly  represses 
all  the  licentiousness  and  prurience  of  the  human  mind,  by  de- 
claring, that  the  Father  hath  •chosen  us  in  Christ  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  and  predestinated  us  to  the  adoption 
of  children  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  and 
made  us  accepted  in  his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  we  have  re- 
demption through  his  blood.”^6)  Here  the  fall  of  Adam  is 
certainly  not  presupposed,  as  of  anterior  date  ; but  we  have  a 
discovery  of  what  was  decreed  by  God  before  all  ages,  when 
he  determined  to  remedy  the  misery  of  mankind.  If  any  ad- 
versary object  again,  that  this  design  of  God  depended  on  the 
fall  of  man,  which  he  foresaw,  it  is  abundantly  sufficient  for  me, 
that  every  man  is  proceeding  with  impious  presumption  to  ima- 
gine to  himself  a new  Christ,  whoever  he  be  that  permits  him- 
self to  inquire,  or  wishes  to  know,  concerning  Christ,  any  more 
than  God'  has  predestinated  in  his  secret  decree.  And  justly 
does  Paul,  after  having  been  thus  treating  of  the  peculiar  office 
of  Christ,  implore,  on  behalf  of  the  Ephesians,  the  spirit  of 
understanding,  “ that  they  may  be  able  to  comprehend  what  is 
the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height ; and  to  know 
the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge  ; ” (c)  as  though 
he  would  labour  to  surround  our  minds  with  barriers,  that 
wherever  mention  is  made  of  Christ,  they  may  not  decline  in 
the  smallest  degree  from  the  grace  of  reconciliation.  Where- 
fore, since  this  is  ” testified  by  Paul  to  be  ‘‘  a faithful  saying, 
that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,”  (d)  I 
gladly  acquiesce  in  it.  And  since  the  same  apostle  in  another 
place  informs  us,  that  “ the  grace,  which  is  now  i^ade  manifest 
by  the  gospel,  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world 
began,”  (e)  I conclude  that  I ought  to  persevere  in  the  same 
doctrine  with  constancy  to  the  end.  This  modesty  is  unrea- 
sonably censured  by  Osiander,  who  in  the  present  age  has  un- 
happily agitated  this  question,  which  a few  persons  had  slightly 
touched  before.  He  alleges  a charge  of  presumption  against 
those  who  deny  that  the  Son  of  God  would  have  appeared  in 
the  flesh,  if  Adam  had  never  fallen,  because  this  tenet  is  con- 
tradicted by  no  testimony  of  Scripture  ; as  if  Paul  laid  no 
restraint  on  such  perverse  curiosity,  when,  after  having  spoken 
of  the  accomplishment  of  our  redemption  by  Christ,  he  imme- 
diately adds  this  injunction:  “Avoid  foolish  questions.”  (/) 
The  frenzy  of  some,  that  have  been  desirous  of  appearing  pro- 
digiously acute,  has  proceeded  to  such  a length  as  to  question 
whether  the  Son  of  God  could  assume  the  nature  of  an  ass. 

(b)  Eph.  i.  4,  &c,  (c)  Eph.  iii.  18, 19.  (d)  1 Tim.  i.  15. 

(c)  2 Tim.  i.  9.  (/)  Titus  iii.  9. 


CHAP.  XII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


425 


This  monstrous  supposition,  which  all  pious  persons  justly  ab- 
hor and  detest,  Osiander  excuses  under  this  pretext,  that  it  is 
nowhere  in  Scripture  expressly  condemned ; as  if,  when  Paul 
esteems  nothing  valuable  or  worthy  of  being  known  but  Christ 
crucified,  he  would  admit  an  ass  to  be  the  author  of  salvation ! 
Therefore  he  who  in  another  place  declares  that  Christ  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  eternal  decree  of  the  Father  as  “ the  head 
over  all,”  (g)  would  never  acknowledge  any  other  who  had  not 
been  appointed  to  the  office  of  a Redeemer. 

VI.  But  the  principle  which  he  boasts  is  altogether  fri- 
volous. He  maintains  that  man  was  created  in  the  image  of 
God,  because  he  was  formed  in  the  similitude  of  the  future 
Messiah,  that  he  might  resemble  him  whom  the  Father  had 
already  decreed  to  clothe  with  flesh.  Whence  he  concludes 
that  if  Adam  had  never  fallen  from  his  primitive  integrity, 
Christ  would  nevertheless  have  become  man.  How  nugatory 
and  forced  this  is,  all  who  possess  a sound  judgment  readily 
perceive.  But  he  supposes  that  he  has  been  the  first  to  dis- 
cover wherein  the  Divine  image  consisted ; namely,  that  the 
glory  af  God  not  only  shone  in  those  eminent  talents  with 
which  man  was  endued,  but  that  God  himself  essentially  re- 
sided in  him.  Now,  though  I admit  that  Adam  bore  the  Di- 
vine image,  inasmuch  as  he  was  united  to  God,  which  is  the  true 
and  consummate  perfection  of  dignity,  yet  I contend  that  the 
similitude  of  God  is  to  be  sought  only  in  those  characters  of 
excellence,  with  which  God  distinguished  Adam  above  the 
other  creatures.  And  that  Christ  was  even  then  the  image  of 
God,  is  universally  allowed  ; and  therefore  whatever  excellence 
was  impressed  on  Adam  proceeded  from  this  circumstance,  that 
he  approached  to  the  glory  of  his  Maker  by  means  of  his  only 
begotten  Son.  Man,  therefore,  was  made  in  the  image  of  God, 
and  was  designed  to  be  a mirror  to  display  the  glory  of  hi^ 
Creator.  He  was  exalted  to  this  degree  of  honour  by  the 
favour  of  the  only  begotten  Son ; but  I add,  that  this  Son  was 
a common  head  to  angels  as  well  as  to  men ; so  that  the  angels 
also  were  entitled  to  the  same  dignity  which  was  conferred  on 
man.  And  when  we  hear  them  called  the  children  of 
God,”  (/i)  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  deny  that  they  have 
some  resemblance  to  their  Father.  But  if  he  designed  his 
glory  to  be  represented  in  angels  as  well  as  in  men,  and  to  be 
equally  conspicuous  in  the  angelic  as  in  the  human  nature, 
Osiander  betrays  his  ignorance  and  folly  in  saying  that  men 
were  preferred  to  angels,  because  the  latter  did  not  bear  the 
image  of  Christ.  For  they  could  not  constantly  enjoy  the 
present  contemplation  of  God,  unless  they  were  like  him.  And 


VOL.  I. 


(g)  Eph.  i.  22. 

54 


(h)  Psalm  Ixxxii.  6. 


426  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

Paul  teaches  us  that  men  are  no  otherwise  renewed  after  the 
image  of  God,  than  that  if  they  be  associated  with  angels,  they 
may  be  united  together  under  one  head,  (i)  Finally,  if  we 
give  credit  to  Christ,  our  ultimate  felicity,  when  we  shall  he 
received  into  heaven,  will  consist  in  being  conformed  to  the 
angels.  But  if  Osiander  may  infer,  that  the  primary  exemplar 
of  the  Divine  image  was  taken  from  the  human  nature  of 
Christ,  with  the  same  justice  may  any  other  person  contend, 
that  Christ  must  have  been  a partaker  of  the  nature  of  angels, 
because  they  likewise  possess  the  image  of  God. 

VII.  Osiander,  then,  has  no  reason  to  fear,  that  God  might 
possibly  be  proved  a liar,  unless  the  decree  concerning  the  in- 
carnation of  his  Son  had  been  previously  and  immutably  fixed 
in  his  mind.  Because,  though  Adam  had  not  fallen  from  his 
integrity,  yet  he  would  have  resembled  God  just  as  the  angels 
do  ; and  yet  it  would  not  have  been  necessary  on  that  account 
for  the  Son  of  God  to  become  either  a man  or  an  angel.  Nor 
has  he  any  cause  to  fear  this  absurdity,  that  if  God  had  not 
immutably  decreed,  before  the  creation  of  man,  that  Christ 
should  be  born,  not  as  a Redeemer,  but  as  the  first  man,  he 
might  lose  his  prerogative  ; whereas  now  he  would  not  have 
become  incarnate  but  for  an  accidental  cause,  that  is,  to  re- 
store mankind  from  ruin ; so  that  he  might  thence  infer,  that 
Christ  was  created  after  the  image  of  Adam.  For  why  should 
he  dread,  what  the  Scripture  so  plainly  teaches,  that  he 
was  made  like  us  in  all  things,  sin  excepted  ? (/r)  whence  also 
Luke  hesitates  not  in  his  genealogy  to  call  him  the  son  of 
Adam.”  (/)  I would  also  wish  to  know  why  Paul  styles  Christ 
the  second  Adam,”  (m)  but  because  he  was  destined  to  be- 
come man,  in  order  to  extricate  the  posterity  of  Adam  from 
ruin.  If  he  sustained  that  capacity  before  the  creation,  he 
o,ught  to  have  been  called  the  first  Adam.”  Osiander  boldly 
affirms,  that  because  Christ  was  already  foreknown  as  man  in 
the  Divine  mind,  therefore  men  were  formed  in  his  likeness. 
But  Paul,  by  denominating  him  ‘‘  the  second  Adam,”  places 
the  fall,  whence  arises  the  necessity  of  restoring  our  nature  to 
its  primitive  condition,  in  an  intermediate  point  between  the 
first  original  of  mankind  and  the  restitution  which  we  obtain 
through  Christ  ; whence  it  follows  that  the  fall  was  the  cause 
of  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God.  Now,  Osiander  argues 
unreasonably  and  impertinently,  that  while  Adam  retained  his 
integrity,  he  would  be  the  image  of  himself,  and  not  of  Christ. 
On  the  contrary,  I reply,  that  although  the  Son  of  God  had 
never  been  incarnate,  both  the  body  and  the  soul  of  man 
would  equally  have  displayed  the  image  of  God  ; in  whose 


(i)  Col.  ii.  10- 


(k)  Heb.  iv.  15. 


(1)  Luke  iii.  38. 


(m)  1 Cor.  XV.  45,  47. 


CHAP.  XII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  427 

ladiance  it  always  appeared,  that  Christ  was  truly  the  head, 
jx)ssessing  the  supremacy  over  all.  And  thus  we  destroy  that 
futile  subtilty  raised  by  Osiander,  that  the  angels  would  have 
been  destitute  of  this  head,  unless  God  had  decreed  to  clothe 
his  Son  with  flesh,  even  without  any  transgression  of  Adam. 
For  he  too  inconsiderately  takes  for  granted,  what  no  wise 
man  will  concede,  that  Christ  has  no  supremacy  over  angels, 
and  that  he  is  not  their  Prince,  except  in  his  human  nature. 
But  we  may  easily  conclude,  from  the  language  of  Paul,  that, 
as  the  eternal  Word  of  God,  he  is  the  first-born  of  every 
creature  ; ” (n)  not  that  he  was  created,  or  ought  to  be  num- 
bered among  creatures,  but  because  the  holy  state  of  the 
world,  adorned  as  it  was  at  the  beginning  with  consummate 
beauty,  had  no  other  author ; and  that  afterwards,  as  man,  he 
was  ‘^the  first  begotten  from  the  dead.”  For  in  one  short 
passage  he  proposes  to  our  consideration  both  these  points  — 
that  all  things  were  created  by  the  Son,  that  he  might  have 
dominion  over  angels  ; and  that  he  was  made  man,  that  he 
might  become  our  Redeemer,  (o)  Another  proof  of  Osiander’s 
ignorance  is  his  assertion,  that  men  would  not  have  had  Christ 
for  their  King,  if  he  had  not  been  incarnate  ; as  though  the 
kingdom  of  God  could  not  subsist,  if  the  eternal  Son  of  God, 
without  being  invested  with  humanity,  uniting  angels  and  men 
in  the  participation  of  his  glorious  life,  had  himself  held  the  su- 
preme dominion ! But  he  is  always  deceived,  or  rather  bewil- 
ders himself,  in  this  false  principle,  that  the  Church  would  have 
been  destitute  of  a head,  if  Christ  had  not  been  manifested  in 
the  flesh ; as  if,  while  he  was  head  over  angels,  he  could  not 
likewise  by  his  Divine  power  preside  over  men,  and  by  the 
secret  energy  of  his  Spirit  animate  and  support  them,  like  his 
own  body,  till  they  should  be  exalted  to  heaven,  and  enjoy  the 
life  of  angels ! These  impertinencies,  which  I have  thus  far 
refuted,  Osiander  esteems  as  incontrovertible  oracles.  Inebria- 
ted by  the  charms  of  his  own  speculations,  he  is  accustomed 
to  express  himself  in  the  language  of  ridiculous  triumph,  with- 
out any  sufficient  cause.  But  he  quotes  one  passage  more, 
which  he  asserts  to  be  conclusive  beyond  all  the  rest ; that  is, 
the  prophecy  of  Adam,  who,  when  he  saw  his  wife,  said. 
This  is  now  bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh.”  (^) 
But  how  does  he  prove  this  to  be  a prophecy  ? Because  Christ, 
according  to  Matthew,  attributes  the  same  language  to  God ; 
as  though  every  thing  that  God  has  spoken  by  men  contained 
some  prophecy ! Then  Osiander  may  seek  for  prophecies  in 
each  of  the  precepts  of  the  law,  of  which  it  is  evident  God 
was  the  author.  Besides,  Christ  would  have  been  a low  and 
grovelling  expositor,  if  he  had  confined  himself  to  the  literal 

(n)  Col.  i.  15.  (o)  Col.  i.  16, 18.  (p)  Gen.  ii.  23. 


428  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II, 

sense.  Because  he  is  treating,  not  of  the  mystical  union,  with 
Avhich  he  has  honoured  his  Church,  but  only  of  conjugal 
fidelity  ; he  informs  us,  that  God  had  pronounced  a husband 
and  wife  to  be  one  flesh,  that  no  one  might  attempt  by  a 
divorce  to  violate  that  indissoluble  bond.  If  Osiander  be  dis- 
pleased with  this  simplicity,  let  him  censure  Christ,  because 
he  did  not  conduct  his  disciples  to  a mystery,  by  a more  subtile 
interpretation  of  the  language  of  the  Father.  Nor  does  his 
delirious  imagination  obtain  any  support  from  Paul,  who,  after 
having  said  that  “ we  are  members  of  Christ’s  flesh,”  imme- 
diately adds,  “this  is  a great  mystery.”  {q)  For  the  apostle’s 
design  was,  not  to  explain  the  sense  in  which  Adam  spoke, 
but,  under  the  figure  and  similitude  of  marriage,  to  display  the 
sacred  union  which  makes  us  one  with  Christ.  And  this  is 
implied  in  his  very  words ; for  when  he  apprizes  us  that  he  is 
speaking  of  Christ  and  the  Church,  he  introduces  a kind  of 
correction  to  distinguish  between  the  law  of  marriage  and 
the  spiritual  union  of  Christ  and  the  Church.  Wherefore 
this  futile  notion  appears  destitute  of  any  solid  foundation. 
Nor  do  1 think  there  will  be  any  necessity  for  me  to  discuss 
similar  subtilties  ; since  the  vanity  of  them  all  will  be  dis- 
covered from  the  foregoing  very  brief  refutation.  But  this 
sober  declaration  will  be  amply  sufficient  for  the  solid  satis- 
faction of  the  children  of  God  ; that  “ when  the  fulness  of  the 
time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a woman, 
made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the 
law.”  (r) 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Christ’s  assumption  of  real  humanity. 

The  arguments  for  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  which  has  already 
been  proved  by  clear  and  irrefragable  testimonies,  it  would,  I 
conceive,  be  unnecessary  to  reiterate.  It  remains,  then,  for  us 
to  examine,  how,  after  having  been  invested  with  our  flesh,  he 
has  performed  the  oflice  of  a Mediator.  Now,  the  reality  of  his 
humanity  was  anciently  opposed  by  the  Manichseans  and  by 
the  Marcionites.  Of  whom  the  latter  imagined  to  themselves 
a visionary  phantom  instead  of  the  body  of  Christ ; and  the 
former  dreamed  that  he  had  a celestial  body.  But  both  these 
notions  are  contrary  to  numerous  and  powerful  testimonies  of 


(q)  Eph.  V.  30,  32. 


(r)  Gal.  iv.  4. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


429 


CHAP.  XIII.] 

Scripture.  For  the  blessing  is  promised,  neither  in  a heavenly 
seed,  nor  in  a phantom  of  a man,  but  in  the  seed  of  Abraham 
and  Jacob  ; nor  is  the  eternal  throne  pronhsed  to  an  aerial  man, 
but  to  the  Son  of  David  and  the  fruit  of  his  loins,  (s)  Where- 
fore, on  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  he  is  called  the  Son  of 
David  and  of  Abraham,  not  because  he  was  merely  born  of  the 
virgin  after  having  been  formed  of  some  aerial  substance  ; but 
because,  according  to  Paul,  he  was  made  of  the  seed  of  David 
according  to  the  flesh ; ” as  the  same  apostle  in  another  place 
informs  us,  that  “ according  to  the  flesh  ” he  descended  from 
the  Jews,  (t)  Wherefore  the  Lord  himself,  not  content  with 
the  appellation  of  man,  frequently  calls  himself  also  the  Son  of 
Man  — a term  which  he  intended  as  a more  express  declaration 
of  his  real  humanity.  As  the  Holy  Spirit  has  on  so  many 
occasions,  by  so  many  instruments,  and  with  such  great  dili- 
gence and  simplicity,  declared  a fact  by  no  means  abstruse  in 
itself,  who  could  have  supposed  that  any  mortals  would  have 
such  consummate  impudence  as  to  dare  to  obscure  it  with  sub- 
tilties  ? But  more  testimonies  offer  themselves,  if  we  wished 
to  multiply  them;  such  as  this  of  Paul,  that  ‘‘God  sent  forth 
his  Son  made  of  a woman  and  innumerable  others,  from 

which  he  appears  to  have  been  liable  to  hunger,  thirst,  cold, 
and  other  infirmities  of  our  nature.  But  from  the  multitude 
we  must  chiefly  select  those,  which  may  conduce  to  the  edifi- 
cation of  our  minds  in  true  faith ; as  when  it  is  said,  that  “ he 
took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels,  but  he  took  on  him 
the  seed  of  Abraham that  he  took  flesh  and  blood,  “that 
through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of 
death ; ” for  which  cause  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  bre- 
thren ; that  “ in  all  things  it  behoved  him  to  be  made  like  unto 
his  brethren,  that  he  might  be  a merciful  and  faithful  high 
priest ; ” that  “ we  have  not  a high  priest  which  cannot  be 
touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities  ; ” (^)  and  the  like. 
To  the  same  purpose  is  what  we  have  just  before  mentioned, 
that  it  was  necessary  for  the  sins  of  the  world  to  be  expiated 
in  our  flesh  ; which  is  clearly  asserted  by  Paul,  {y)  And  cer- 
tainly all  that  the  Father  has  conferred  on  Christ,  belongs  to 
us,  because  he  “is  the  head,  from  whom  the  whole  body  is 
fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted  by  that  which  every 
joint  supplieth.”  {z)  There  will  otherwise  be  no  propriety  in 
the  declaration,  “ that  God  giveth  the  Spirit  not  by  measure 
unto  him,  that  we  may  all  receive  of  his  fulness ; ” {a)  since 
nothing  would  be  more  absurd,  than  that  God  should  be  en- 

(s)  Gen.  xii.3;  xviii.  18  ; xxii.18;  xxvi.  4.  Actsiii.25;  ii.30.  Psalmcxxxii.il. 

Matt.  i.  1. 

(u)  Gal.  iv.  4.  (x)  Heb.  ii.  14,  16,  17  ; iv.  15 

(z)  Eph.  iv.  15,  16  {a)  John  iii.  34 ; i.  16. 


p)  Rom.  i.  3 ; ix.  5. 
{y)  Rom.  viii.  3. 


430  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

riched  in  his  essence  by  any  adventitious  gift.  For  this  reason 
also  Christ  himself  says  in  another  place,  For  their  sakes  I 
sanctify  myself.  ” (^) 

II.  The  passages  which  they  adduce  in  confirmation  of  this 
error,  they  most  foolishly  pervert  ; nor  do  their  frivolous  sub- 
til ties  at  all  avail  them  in  their  endeavours  to  obviate  the 
arguments  which  I have  advanced  in  defence  of  our  sentiments. 
Marcion  imagines  that  Christ  invested  himself  with  a phantom 
instead  of  a real  body  ; because  he  is  said  to  have  been  made 
in  the  likeness  of  men,”  and  to  have  been  “ found  in  fashion 
as  a man.”  (c)  But  in  drawing  this  conclusion,  he  totally 
overlooks  the  scope  of  Paul  in  that  passage.  For  his  design 
is,  not  to  describe  the  nature  of  the  body  which  Christ  as- 
sumed, but  to  assert  that  whilst  he  might  have  displayed  his 
Divinity,  he  manifested  himself  in  the  condition  of  an  abject 
and  despised  man.  For,  to  exhort  us  to  humility  by  the  ex- 
ample of  Christ,  he  shows,  that  being  God,  he  might  have  in- 
stantaneously made  a conspicuous  exhibition  of  his  glory  to  the 
world ; yet  that  he  receded  from  his  right,  and  voluntarily  de- 
based himself,  for  that  he  assumed  the  form  of  a servant,  and 
content  with  that  humble  station,  suffered  his  Divinity  to  be 
hidden  behind  the  veil  of  humanity.  The  subject  of  this 
statement,  without  doubt,  is  not  the  nature  of  Christ,  but  his 
conduct.  From  the  whole  context  also  it  is  easy  to  infer,  that 
Christ  humbled  himself  by  the  assumption  of  a real  human  na- 
ture. For  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  clause,  “that  he  was 
found  in  fashion  as  a man,”  but  that  for  a time  his  Divine  glory 
was  invisible,  and  nothing  appeared  but  the  human  form,  in  a 
mean  and  abject  condition  ? For  otherwise  there  would  be  no 
foundation  for  this  assertion  of  Peter,  that  he  was  “ put  to 
death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  by  the  Spirit,”  (c?)  if  the  Son 
of  God  had  not  been  subject  to  the  infirmities  of  human  nature. 
This  is  more  plainly  expressed  by  Paul,  when  he  says,  that 
“he  was  crucified  through  weakness.”  (e)  The  same  is  con- 
firmed by  his  exaltation,  because  he  is  positively  asserted  to 
have  obtained  a new  glory  after  his  humiliation ; which  could 
only  be  applicable  to  a real  man  composed  of  body  and  soul. 
Manichaeus  fabricates  for  Christ  an  aerial  body  ; because  he  is 
called  “the  second  Adam,  the  Lord  from  heaven.”  (/)  But 
the  apostle  in  that  place  is  not  speaking  of  a celestial  corporeal 
essence,  but  of  a spiritual  energy,  which,  being  diffused  from 
Christ,  raises  us  into  life.  That  energy  we  have  already  seen 
that  Peter  and  Paul  distinguish  from  his  body.  The  orthodox 
doctrine,  therefore,  concerning  the  body  of  Christ,  is  firmly  es- 

(b)  John  xvii.  19.  (c)  Phil.  ii.  7,  8.  (d)  1 Peter  iii.  18. 

(e)  2 Cor.  xiii.  4.  (/)  1 Cor.  xv.  47. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


431 


CHAP.  XIII.] 

tablished  by  this  very  passage.  For  unless  Christ  had  the 
same  corporeal  nature  with  us,  there  would  be  no  force  in  the 
argument  which  Paul  so  vehemently  urges,  that  if  Christ  be 
risen  from  the  dead,  then  we  also  shall  rise  ; that  if  we  rise  not, 
neither  is  Christ  risen,  (g)  Of  whatever  cavils  either  the  an- 
cient Manichaeans,  or  their  modern  disciples,  endeavour  to  avail 
themselves,  they  cannot  succeed.  Their  nugatory  pretence 
that  Christ  is  called  “ the  Son  of  man,”  because  he  was  pro- 
mised to  men,  is  a vain  subterfuge  ; for  it  is  evident  that  in  the 
Hebrew  idiom,  the  Son  of  man  is  a phrase  expressive  of  a real 
man.  And  Christ  undoubtedly  retained  the  phraseology  of  his 
own  language.  There  is  no  room  for  disputing  what  is  meant 
by  the  sons  of  Adam.  And  not  to  go  any  further,  it  will 
be  fully  sufficient  to  quote  a passage  in  the  eighth  psalm 
which  the  apostles  apply  to  Christ : What  is  man,  that  thou 
art  mindful  of  him,  or  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him  ? ” 
This  phrase  expresses  the  true  humanity  of  Christ ; because, 
though  he  was  not  immediately  begotten  by  a mortal  father, 
yet  his  descent  was  derived  from  Adam.  Nor  would  there 
otherwise  be  any  truth  in  what  we  have  just  quoted,  that 
Christ  became  a partaker  of  flesh  and  blood,  that  he  might 
bring  many  sons  to  glory  — language  which  clearly  styles  him 
to  be  a partaker  of  the  same  common  nature  with  us.  In  the 
same  sense  the  apostle  says,  that  ‘^both  he  that  sanctifieth  and 
they  who  are  sanctified  are  all  of  one.”  For  the  context  proves 
that  this  refers  to  a community  of  nature  ; because  he  immedi- 
ately adds,  for  which  cause  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them 
brethren.”  {h)  For  if  he  had  already  said  that  the  faithful  are 
of  God,  what  reason  could  Jesus  Christ  have  to  be  ashamed  of 
such  great' dignity  ? But  because  Christ,  of  his  infinite  grace, 
associates  himself  with  those  who  are  vile  and  contemptible,  it 
is  therefore  said  that  he  is  not  ashamed.  It  is  a vain  objection 
which  they  make,  that  on  this  principle  the  impious  will  be- 
come the  brethren  of  Christ ; because  we  know  that  the  chil- 
dren of  God  are  born,  not  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  of  the  Spirit 
through  faith ; therefore  a community  of  nature  alone  is  not 
sufficient  to  constitute  a fraternal  union.  But  though  it  is 
only  to  the  faithful  that  the  apostle  assigns  the  honour  of  being 
one  with  Christ,  yet  it  does  not  follow  that  unbelievers  are  not, 
according  to  the  flesh,  born  of  the  same  original ; as,  when  we 
say  that  Christ  was  made  man,  to  make  us  children  of  God, 
this  expression  extends  not  to  all  men ; because  faith  is  the 
medium  by  which  we  are  spiritually  ingrafted  into  the  body  of 
Christ.  They  likewise  raise  a foolish  contention  respecting 
the  appellation  oi first-born.  They  plead  that  Christ  ought  to 


{g)  1 Cor.  XV.  13, 14. 


{h)  Heb.  ii.  10,11,14. 


432  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

have  been  born  at  the  beginning,  immediately  of  Adam,  in 
order  ‘‘  that  he  might  be  the  first-born  among  many  bre- 
thren.” {i)  But  the  primogeniture  attributed  to  him  refers  not 
to  age,  but  to  the  degree  of  honour  and  the  eminence  of  power 
which  he  enjoys.  Nor  is  there  any  more  plausibility  in  their 
notion,  that  Christ  is  said  to  have  assumed  the  nature  of  man, 
and  not  of  angels,  because  he  received  the  human  race  into  his 
favour.  For  the  apostle,  to  magnify  the  honour  with  which 
Christ  has  favoured  us,  compares  us  with  the  angels,  before 
whom  in  this  respect  we  are  preferred,  [k)  And  if  the  testi- 
mony of  Moses  be  duly  considered,  where  he  says  that  the 
Seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent,  {1)  it 
will  decide  the  whole  controversy.  For  that  prediction  relates 
not  to  Christ  alone,  but  to  the  whole  human  race.  Because 
the  victory  was  to  be  gained  for  us  by  Christ,  God  pronounces, 
in  general,  that  the  posterity  of  the  woman  should  be  superior  to 
the  devil.  Whence  it  follows,  that  Christ  descended  from  the 
human  race ; because  the  design  of  God,  in  that  promise  to 
Eve,  was  to  comfort  her  with  a good  hope,  that  she  might  not 
be  overcome  with  sorrow. 

III.  Those  passages,  where  Christ  is  called  “the  seed  of 
Abraham,”  and  “ the  fruit  of  the  body  of  David,”  they  with 
equal  folly  and  wickedness  involve  in  allegories.  For  if  the 
word  seed  had  been  used  in  an  allegorical  sense,  Paul  certainly 
would  not  have  been  silent  respecting  it,  where,  without  any 
figure,  he  explicitly  affirms,  that  there  are  not  many  sons  of 
Abraham  who  are  Redeemers,  but  Christ  alone,  (m)  Equally 
unfounded  is  their  notion,  that  Christ  is  called  the  Son  of 
David  in  no  other  sense,  but  because  he  had  been  promised, 
and  was  at  length  manifested  in  due  time.  For  after  Paul  has 
declared  him  to  have  been  “ made  of  the  seed  of  David,”  the 
immediate  addition  of  this  phrase,  “according  to  the  flesh,”  {n) 
is  certainly  a designation  of  nature.  Thus  also  in  another 
place  he  calls  him  “ God  blessed  for  ever,”  and  distinctly  states 
that  he  descended  from  the  Jews  “as  concerning  the  flesh.”  (o) 
Now,  if  he  was  not  really  begotten  of  the  seed  of  David,  what 
is  the  meaning  of  this  expression,  “ the  fruit  of  his  loins  ? ” (p) 
What  becomes  of  this  promise,  “ Of  the  fruit  of  thy  body  will 
I set  upon  thy  throne  ? ” They  likewise  trifle  in  a sophisti- 
cal manner  with  the  genealogy  of  Christ,  as  it  is  given  by 
Matthew.  For  though  he  mentions  the  parents  of  Joseph,  and 
not  of  Mary,  yet  as  he  was  treating  of  a thing  then  generally 
known,  he  thought  it  sufficient  to  show  that  Joseph  descended 
from  the  seed  of  David,  while  there  could  be  no  doubt  that 

(i)  Rom.  viii.  29.  (/)  Gen.  iii.  15.  (n)  Rom.  i.  3.  (p)  Acts  ii.  30. 

(k)  Heb.  ii.  16.  (m)  Gal.  iii.  16.  (o)  Rom.  ix.  5.  (q)  Psalm  cxxxii.  11. 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  433 

Mary  was  of  the  same  family.  But  Luke  goes  further,  with  a 
view  to  signify,  that  the  salvation  procured  by  Christ  is  com- 
mon to  all  mankind ; since  Christ,  the  author  of  salvation,  is 
descended  from  Adam,  the  common  parent  of  all.  I grant, 
indeed,  that  from  the  genealogy  it  cannot  be  inferred  that 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  David,  any  otherwise  than  as  he  was  born 
of  the  Virgin.  But  the  modern  Marcionites,  to  give  a plausi- 
bility to  their  error,  that  Christ  derived  his  body  from  nothing, 
contend  that  women  have  no  generative  semen  ; and  thus  they 
subvert  the  elements  of  nature.  But  as  this  is  not  a theologi- 
cal question,  and  the  arguments  which  they  adduce  are  so  futile 
that  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  repelling  them,  I shall  not 
meddle  with  points  belonging  to  philosophy  and  the  medical 
art.  ’ It  will  be  sufficient  for  me  to  obviate  the  objection 
which  they  allege  from  the  Scripture,  namely,  that  Aaron 
and  Jehoiada  married  wives  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  ,*  and  thus, 
if  women  contain  generative  semen,  the  distinction  of  tribes 
was  confounded.  But  it  is  sufficiently  known,  that,  for  the 
purposes  of  political  regulation,  the  posterity  is  always  reck- 
oned from  the  father ; yet  that  the  superiority  of  the  male  sex 
forms  no  objection  to  the  cooperation  of  the  female  semen 
in  the  process  of  generation.  This  solution  extends  to  all  the 
genealogies.  Frequently,  when  the  Scripture  exhibits  a cata- 
logue of  names,  it  mentions  none  but  men ; is  it  therefore  to 
be  concluded  that  women  are  nothing  ? Even  children  them- 
selves know  that  women  are  comprehended  under  their  hus- 
bands. For  this  reason  women  are  said  to  bear  children  to 
their  husbands,  because  the  name  of  the  family  always  remains 
with  the  males.  Now,  as  it  is  a privilege  conceded  to  the 
superiority  of  the  male  sex,  that  children  should  be  accounted 
noble  or  ignoble,  according  to  the  condition  of  their  fathers,  so, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  is  held  by  the  lawyers,  that  in  a state  of 
slavery  the  offspring  follows  the  condition  of  the  mother. 
Whence  we  may  infer,  that  the  offspring  is  produced  partly 
from  the  seed  of  the  mother  ; and  the  common  language  of  all 
nations  implies  that  mothers  have  some  share  in  the  generation 
of  children.  This  is  in  harmony  with  the  Divine  law,  which 
otherwise  would  have  no  ground  for  the  prohibition  of  the 
marriage  of  an  uncle  with  his  sister’s  daughter  ; because  in 
that  case  there  would  be  no  consanguinity.  It  would  also  be 
lawful  for  a man  to  marry  his  uterine  sister,  provided  she  were 
begotten  by  another  father.  But  while  I grant  that  a passive 
power  is  ascribed  to  women,  I also  maintain  that  the  same  that 
is  affirmed  of  men  is  indiscriminately  predicated  of  them.  Nor 
is  Christ  himself  said  to  be  ‘ffiiade  ” by  a woman,  but  ^‘of  a 
woman.”  (r)  Some  of  these  persons,  casting  off  all  modesty, 

(r)  Gal.  iv.  4. 


VOL. 


55 


434 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

impudently  inquire,  whether  we  choose  to  say  that  Christ 
was  procreated  from  the  menstrual  seed  of  the  Virgin.  I 
will  inquire,  on  the  other  hand,  whether  he  was  not  united 
with  the  blood  of  his  mother ; and  this  they  must  be  con- 
strained to  confess.  It  is  properly  inferred,  therefore,  from 
the  language  of  Matthew,  that  inasmuch  as  Christ  was  begot- 
ten of  Mary,  (s)  he  was  procreated  from  her  seed;  as  when 
Booz  is  said  to  have  been  begotten  of  Rahab,  [t)  it  denotes  a 
similar  generation.  Nor  is  it  the  design  of  Matthew  here  to  de- 
scribe the  Virgin  as  a tube  through  which  Christ  passed,  but 
to  discriminate  this  miraculous  conception  from  ordinary  gen- 
eration, in  that  Jesus  Christ  was  generated  of  the  seed  of 
David  by  means  of  a Virgin.  In  the  same  sense,  and  for  the 
same  reason  that  Isaac  is  said  to  have  been  begotten  of  Abra- 
ham, Solomon  of  David,  and  Joseph  of  Jacob,  so  Christ  is  said 
to  have  been  begotten  of  his  mother.  For  the  evangelist  has 
written  the  whole  of  his  account  upon  this  principle;  and  to 
prove  that  Christ  descended  from  David,  he  has  contented 
himself  with  this  one  fact,  that  he  was  begotten  of  Mary. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  he  took  for  granted  the  consanguinity 
of  Mary  and  Joseph. 

IV.  The  absurdities,  with  which  these  opponents  wish  to 
press  us,  are  replete  with  puerile  cavils.  They  esteem  it ‘mean 
and  dishonourable  to  Christ,  that  he  should  derive  his  descent 
from  men ; because  he  could  not  be  exempt  from  the  universal 
law,  which  concludes  all  the  posterity  of  Adam,  without  excep- 
tion, under  sin.  [v)  But  the  antithesis,  which  we  find  in  Paul, 
easily  solves  this  difficulty : As  by  one  man  sin  entered  into 
the  world,  and  death  by  sin,  even  so  by  the  righteousness  of 
one,  the  grace  of  God  hath  abounded.”  To  this  the  fol- 
lowing passage  corresponds  : “ The  first  man  is  of  the  earth, 
earthy ; the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven.”  {x)  There- 
fore the  same  apostle,  in  another  place,  by  teaching  us  that 
Christ  was  “ sent  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh  ” (y)  to  satisfy 
the  law,  expressly  distinguishes  him  from  the  common  condition 
of  mankind  ; so  that  he  is  a real  man,  and  yet  free  from  all 
fault  and  corruption.  They  betray  their  ignorance  in  arguing 
that,  if  Christ  is  perfectly  immaculate,  and  was  begotten  of 
the  seed  of  Mary,  by  the  secret  operation  of  the  Spirit,  then  it 
follows  that  there  is  no  impurity  in  the  seed  of  women,  but 
only  in  that  of  men.  For  we  do  not  represent  Christ  as  per- 
fectly immaculate,  merely  because  he  was  born  of  the  seed  of 
a woman  unconnected  with  any  man,  but  because  he  was  sanc- 
tified by  the  Spirit,  so  that  his  generation  was  pure  and  holy, 
such  as  it  would  have  been  before  the  fall  of  Adam.  And  it 

(5)  Matt.  i.  16.  ^5  tyevvrj^t]  ’Irfiovq. 

(<)  Matt.  i.  5.  Ss  tysvvijoe  Tov  Boot  ex  rtjg 

(v)  Gal.  iii.  22.  {w)  Rom.  v.  12,  15, 18.  (x)  1 Cor.  xv.  47.  (y)  Rom.  viii.  3. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


435 


CHAP.  XIV.] 

is  a fixed  maxim  with  us,  that  whenever  the  Scripture  men- 
tions the  purity  of  Christ,  it  relates  to  a real  humanity ; be- 
cause to  assert  the  purity  of  Deity  would  be  quite  unnecessary. 
The  sanctification,  also,  of  which  he  speaks  in  the  seventeenth 
chaptei  of  John,  {z)  could  have  no  reference  to  the  Divine 
nature.  Nor  do  we,  as  they  pretend,  imagine  two  kinds  of 
seed  in  Adam,  notwithstanding  Christ  was  free  from  all  con- 
tagion. For  the  generation  of  man  is  not  naturally  and 
originally  impure  and  corrupt,  but  only  accidentally  so,  in 
consequence  of  the  fall.  Therefore  we  need  not  wonder,  that 
Christ,  who  was  to  restore  our  integrity,  was  exempted  from 
the  general  corruption.  But  what  they  urge  on  us  as  an  ab- 
surdity, that  if  the  Word  of  God  was  clothed  with  flesh,  it  was 
therefore  confined  within  the  narrow  prison  of  an  earthly  body, 
is  mere  impudence  ; because,  although  the  infinite  essence  of 
the  Word  is  united  in  one  person  with  the  nature  of  man,  yet 
we  have  no  idea  of  its  incarceration  or  confinement.  For  the 
Son  of  God  miraculously  descended  from  heaven,  yet  in  such 
a manner  that  he  never  left  heaven  ; he  chose  to  be  mira- 
culously conceived  in  the  womb  of  the  Virgin,  to  live  on  the 
earth,  and  to  be  suspended  on  the  cross  ; and  yet  he  never 
ceased  to  fill  the  universe,  in  the  same  manner  as  from  the  be- 
ginning. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  UNION  OF  THE  TWO  NATURES  CONSTITUTING  THE  PERSON 
OF  THE  MEDIATOR. 

W HEN  it  is  said  that  the  Word  was  made  flesh,”  (a)  this  is 
not  to  be  understood  as  if  the  Word  was  transmuted  into  flesh, 
or  blended  with  flesh.  Choosing  from  the  womb  of  the  Virgin 
a temple  for  his  residence,  he  who  was  the  Son  of  God,  be- 
came also  the  Son  of  man,  not  by  a confusion  of  substance, 
but  by  a unity  of  person.  For  we  assert  such  a connection 
and  union  of  the  Divinity  with  the  humanity,  that  each  nature 
retains  its  properties  entire,  and  yet  both  together  constitute 
one  Christ.  If  any  thing  among  men  can  be  found  to  resemble 
so  great  a mystery,  man  himself  appears  to  furnish  the  most 
apposite  similitude  ; being  evidently  composed  of  two  sub- 
stances, of  which,  however,  neither  is  so  confounded  with  the 
other,  as  not  to  retain  its  distinct  nature.  For  the  soul  is  not 


(z)  John  xvii.  19. 


(a)  John  i.  14. 


436  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  11. 

the  body,  nor  is  the  body  the  soul.  Wherefore  that  is  pre- 
dicated separately  of  the  soul,  Avhich  cannot  be  at  all  applied 
to  the  body.  On  the  contrary,  that  is  predicated  of  the  body, 
which  is  totally  incompatible  with  the  soul.  And  that  is  pre- 
dicated of  the  whole  man,  which  cannot  with  propriety  be 
understood  either  of  the  soul  or  of  the  body  alone.  Lastly, 
the  properties  of  the  soul  are  transferred  to  the  body,  and  the 
properties  of  the  body  to  the  soul ; yet  he  that  is  composed  of 
these  two  parts  is  no  more  than  one  man.  Such  forms  of  ex- 
pression signify  that  there  is  in  man  one  person  composed  of 
two  distinct  parts ; and  that  there  are  two  different  natures 
united  in  him  to  constitute  that  one  person.  The  Scriptures 
speak  in  a similar  manner  respecting  Christ.  They  attribute 
to  him,  sometimes  those  things  which  are  applicable  merely  to 
his  humanity  ; sometimes  those  things  which  belong  peculiarly 
to  his  Divinity  ; and  not  unfrequently  those  things  which  com- 
prehend both  his  natures,  but  are  incompatible  with  either  of 
them  alone.  And  this  union  of  the  two  natures  in  Christ  they 
so  carefully  maintain,  that  they  sometimes  attribute  to  one 
what  belongs  to  the  other  — a mode  of  expression  which  the 
ancient  writers  called  a communication  of  properties. 

II.  These  things  might  be  liable  to  objection,  if  the  Scripture 
did  not  abound  with  passages,  which  prove  that  none  of  them 
is  of  human  invention.  What  Christ  asserted  concerning  him- 
self, ‘‘Before  Abraham  was,  I am,”  (6)  Avas  very  inapplicable 
to  his  humanity.  I am  aware  of  the  cavil  with  which  erro- 
neous spirits  would  corrupt  this  passage,  — that  he  was  before 
all  ages,  because  he  was  even  then  foreknown  as  the  Re- 
deemer, as  well  in  the  decree  of  the  Father,  as  in  the  minds 
of  the  faithful.  But  as  he  clearly  distinguishes  the  day  of  his 
manifestation  from  his  eternal  essence,  and  professedly  urges 
his  antiquity,  in  proof  of  his  possessing  an  authority  in  which 
he  excels  Abraham,  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  challenges  to 
himself  what  is  peculiar  to  the  Deity.  Paul  asserts  him  to  be 
“ the  first-born  of  every  creature,  that  he  is  before  all  things, 
and  that  by  him  all  things  consist : ” (c)  he  declares  himself, 
that  he  “had  a glory  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
was,”  {d)  and  that  he  cooperates  with  the  Father,  (e)  These 
things  are  equally  incompatible  with  humanity.  It  is  certain 
that  these,  and  such  as  these,  are  peculiar  attributes  of  Divi- 
nity. But  when  he  is  called  the  “ servant  ” of  the  Father  ; (/) 
when  it  is  stated  that  he  “ increased  in  Avisdom  and  stature, 
and  in  favour  with  God  and  man  ; ” (^)  that  he  seeks  not  his 
own  glory  ; that  he  knoAvs  not  the  last  day  ,*  that  he  speaks 
not  of  himself ; that  he  does  not  his  own  will ; that  he  was 

(h)  John  viii.  58.  (d)  John  xvii.  5.  (/)  Isaiah  xlii.  1. 

(c)  Col.  i.  15.  (c)  John  v.  17.  (g)  Luke  ii.  52. 


CHAP.  XIV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  437 

seen  and  handled;  {h)  all  this  belongs  solely  to  his  humanity. 
For  as  he  is  God,  he  is  incapable  of  any  augmentation  what- 
ever ; he  does  all  things  for  his  own  glory,  and  there  is  nothing 
concealed  from  him  ; he  does  all  things  according  to  the  de- 
cision of  his  own  will,  and  is  invisible  and  intangible.  And 
yet  he  ascribes  these  things  not  to  his  human  nature  separate- 
ly, but  to  himself,  as  though  they  belonged  to  the  person  of 
the  Mediator.  But  the  communication  of  properties  is  exem- 
plified in  the  assertion  of  Paul  that  God  purchased  the 
Church  with  his  own  blood,”  {i)  and  that  “ the  Lord  of  glory  ” 
was  crucified.”  (^*)  Also  in  what  John  says,  that  they  had 
‘^handled  the  Word  of  life.”  (/)  God  has  no  blood  ; he  is  not 
capable  of  suffering,  or  of  being  touched  with  hands  ; but  since 
he,  who  was  at  once  the  true  God  and  the  man  Christ  Jesus, 
was  crucified  and  shed  his  blood  for  us,  those  things  which 
were  performed  in  his  human  nature  are  improperly,  yet  not 
without  reason,  transferred  to  the  Divinity.  There  is  a simi- 
lar example  of  this,  where  John  teaches  us,  that  God  laid 
down  his  life  for  us.”  (m)  There  also  the  property  of  the 
humanity  is  transferred  to  the  other  nature.  Again,  when 
Christ,  while  he  still  lived  on  the  earth,  said,  “ No  man  hath 
ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  he  that  came  down  f om  heaven, 
even  the  Son  of  man  which  is  in  heaven  : ” (?i)  as  man,  and  in 
the  body  which  he  had  assumed,  he  certainly  was  not  at  that 
time  in  heaven,  but  because  he  was  both  God  and  man,  on 
account  of  the  union  of  both  natures,  he  attributed  to  one 
what  belonged  to  the  other. 

III.  But  the  clearest  of  all  the  passages  declarative  of  the 
true  substance  of  Christ  are  those  which  comprehend  both  the 
natures  together  ; such  as  abound  in  the  Gospel  of  John.  For 
it  is  not  with  exclusive  reference  to  the  Deity  or  the  humanity, 
but  respecting  the  complex  person  composed  of  both,  that  we 
find  it  there  stated  ; that  he  has  received  of  the  Father  power 
to  forgive  sins,  to  raise  up  whom  he  will,  to  bestow  righteous- 
ness, holiness,  and  salvation  ; that  he  is  appointed  to  be  the 
Judge  of  the  living  and  the  dead,  that  he  may  receive  the 
same  honour  as  the  Father  ; (o)  finally,  that  he  is  “ the  light  of 
the  world,”  the  good  shepherd,”  the  only  door,”  the  true 
vine.”  {p)  For  with  such  prerogatives  was  the  Son  of  God  invest- 
ed at  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh  ; which  although  he  enjoyed 
with  the  Father  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  yet  not  in  the 
same  manner  or  on  the  same  account ; and  which  could  not  be 
conferred  on  a mere  man.  In  the  same  sense  also  it  is  reasonable 
to  understand  the  declaration  of  Paul,  that  after  the  last  judgment 

{h)  John  viii.  50.  Mark  xiii.  32.  John  xiv.  10;  vi.  38.  Luke  xxiv.  30. 

{i)  Acts  XX.  28.  (A-)  1 Cor.  ii.  8.  (/)  1 John  i.  1.  (m)  1 John  iii,  16. 

(n)  John  iii.  13.  (o)  John  i.  20  ; v.  21 — 23.  {p)  John  ix.  5 ; x.  0,  11 ; xv.  1. 


438  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  11. 

Christ  “ shall  deliver  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Fa- 
ther.” {q)  Now,  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  God,  which  had  no 
beginning,  will  never  have  any  end.  But  as  he  concealed  him- 
self under  the  meanness  of  the  flesh,  and  humbled  himself  by  assu- 
ming the  form  of  a servant,  and  laid  aside  his  external  majesty  in 
obedience  to  the  Father,  (r)  and  after  having  undergone  this 
humiliation,  was  at  length  crowned  with  glory  and  honour,  and 
exalted  to  supreme  dominion,  (5)  that  before  him  ‘‘  every  knee 
should  bow  ; ” (^)  so  he  shall  then  surrender  to  the  Father  that 
name  and  crown  of  glory,  and  all  that  he  has  received  from 
the  Father,  ‘‘that  God  may  be  all  in  all.”  (w)  For  why 
has  power  and  dominion  been  given  to  him,  but  that  the 
Father  may  rule  us  by  his  hand  ? In  this  sense  he  is  also 

said  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father.  But  this  is  only 

temporary,  till  we  can  enjoy  the  immediate  contemplation 
of  the  Deity.  And  here  it  is  impossible  to  excuse  the  error 
of  the  ancients,  who,  for  want  of  sufficient  attention  to 
the  person  of  the  Mediator,  obscure  the  genuine  sense  of 
almost  all  the  doctrine  which  we  have  in  the  Gospel  of  John, 
and  involve  themselves  in  many  difficulties.  Let  this  maxim, 
then,  serve  us  as  a key  to  the  true  sense,  that  those  things 

which  relate  to  the  office  of  the  Mediator,  are  not  spoken 

simply  of  his  Divine  or  of  his  human  nature.  Christ  there- 
fore will  reign,  till  he  comes  to  judge  the  world,  forasmuch 
as  he  connects  us  with  the  Father  as  far  as  is  compatible  with 
our  infirmity.  But  when  we  shall  participate  the  glory  of 
heaven,  and  see  God  as  he  is,  then,  having  fulfilled  the  office 
of  Mediator,  he  will  cease  to  be  the  ambassador  of  the  Father, 
and  will  be  content  with  that  glory  which  he  enjoyed  before 
the  creation  of  the  world.  Nor  is  the  title  of  Lord  peculiarly 
applied  to  the  person  of  Christ  in  any  other  respect,  than  as  it 
marks  an  intermediate  station  between  God  and  us.  This  is 
the  meaning  of  that  expression  of  Paul,  “ One  God,  of  whom 
are  all  things  ; and  one  Lord,  by  whom  are  all  things ; ” 
namely,  to  whom  the  Father  has  committed  a temporary  do- 
minion, till  we  shall  be  admitted  to  the  immediate  presence  of 
his  Divine  majesty  ; which  will  be  so  far  from  sustaining  any 
diminution  by  his  surrender  of  the  kingdom  to  the  Father,  that 
it  will  exhibit  itself  in  far  superior  splendour.  For  then  also 
God  will  cease  to  be  the  head  of  Christ,  because  the  Deity  of 
Christ  himself,  which  is  still  covered  with  a veil,  will  shine 
forth  in  all  its  native  effulgence. 

IV.  And  this  observation,  if  the  reader  make  a judicious 
application  of  it,  will  be  of  great  use  towards  the  solution  of 
many  difficulties.  For  it  is  surprising  how  much  ignorant 

(jj)  1 Cor.  XV.  24.  (5)  Heb.  ii.  7.  {u)  1 Cor.  xv.  28. 

(r)  Phil.  ii.  8.  {t)  Phil.  ii.  10.  (jo)  1 Cor.  viii.  6. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


439 


CHAP.  XTV.] 

persons,  and  even  some  who  are  not  altogether  destitute  of 
learning,  are  perplexed  by  such  forms  of  expression,  as  they 
find  attributed  to  Christ,  which  are  not  exactly  appropriate 
either  to  his  Divinity  or  to  his  humanity.  This  is  for  want  of 
considering  that  they  are  applicable  to  his  complex  person,  con- 
sisting of  God  and  man,  and  to  his  office  of  Mediator.  And 
indeed  we  may  see  the  most  beautiful  coherence  between  all 
these  things,  if  they  have  only  a sober  expositor,  to  examine 
such  great  mysteries  with  becoming  reverence.  But  these  fu- 
rious and  frantic  spirits  throw  every  thing  into  confusion. 
They  lay  hold  of  the  properties  of  his  humanity,  to  destroy 
his  Divinity ; on  the  other  hand,  they  catch  at  the  attributes 
of  his  Divinity,  to  destroy  his  humanity ; and  by  what  is  spo- 
ken of  both  natures  united,  but  is  applicable  separately  to 
neither,  they  attempt  to  destroy  both.  Now,  what  is  this  but 
to  contend  that  Christ  is  not  man,  because  he  is  God;  that  he 
is  not  God,  because  he  is  man ; and  that  he  is  neither  man  nor 
God,  because  he  is  at  once  both  man  and  God?  We  conclude, 
therefore,  that  Christ,  as  he  is  God  and  man,  composed  of  these 
two  natures  united,  yet  not  confounded,  is  our  Lord  and  the 
true  Son  of  God,  even  in  his  humanity  ; though  not  on  ac- 
count of  his  humanity.  For  we  ought  carefully  to  avoid  the 
error  of  Nestorius,  who,  attempting  rather  to  divide  than  to 
distinguish  the  two  natures,  thereby  imagined  a double  Christ. 
This  we  find  clearly  contradicted  by  the  Scripture,  where  the 
appellation  of  ‘The  Son  of  God”  is  given  to  him  who  was 
born  of  the  Virgin,  and  the  Virgin  herself  is  called  “ th(i  mo- 
ther of  our  Lord.”  {x)  We  must  also  beware  of  the  error  of 
Eutyches,  lest  while  we  aim  to  establish  the  unity  of  Christ’s 
person,  we  destroy  the  distinction  of  his  two  natures.  For  we 
have  already  cited  so  many  testimonies,  where  his  Divinity  is 
distinguished  from  his  humanity,  and  the  Scripture  abounds 
with  so  many  others,  that  they  may  silence  even  the  most  con- 
tentious. I shall  shortly  subjoin  some,  in  order  to  a more 
complete  refutation  of  that  notion.  At  present  one  passage 
shall  suffice  us ; for  Christ  would  not  have  styled  his  body  “ a 
temple,”  (y)  if  it  had  not  been  the  residence  of  the  Divinity, 
and  at  the  same  time  distinct  from  it.  Wherefore,  as  Nestorius 
was  justly  condemned  in  the  council  of  Ephesus,  so  also  was 
Eutyches  afterwards  in  the  councils  of  Constantinople  and 
Chalcedon  ; for  to  confound  the  two  natures  in  Christ,  and  to 
separate  them,  are  equally  wrong. 

V.  But  in  our  time  also  there  has  arisen  a heretic  equally 
pestilent,  Michael  Servetus,  who  in  the  place  of  the  Son  of 
God  has  substituted  an  imaginary  being  composed  of  the 


(z)  Luke  i.  35,  43. 


(y)  John  ii.  19. 


440 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II 

essence  of  God,  spirit,  flesh,  and  three  uncreated  elements. 
In  the  flrst  place,  he  denies  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
in  any  other  respect  than  as  he  was  begotten  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  womb  of  the  Virgin.  But  his  subtlety  tends 
to  subvert  the  distinction  of  the  two  natures,  and  thereby  to 
represent  Christ  as  something  composed  of  God  and  man, 
and  yet  neither  God  nor  man.  For  this  is  the  principal 
point  which  he  constantly  endeavours  to  establish,  that  be- 
fore Christ  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,  there  were  in  God 
only  some  shadowy  figures ; the  truth  or  effect  of  which  had 
no  real  existence  till  the  Word,  who  had  been  destined  to  this 
honour,  actually  began  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  Now,  we  con- 
fess that  the  Mediator,  who  was  born  of  the  Virgin,  is  pro- 
perly the  Son  of  God.  Nor  indeed  could  the  man  Christ  be 
a mirror  of  the  inestimable  grace  of  God,  if  this  dignity  had 
not  been  conferred  on  him,  to  be,  and  to  be  called,  ‘‘the 
only  begotten  Son  of  God.”  The  doctrine  of  the  Church, 
however,  remains  unshaken,  that  he  is  accounted  the  Son 
of  God,  because,  being  the  Word  begotten  by  the  Father  be- 
fore all  ages,  he  assumed  the  human  nature  in  a hypostatical 
union.  By  the  “hypostatical  union”  the  ancients  expressed 
the  combination  of  two  natures  constituting  one  person.  It 
was  invented  to  refute  the  error  of  Nestorius,  who  imagined 
the  Son  of  God  to  have  dwelt  in  flesh  in  such  a manner 
as,  notwithstanding  that,  to  have  had  no  real  humanity. 
Servetus  falsely  accuses  us  of  making  two  Sons  of  God, 
when  we  say  that  the  eternal  Word  was  the  Son  of  God, 
before  he  was  clothed  with  flesh ; as  though  we  affirmed 
any  other  than  that  he  was  manifested  in  the  flesh.  For  if 
he  was  God  before  he  became  man,  it  is  not  to  be  inferred 
that  he  began  to  be  a new  God.  There  is  no  more  absur- 
dity in  affirming  that  the  Son  of  God  appeared  in  the  flesh, 
who  nevertheless  was  always  the  Son  of  God  by  eternal 
generation.  This  is  implied  in  the  words  of  the  angel  to 
Mary : “ That  holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall 
be  called  the  Son  of  God  ,*”(2:)  as  though  he  had  said,  that 
the  name  of  the  Son,  which  had  been  in  obscurity  under  the 
law,  was  about  to  be  celebrated  and  universally  known. 
Consistent  with  this  is  the  representation  of  Paul ; that 
through  Christ  we  are  the  sons  of  God,  and  may  freely  and 
confidently  cry,  Abba,  Father,  (a)  But  were  not  the  holy 
patriarchs  in  ancient  times  numbered  among  the  children  of 
God?  Yes;  and  depending  on  this  claim,  they  invoked  God 
as  their  Father.  But  because,  since  the  introduction  of  the 
only  begotten  Son  of  God  into  the  world,  the  celestial  pa- 
ternity has  been  more  clearly  revealed,  Paul  mentions  this 

(2)  Luke  i.  35.  (a)  Rom.  viii.  15.  Gal.  iv.  5,  6, 


CHAP.  XIV.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


441 


as  the  privilege  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  It  must,  however, 
be  steadily  maintained,  that  God  never  was  a Father,  either 
to  angels  or  to  men,  but  with  reference  to  his  only  begotten 
Son ; and  especially  that  men,  whom  their  own  inicpiity 
renders  odious  to  God,  are  his  sons  by  gratuitous  adoption, 
because  Christ  is  his  Son  by  nature.  Nor  is  there  any  force 
in  the  cavil  of  Servetus,  that  this  depends  on  the  filiation 
which  God  has  decreed  in  himself;  because  we  are  not  here 
treating  of  figures,  as  expiation  was  represented  by  the  blood 
of  the  sacrifices : but  as  they  could  not  be  the  sons  of  God  in 
reality,  unless  their  adoption  were  founded  on  this  head,  it  is 
unreasonable  to  detract  from  the  head,  that  which  is  common 
to  all  the  members.  I go  further  : since  the  Scripture  calls  an- 
gels the  children  of  God,”  (b)  whose  enjoyment  of  such  high 
dignity  depended  not  on  the  future  redemption,  yet  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  Christ  should  precede  them  in  order,  seeing  it  is 
by  him  that  they  are  connected  with  the  Father.  I will  brief- 
ly repeat  this  observation,  and  apply  the  same  to  the  human 
race.  • Since  angels  and  men  were  originally  created  in  such  a 
condition,  that  God  was  the  common  Father  of  both,  if  there 
be  any  truth  in  the  assertion  of  Paul,  ‘‘that  Christ  was  before 
all  things,  the  head  of  the  body,  and  the  first-born  of  every 
creature,  that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  preeminence,”  (c) 
I conceive  I am  right  in  concluding,  that  he  was  also  the  Son 
of  God  before  the  creation  of  the  world. 

VI.  But  if  his  filiation  (so  to  speak)  commenced  at  the  time 
of  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  it  will  follow  that  he  was  the 
Son  also  in  respect  of  his  human  nature.  Servetus  and  other 
heretics  maintain  that  Christ,  who  appeared  in  the  flesh,  was 
the  Son  of  God ; because  out  of  the  flesh  he  could  not  be  enti- 
tled to  this  appellation.  Now,  let  them  answer  me,  whether  he  be 
the  Son  according  to  both  natures,  and  in  respect  of  both.  So 
indeed  they  idly  pretend ; but  Paul  teaches  us  very  difterently. 
We  confess  that  Christ  is  called  “ the  Son  ” in  his  human 
nature,  not  as  the  faithful  are,  merely  by  adoption  and  grace, 
but  the  true  and  natural,  and  therefore  the  only  Son ; that  by 
this  character  he  may  be  distinguished  from  all  others.  For 
we,  who  are  regenerated  to  a new  life,  are  honoured  by  God 
with  the  title  of  sons ; but  the  appellation  of  “ his  true  and 
only  begotten  Son  ” he  gives  to  Christ  alone.  But  among 
such  a multitude  of  brethren,  how  can  he  be  the  only  Son. 
unless  he  possess  by  nature  what  we  have  received  as  a gift  ? 
And  we  extend  this  honour  to  the  whole  person  of  the  Media- 
tor, that  he  who  was  born  of  the  Virgin,  and  offered  himself 
on  the  cross  as  a victim  to  the  Father,  is  truly  and  properly 


VOL.  I. 


(b)  Psalm  Ixxxii.  6. 

I.  56 


(c)  Col.  i.  15—18. 


442 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


0 


[book  II. 

the  Son  of  God ; but  nevertheless  with  respect  to  his  Deity,  as 
Paul  suggests,  when  he  says  that  he  was  ‘‘separated  unto  the 
gospel  of  God,  which  he  had  promised  afore,  concerning  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  which  was  made  of  the  seed  of 
David  according  to  the  flesh,  and  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  with  power.”  [d)  When  he  distinctly  denominates  him 
the  Son  of  David  according  to  the  flesh,  why  should  he  parti- 
cularly say  that  he  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 
power,  unless  he  intended  to  suggest  that  this  dignity  depend- 
ed not  on 'that  flesh,  but  on  something  else  ? For  in  the  same 
sense  in  which  he  says  in  another  place  that  “ he  was  cruci- 
fied through  weakness,  yet  that  he  liveth  by  the  power  of 
God,”  so  in  this  passage  he  introduces  the  difference  between 
the  two  natures.  They  certainly  must  be  constrained  to  admit, 
that  as  he  has  received  of  his  mother  that  which  causes  him  to 
be  called  the  Son  of  David,  so  he  has  from  his  Father  that  which 
constitutes  him  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  this  is  something  dis- 
tinct and  different  from  his  humanity.  The  Scripture  distin- 
guishes him  by  two  names,  calling  him  sometimes  “ the  Son  of 
God,”  sometimes  “ the  Son  of  man.”  With  respect  to  the  lat- 
ter, it  cannot  be  disputed  that  he  is  styled  the  “ Son  of  man,” 
in  conformity  to  the  common  idiom  of  the  Hebrew  language, 
because  he  is  one  of  the  posterity  of  Adam.  I contend,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  he  is  denominated  “ the  Son  of  God  ” on 
account  of  his  Deity  and  eternal  existence ; because  it  is 
equally  reasonable  that  the  appellation  of  “ Son  of  God  ” should 
be  referred  to  the  Divine  nature,  as  that  that  of  “ Son  of  man  ” 
should  be  referred  to  the  human  nature.  In  short,  in  the  pas- 
sage which  1 have  cited,  “that  he,  who  was  made  of  the  seed 
of  David  according  to  the  flesh,  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  with  power,”  Paul  intends  the  same  as  he  teaches  us  in 
another  place,  that  “ Christ,  who  as  concerning  the  flesh  came 
of  the  Jews,  is  God  blessed  for  ever.”  But  if  the  distinction 
of  the  two  natures  be  expressed  in  both  these  passages,  by 
what  authority  will  they  deny  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God  in 
respect  of  his  Divine  nature,  who  according  to  the  flesh  is 
likewise  the  Son  of  tnan  ? 

VII.  They  clamorously  urge  in  support  of  their  error  that 
God  is  said  “not  to  have  spared  his  own  Son,”  (c)  and  that 
the  angel  directed  that  the  very  same  who  was  to  be  born  of 
the  Virgin,  should  be  called  “ the  Son  of  the  Highest.”  (/) 
But  to  prevent  their  glorying  in  so  futile  an  objection,  let 
them  accompany  us  in  a brief  examination  of  the  validity  of 
their  reasoning.  For  if  it  be  rightly  concluded,  that  he  began 
to  be  the  Son  of  God  at  his  conception,  because  he  that  is 


(d)  Rom.  i.  1 — 4. 


(e)  Rom.  viii.  32. 


(/)  Luke  i.  32. 


CHAP.  XIV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  443 

conceived  is  called  his  Son,  it  will  follow  that  he  began 
to  be  the  Word  at  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  because  John 
tells  us  that  ‘‘  he  declares  that,  which  his  hands  have  handled, 
of  the  Word  of  life.”(^)  So  when  they  read  the  following 
address  of  the  prophet,  “ Thou,  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though 
thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee 
shall  he  come  forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be  Ruler  in  Israel, 
whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting,  or 
from  the  days  of  eternity,”  (/i)  what  interpretation  will  they 
be  obliged  to  adopt,  if  they  determine  to  pursue  such  a mode 
of  argumentation  ? For  I have  declared  that  we  by  no  means 
coincide  with  Nestorius,  who  imagined  two  Christs.  Accord- 
ing to  our  doctrine,  Christ  has  made  us  the  sons  of  God, 
together  with  himself,  by  the  privilege  of  a fraternal  union, 
because  he  is,  in  our  nature  which  he  assumed,  the  only  begot- 
ten Son  of  God.  And  Augustine  judiciously  apprizes  us,  that 
it  is  an  illustrious  mirror  of  the  wonderful  and  singular  grace 
of  God,  that  Jesus  Christ,  considered  as  man,  obtained  honour 
which  he  could  not  merit.”  From  his  very  birth,  therefore, 
was  Christ  adorned,  even  in  his  human  nature,  with  the  dignity 
of  being  the  Son  of  God.  Yet  in  the  unity  of  person  we  must 
not  imagine  such  a confusion,  as  to  destroy  that  which  is  pe- 
culiar to  Deity.  For  it  is  no  more  unreasonable,  that  the  eter- 
nal Word  of  God  and  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  the  two  natures 
being  united  into  one  person,  should  be  called  the  Son  of  God 
in  different  senses,  than  that  he  should  be  styled,  in  various 
respects,  sometimes  the  Son  of  God,  sometimes  the  Son  of  man. 
.Nor  are  we  any  more  embarrassed  with  the  other  cavil  of  Ser- 
vetus,  that  before  Christ  appeared  in  the  flesh,  he  is  no  where 
called  the  Son  of  God,  but  in  a flgurative  sense.  For  though 
the  description  of  him  then  was  rather  obscure,  yet  since  it  has 
now  been  clearly  proved,  that  he  was  the  eternal  God  no 
otherwise  than  as  he  was  the  Word  begotten  of  the  eternal 
Father,  and  that  this  name  is  applicable  to  him  in  the  character 
of  Mediator  which  he  has  assumed,  only  because  he  is  God 
manifested  in  the  flesh ; and  that  God  the  Father  would  not 
have  been  thus  denominated  from  the  beginning,  unless  there 
had  even  then  been  a mutual  relation  to  the  Son,  who  is  the 
source  of  all  kindred  or  paternity  in  heaven  and -in  earth  ; (^)  the 
inference  is  clear,  that  even  under  the  law  and  the  prophets  he 
was  the  Son  of  God,  before  this  name  was  commonly  used  in 
the  Church.  If  the  contention  be  merely  about  the  word, 
Solomon,  in  speaking  of  the  infinite  sublimity  of  God,  affirms 
his  Son  to-be  incomprehensible  as  well  as  himself : “What  is 
his  name,”  says  he,  “and  what  is  his  Son’s  name,  if  thou 
canst  tell  ? ” (k)  I am  aware  that  this  testimony  will  not  have 

(h)  Micah  v.  2.  (i)  Eph.  iii.  15.  (k)  Prov.  xxx.  4. 


(g)  1 John  i.  1. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


AW 


[book  II. 


sufficient  weight  with  contentious  persons,  nor  indeed  do  I lay 
much  stress  on  it,  only  that  it  fixes  the  charge  of  a malicious 
cavil  on  those  who  deny  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  any 
otherwise  than  because  he  has  become  man.  It  must  also  be 
remarked  that  all  the  most  ancient  writers  have  with  one  ac- 
cord so  unequivocally  asserted  the  same  doctrine,  that  it  argues 
impudence  equally  ridiculous  and  detestable  in  those  who  dare 
to  represent  us  as  opposing  Irenasus  and  Tertullian,  who  both 
acknowledge  that  Jesus  Christ,  who  at  length  made  a visible 
appearance,  was  always  the  'invisible  Son  of  God. 

VIII.  But  although  Servetus  has  accumulated  many  hor- 
rible and  monstrous  notions,  to  which  some  of  his  brethren,  per- 
haps, would  refuse  to  subscribe,  yet,  whoever  they  are  that 
acknowledge  not  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  except  in  the 
human  nature,  if  we  press  them  closely,  we  shall  find  that  this 
title  is  admitted  by  them  on  no  other  ground  than  because 
he  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  womb  of  the  Vir- 
gin ; as  the  Manichaeans  formerly  pretended  that  man  received 
his  soul  by  emanation  from  God,  because  it  is  said  that  God 
breathed  into  Adam  the  breath  of  life.  (/)  For  they  lay  such 
stress  on  the  name  of  Son,  that  they  leave  no  difference  be- 
tween the  two  natures,  but  tell  us,  in  a confused  manner,  that 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  considered  as  man,  because  his 
human  nature  was  begotten  by  God.  Thus  the  eternal  gene- 
ration of  Wisdom,  of  which  Solomon  speaks,  (m)  is  destroyed, 
and  no  notice  is  taken  of  the  Deity  in  the  Mediator,  or  a phan- 
tom is  substituted  instead  of  his  humanity.  It  might  indeed 
be  useful  to  refute  the  grosser  fallacies  of  Servetus,  with  which, 
he  has  fascinated  himself  and  others,  that  the  pious  reader,  ad*- 
monished  by  this  example,  may  preserve  himself  within  the 
bounds  of  sobriety  and  modesty  ; yet  I conceive  this  will  be 
unnecessary  here,  as  I have  already  done  it  in  a separate  trea- 
tise. The  substance  of  them'  all  is,  that  the  Son  of  God  was 
from  the  beginning  an  ideal  existence,  and  that  even  then  he 
was  predestinated  to  be  a man  who  was  to  be  the  essential  image 
of  God.  Nor  does  he  acknowledge  any  other  word  of  God 
than  what  consists  in  an  external  splendour.  His  generation 
he  explains  thus : that  there  existed  in  God  from  the  beginning 
a will  to  beget  a Son,  which  was  carried  into  effect  by  his 
actual  formation.  He  likewise  confounds  the  Spirit  with  the 
Word,  by  asserting  that  God  distributed  the  invisible  Word 
and  Spirit  into  body  and  soul.  In  short,  he  puts  the  prefigu- 
ration of  Christ  in  the  place  of  his  generation ; and  affirms 
that  he  who  was  then  in  external  appearance  a shadowy  Son, 
was  at  length  begotten  by  the  Word,  to  which  he  attributes 
the  properties  of  seed.  Whence  it  will  follow,  that  the  mean- 

(l)  Gen.  ii.  7.  (m)  Prov.  viii.  22,  &c. 


CHAP.  XV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  44-5 

est  animals  are  equally  the  children  of  God,  because  they  were 
created  of  the  original  seed  of  the  Word  of  God.  For  though 
he  compounds  Christ  of  three  uncreated  elements,  to  counte- 
nance the  assertion  that  he  is  begotten  of  the  essence  of  God, 
yet  he  pretends  him  to  have  been  the  first-born  among  crea- 
tures in  such  a sense,  that  even  inanimate  substances,  according 
to  their  rank,  possess  the  same  essential  Divinity.  And  that 
he  may  not  seem  to  despoil  Christ  of  his  Deity,  he  asserts  that 
his  flesh  is  coessential  with  God,  and  that  the  Word  was  made 
flesh  by  a conversion  of  the  humanity  into  Deity.  Thus,  while 
he  cannot  conceive  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  unless  his 
flesh  proceeded  from  the  essence  of  God,  and  were  reconverted 
into  Deity,  he  annihilates  the  eternal  hypostasis  of  the  Word, 
and  deprives  us  of  the  Son  of  David,  the  promised  Redeemer. 
He  frequently  indeed  repeats  this,  that  the  Son  was  begotten 
of  God  by  knowledge  and  predestination,  but  that  at  length  he 
was  made  man  of  those  materials,  which  in  the  beginning  ap- 
peared with  God  in  the  three  elements,  and  which  afterwards 
appeared  in  the  first  light  of  the  world,  in  the  cloud,  and  in 
the  pillar  of  fire.  Now,  how  shamefully  he  contradicts  himself, 
it  would  be  too  tedious  to  relate.  From  this  sum  .nary  the 
judicious  reader  will  conclude,  that  by  the  subtle  fallacies  of 
this  heretic,  the  hope  of  salvation  is  completely  extinguished. 
For  if  the  body  were  the  Deity  itself,  it  would  no  longer  be 
the  temple  of  it.  Now,  we  can  have  no  Redeemer,  except 
him  who  became  man,  by  being  really  begotten  of  the  seed 
of  Abraham  and  David  according  to  the  flesh.  Servetus  makes 
a very  improper  use  of  the  language  of  John,  that  “ the  word 
was  made  flesh ; ” for  while  it  opposes  the  error  of  Nestorius, 
it  is  as  far  from  affording  the  least  countenance  to  this  impious 
notion,  which  originated  with  Eutyches.  The  sole  design  of 
the  evangelist  was,  to  assert  the  r union  of  the  two  natures  in 
one  person. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  CONSIDERATION  OF  CHRIST’s  THREE  OFFICES,  PROPHETl- 
* CAL,  REGAL,  AND  SACERDOTAL,  NECESSARY  TO  OUR  KNOWING 
THE  END  OF  HIS  MISSION  FROM  THE  FATHER,  AND  THE 
BENEFITS  WHICH  HE  CONFERS  ON  US. 

It  is  a just  observation  of  Augustine,  that  although  heretics 
profess  the  name  of  Christ,  yet  he  is  not  a foundation  to  them 
in  common  with  the  pious,  but  remains  exclusively  the  foun- 


446  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

dation  of  the  Church ; because,  on  a diligent  consideration  of 
what  belongs  to  Christ,  Christ  will  be  found  among  them  only 
in  name,  not  in  reality.  Thus  the  Papists  in  the  present  age, 
although  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  Redeemer  of  the 
world,  be  frequently  in  their  mouths,  yet  since  they  are  con- 
tented with  the  mere  name,  and  despoil  him  of  his  power  and 
dignity,  these  words  of  Paul,  ‘‘not  holding  the  head,”  {n)  are 
truly  applicable  to  them.  Therefore,  that  faith  may'  find  in 
Christ  a solid  ground  of  salvation,  and  so  may  rely  on  him,  it 
is  proper  for  us  to  establish  this  principle,  that  the  olfice  which 
was  assigned  to  him  by  the  Father  consists  of  three  parts.  For 
he  was  given  as  a Prophet,  a King,  and  a Priest ; though  we 
should  derive  but  little  benefit  from  an  acquaintance  with 
these  names,  unaccompanied  with  a knowledge  of  their  end 
and  use.  For  they  are  likewise  pronounced  among  the  Pa- 
pists, but  in  a frigid  and  unprofitable  manner,  while  they  are 
ignorant  of  what  is  included  in  each  of  these  titles.  We 
have  before  observed,  that  although  God  sent  prophets  one 
after  another  in  a continual  succession,  and  never  left  his 
people  destitute  of  useful  instruction,  such  as  was  sufficient  for 
salvation,  yet  the  minds  of  the  pious  were  always  persuaded, 
that  the  full  light  of  understanding  was  not  to  be  expected  till 
the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  And  that  this  opinion  had  even 
reached  the  Samaritans,  notwithstanding  they  had  never  been 
acquainted  with  the  true  religion,  appears- from  the  speech  of 
the  woman : “ When  Messias  is  come,  he  will  tell  us  all 
things.”  (o)  Nor  had  the  Jews  entertained  this  sentiment 
without  sufficient  ground,  but  believed  as  they  had  been 
taught  by  infallible  oracles.  One  of  the  most  remarkable 
is  this  passage  of  Isaiah : “ Behold,  I have  given  him  for  a 
witness  to  the  people,  a leader  and  commander  to  the  peo- 
ple just  as  he  had  before  styled  him  “the  Wonderful 

Counsellor.”  [q)  In  the  same  manner  the  apostle,  with  a view 
to  display  the  perfection  of  the  evangelical  doctrine,  after 
having  said,  that  “ God  at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners 
spake  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,”  adds,  that  he  “ hath 
in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son.”  (r)  But  be- 
cause it  was  the  office  of  all  the  prophets  to  keep  the  Church 
in  a state  of  suspense  and  expectation,  and  also  to  support  it 
till  the  advent  of  the  Mediator,  we  therefore  find  the  faithful 
complaining,  in  their  dispersion,  that  they  were  deprived  of 
this  ordinary  blessing : “We  see  not  our  signs : there  is  no 
more  any  prophet : neither  is  there  among  us  any  that  know- 
eth  how  long.”  (s)  At  length,  when  Christ  was  at  no  great 

(w)  Col.  ii.  19.  (p)  Isaiah  Iv.  4.  (r)  Heb.  i.  1,2. 

(p)  John  iv.  25.  {q)  Isaiah  ix.  6.  (s)  Psalm  Ixxiv.  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


447 


CHAP.  XV.] 

distance,  a time  was  prefixed  for  Daniel  to  seal  up  the  vision 
and  prophecy,  not  only  to  authenticate  the  prediction  it  con- 
tained, but  in  order  that  the  faithful  might  patiently  bear  for  a 
time  the  want  of  prophets,  because  the  plenitude  and  conclu' 
sion  of  all  revelations  was  near  at  hand,  {t) 

11.  Now,  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  appellation  of  ‘‘  Christ  ” 
belongs  to  these  three  offices.  For  we  know  that  under  the 
law  not  only  priests  and  kings,  but  prophets  also,  were  anointed 
with  holy  oil.  Hence  the  celebrated  title  of  “ Messiah”  was 
given  to  the  promised  Mediator.  But  though  I confess  that  he 
was  called  the  Messiah  with  particular  reference  to 'his  king- 
dom, as  I have  already  shown,  yet  the  prophetical  and  sacerdo- 
tal unctions  have  their  respective  places,  and  must  not  be 
neglected  by  us.  The  former  is  expressly  mentioned  by  Isaiah 
in  these  words  : “ The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me ; 
because  the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto 
the  meek ; he  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to 
proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year 
of  the  Lord.”  (u)  We  see  that  he  was  anointed  by  the  Spirit, 
to  be  a preacher  and  witness  of  the  grace  of  the  Father;  and 
that  not  in  a common  manner;  for  he  is  distinguished  from 
other  teachers,  who  held  a similar  office.  And  here  again  it 
must  be  remarked,  that  he  received  this  unction,  not  only  for 
himself,  that  he  might  perform  the  office  of  a teacher,  but  for 
his  whole  body,  that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  might  con- 
tinually be  attended  with  the  power  of  the  Spirit.  But  it  re- 
mains beyond  all  doubt,  that  by  this  perfection  of  doctrine 
which  he  has  introduced,  he  has  put  an  end  to  all  prophecies  ; 
so  that  they  who,  not  contented  with  the  gospel,  make  any 
extraneous  addition  to  it,  are  guilty  of  derogating  from  his  au- 
thority. For  that  voice,  which  thundered  from  heaven,  “ This 
is  my  beloved  Son;  hear  ye  him,”  (v)  has  exalted  him  by  a 
peculiar  privilege  above  all  others.  From  the  head  this  unction 
is  afterwards  diffused  over  the  members,  according  to  the  pre- 
diction of  Joel : Your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy 
and  see  visions.”  (w)  But  the  declarations  of  Paul,  that  “ he 
is  made  unto  us  wisdom,”  (x)  and  that  “in  him  are  hid  all  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,”  (y)  have  rather  a dif- 
ferent meaning  ; namely,  that  beside  him  there  is  nothing 
useful  to  be  known,  and  that  they  who  by  faith  apprehend 
him  as  he  is,  have  embraced  the  whole  infinitude  of  celestial 
blessings.  For  which  reason  he  writes  in  another  place,  “ I 
determined  not  to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save  Jesus 
Christ,  and  him  crucified  ; ” (;^)  which  is  perfectly  just,  because 

(t)  Dan.  ix.  24.  (u)  Isaiah  Ixi.  1,  2.  (®)  Matt.  xvii.  5.  (w)  Joel  ii.  28. 

{x)  1 Cor.  i.  30.  (y)  Col.  ii.  3.  (z)  1 Cor.  ii.  2. 


448  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

it  is  unlawful  to  go  beyond  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel.  And 
the  tendency  of  the  prophetic  dignity  in  Christ  is,  to  assure  us 
that  ail  the  branches  of  perfect  wisdom  are  included  in  the 
system  of  doctrine  which  he  has  given  us. 

III.  I come  now  to  his  kingdom,  of  which  it  would  be  use- 
less to  speak,  without  first  apprizing  the  reader,  that  it  is  of  a 
spiritual  nature  ; because  thence  we  may  gather  what  is  its 
use,  and  what  advantage  it  confers  upon  us,  and  in  short  all  its 
power  and  eternity.  T?he  eternity,  which  the  angel  in  Daniel 
ascribes  to  the  person  of  Christ,  the  angel  in  Luke  justly  ap- 
plies to  the  salvation  of  the  people.  But  this  also  is  twofold, 
or  is  to  be  considered  in  two  points  of  view  ; one  extending  to 
the  whole  body  of  the  Church,  the  other  belonging  to  every  in- 
dividual member.  To  the  former  must  be  referred  the  follow- 
ing passage  in  the  Psalms  : Once  have  I sworn  by  my  holiness 
that  I will  not  lie  unto  David.  His  seed  shall  endure  for  ever, 
and  his  throne  as  the  sun  before  me.  It  shall  be  established 
for  ever  as  the  moon,  and  as  a faithful  witness  in  heaven.”  (a) 
There  is  no  doubt  that  God  here  promises  to  be  the  everlasting 
Governor  and  Defender  of  his  Church,  through  the  medium  of 
his  Son.  For  the  truth  of  this  prophecy  will  only  be  found  in 
Christ ; since  immediately  after  the  death  of  Solomon,  the  dig- 
nity of  the  kingdom  sustained  a considerable  degradation,  the 
greater  part  of  it,  to  the  disgrace  of  the  family  of  David, 
being  transferred  to  a private  man,  and  afterwards  was  di- 
minished more  and  more,  till  at  length  it  fell  in  a melancholy 
and  total  ruin.  The  same  sentiment  is  conveyed  in  this  ex- 
clamation of  Isaiah  : “ Who  shall  declare  his  generation  ? (6) 

For  when  he  pronounces  that  Christ  will  survive  after  his 
death,  he  connects  his  members  with  him.  Therefore,  when- 
ever we  hear  that  Christ  is  armed  with  eternal  power,  let  us 
remember,  that  this  is  the  bulwark  which  supports  the  perpe- 
tuity of  the  Church ; that  amidst  the  turbulent  agitations  with 
which  it  is  incessantly  harassed,  and  amidst  the  painful  and 
formidable  commotions  which  menace  it  with  innumerable  ca- 
lamities, it  may  still  be  preserved  in  safety.  Thus,  when  David 
derides  the  presumption  of  the  enemies  who  attempt  to  break 
the  yoke  of  God  and  of  his  Christ,  and  says,  that  the  kings  and 
the  people  rage  in  vain,  since  he  that  dwelleth  in  the  heavens 
is  sufficiently  powerful  to  repel  their  violence,  — he  assures  the 
faithful  of  the  perpetual  preservation  of  the  Church,  and  ani- 
mates them  to  entertain  a cheerful  hope,  whenever  it  happens 
to  be  oppressed,  (c)  So,  in  another  place,  when,  speaking  in  the 
name  of  God,  he  says,  “ Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand,  until  I make 
thine  enemies  thy  footstool,”  {d)  he  apprizes  us  that  though 

{a)  Psalm  Ixxxix.  35 — 37.  (c)  Psalm  ii.  1,  &c. 

(1))  Isaiah  iii.  8.  (d)  Psalm  cx.  i. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


449 


CHAP.  XV.] 

numerous  and  powerful  enemies  conspire  to  assault  the  Church, 
yet  they  are  not  strong  enough  to  prevail  against  that  immu- 
table decree  of  God,  by  which  he  has  constituted  his  Son  an 
eternal  King.  Whence  it  follows  that  it  is  impossible  for  the 
devil,  with  all  the  assistance  of  the  world,  ever  to  destroy  the 
Church,  which  is  founded  on  the  eternal  throne  of  Christ. 
Now,  with  respect  to  its  particular  use  to  each  individual,  this 
same  eternity  ought  to  encourage  our  hope  of  a blessed  immor- 
tality ; for  we  see  that  whatever  is  terrestrial  and  worldly  is 
temporary  and  perishable.  Therefore,  to  raise  our  hope  towards 
heaven,  Christ  declares  that  his  “ kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world.”  (e)  In  a word,  whenever  we  hear  that  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  is  spiritual,  excited  by  this  declaration,  we  ought  to 
penetrate  to  the  hope  of  a better  life,  and  as  we  are  now  pro- 
tected by  the  power  of  Christ,  let  us  expect  the  full  benefit  of 
this  grace  in  the  world  to  come. 

lY.  The  truth  of  our  observation,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
perceive  the  nature  and  advantages  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
unless  we  know  it  to  be  spiritual,  is  sufficiently  evident  from  a 
consideration  of  the  hardship  and  misery  of  our  condition  in 
the  state  of  warfare  under  the  cross,  in  which  we  have  to  con- 
tinue as  long  as  we  live.  What  advantage,  then,  could  accrue 
to  us  from  being  collected  under  the  government  of  the  hea- 
venly King,  if  the  benefit  of  it  were  not  to  extend  beyond  the 
present  r.tate  ? It  ought  therefore  to  be  known,  that  whatever 
felicity  is  promised  us  in  Christ,  consists  not  in  external  ac- 
commodations, such  as  a life  of  joy  and  tranquillity,  abundant 
wealth,  security  from  every  injury,  and  numerous  delights 
suited  to  our  carnal  desires,  but  that  it  is  peculiar  to  the 
heavenly  state.  As  in  the  world  the  prosperous  and  desirable 
state  of  a nation  consists  partly  in  domestic  peace,  and  an 
abundance  of  all  blessings,  and  every  good,  and  partly  in 
strong  bulwarks  to  secure  it  from  external  violence,  so  Christ 
enriches  his  people  with  every  thing  necessary  to  the  eternal 
salvation  of  their  souls,  and  arms  them  with  strength  to  enable 
them  to  stand  invincible  against  all  the  assaults  of  their  spirit- 
ual foes.  Whence  we  infer  that  he  reigns  rather  for  us  than 
for  himself,  and  that  both  internally  and  externally  ; that  being 
replenished,  as  far  as  God  knows  to  be  necessary  for  us,  with 
the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  of  which  we  are  naturally  destitute,  we 
may  perceive  from  these  first-fruits  that  we  are  truly  united  to 
God,  in  order  to  our  perfect  happiness  ; and  in  the  next  place, 
that,  depending  on  the  power  of  the  same  Spirit,  we  may  not 
doubt  of  being  always  victorious  over  the  devil,  the  world,  and 
every  kind  of  evil.  This  is  implied  in  the  answer  of  Christ  to 


VOL.  I. 


57 


(e)  John  xviii.  36. 


450 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  11 

the  Pharisees,  that  as  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  ” us,  it 
“cometh  not  with  observation.”  (/)  For  it  is  probable,  that 
in  consequence  6f  his  having  professed  himself  to  be  that  King, 
under  whom  the  highest  blessing  of  God  was  to  be  expected, 
they  ludicrously  desired  him  to  display  the  insignia  of  his  dig- 
nity. But  to  prevent  them,  who  had  otherwise  too  great  a 
propensity  to  the  world,  from  directing  all  their  attention  to 
external  pomp,  he  commands  them  to  enter  into  their  own 
consciences,  ‘‘  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  righteousness,  peace, 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.”  (g)  Here  we  are  briefly  taught 
what  advantage  results  to  us  from  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  For 
since  it  is  not  terrestrial  or  carnal,  so  as  to  be  liable  to  corrup- 
tion, but  spiritual,  it  elevates  us  even  to  eternal  life,  that  we 
may  patiently  pass  through  this  life  in  afflictions,  hunger,  cold, 
contempt,  reproaches,  and  other  disagreeable  circumstances ; 
contented  with  this  single  assurance,  that  our  King  will  never 
desert  us,  but  will  assist  our  necessities,  till  having  completed 
the  term  of  our  warfare,  we  shall  be  called  to  the  triumph ; for 
the  rule  of  his  government  is,  to  communicate  to  us  whatever 
he  has  received  of  the  Father.  Now,  since  he  furnishes  and 
arms  us  with  his  power,  adorns  us  with  his  beauty  and  magni- 
ficence, and  enriches  us  with  his  wealth,  hence  we  derive 
most  abundant  cause  for  glorying,  and  even  confidence,  to  en- 
able us  to  contend  with  intrepidity  against  the  devil,  sin,  and 
death.  In  the  last  place,  since  we  are  clothed  with  his  right- 
eousness, we  may  boldly  rise  superior  to  all  the  reproaches  of 
the  world  ; and  as  he  liberally  replenishes  us  with  his  favours, 
so  we  ought  on  our  part  to  bring  forth  fruit  to  his  glory. 

V.  His  regal  unction,  therefore,  is  not  represented  to  us  as 
composed  of  oil  and  aromatic  perfumes  ; but  he  is  called  the 
Christ  of  God,”  (h)  because  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  under- 
standing, the  spirit  of  counsel  and  might,  the  spirit  of  know- 
ledge and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord,”  (i)  rested  upon  him.  This  is 
the  “ oil  of  gladness,”  with  which  the  Psalmist  declares  him  to 
have  been  anointed  above  ” his  “fellows  ; ” (k)  because,  if 
he  were  not  possessed  of  such  excellence,  we  should  be  all  op- 
pressed with  poverty  and  famine.  And,  as  we  have  observed, 
he  was  not  enriched  on  his  own  private  account,  but  that  he 
might  communicate  his  abundance  to  them  who  are  hungry 
and  thirsty.  For  as  it  is  said  that  the  Father  “ giveth  not  the 
Spirit  by  measure  unto  him,”  (/)  so  another  passage  expresses 
the  reason — “that  of  his  fulness  we  might  all  receive,  and 
grace  for  grace.”  (m)  From  this  source  proceeds  the  munifi- 
cence mentioned  by  Paul,  by  which  grace  is  variously  distri- 

(/)  Luke  xvii.  20,  21.  (g)  Rom.  xiv.  17.  (h)  Luke  ix.  20. 

(i)  Isaiah  xi.  2.  (k)  Psalm  xlv.  7.  (1)  John  iii.  34.  (m)  John  i.  16 


CHAP.  XV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  451 

buted  to  the  faithful,  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of 
Christ.”  {n)  These  passages  abundantly  confirm  what  I have 
said  — that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  consists  in  the  Spirit,  not  in 
terrestrial  pleasures  or  pomps  ; and  that,  therefore,  in  order  to  be 
partakers  of  it,  we  must  renounce  the  world.  A visible  em- 
blem of  this  unction  was  displayed  at  the  baptism  of  Christ, 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  rested  on  him  in  the  form  of  a dove. 
That  the  Holy  Spirit  and  his  gifts  are  designated  by  the  word 
unction^  ought  not  to  be  esteemed  either  novel  or  absurd,  be- 
cause we  have  no  other  support  even  for  our  animal  life  ; but  es- 
pecially as  it  respects  the  heavenly  life,  we  have  not  a particle  of 
vigour  in  us,  but  what  we  have  received  from  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  has  chosen  his  residence  in  Christ,  that  those  heavenly 
riches,  which  we  so  greatly  need,  may  from  him  be  copiously 
distributed  to  us.  Now,  as  the  faithful  stand  invincible  in  the 
strength  of  their  King,  and  are  enriched  with  his  spiritual 
blessings,  they  are  justly  denominated  Christians.  But  to  this 
eternity,  of  which  we  have  spoken,  there  is  nothing  repugnant 
in  these  expressions  of  Paul : “ Then  he  shall  deliver  up  the 
kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father,”  and  Then  shall  the  Son 
himself  be  subject,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all.”  (o)  He  only 
intends,  that  in  that  perfect  glory  the  administration  of  the 
kingdom  will  not  be  the  same  as  it  is  at  present.  For  the  Fa- 
ther has  given  all  power  to  the  Son,  that  he  may  guide,  nou- 
rish, and  sustain  us  by  his  hand,  may  guard  us  by  his  protection, 
and  aid  us  in  all  our  necessities.  Thus,  during  the  period  of 
our  pilgrimage,  while  we  are  absent  from  God,  Christ  inter- 
poses between  us,  to  bring  us  by  degrees  to  a perfect  union 
with  him.  His  being  said  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Fa- 
ther, is  equivalent  to  his  being  called  the  Father’s  vicegerent, 
intrusted  with  all  the  power  of  the  government  ; because  it  is 
the  will  of  God  to  govern  and  defend  his  Church  through  the 
mediation  of  his  Son.  This  is  the  explanation  given  by  Paul 
to  the  Ephesians,  that  he  was  set  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  Church,  which  is 
his  body.”  (jo)  To  the  same  purpose  is  what  he  states  in 
another  place,  that  there  has  been  given  him  a name  which 
is  above  every  name  ; that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee 
should  bow ; and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.”  {q)  For  even 
in  these  words  he  displays  the  order  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
necessary  for  our  present  infirmity.  Thus  Paul  rightly  con- 
cludes, that  God  himself  will  then  be  the  only  head  of  the 
Church,  because  the  functions  of  Christ  in  the  preservation  and 

in)  Eph.  iv.  7.  ip)  Eph.  i.  20,  22,  23. 

(o)  1 Cor.  XV.  24,  28.  (y)  Phil.  ii.  9 — 11. 


i52  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

salvation  of  the  Church  will  be  fully  discharged.  For  the 
same  reason  the  Scripture  often  styles  him  Lord,  because  the 
Father  has  given  him  authority  over  us,  that  he  may  exercise  his 
own  dominion  by  the  agency  of  his  Son.  For  though  there 
be  ” many  authorities  celebrated  in  the  world,  “ to  us  there  is 
but  one  God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  in 
him ; and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things,  and 
we  by  him,”  (r)  says  Paul.  Whence  it  may  justly  be  con- 
cluded, that  he  is  the  same  God,  who  by  the  mouth  of  Isaiah 
has  asserted  himself  to  be  the  King  and  Lawgiver  of  his 
Church,  (s)  For  though  he  every  where  ascribes  all  the  au- 
thority he  possesses  to  the  free  gift  of  the  Father,  yet  he  only 
signifies  that  he  reigns  in  the  majesty  and  power  of  God  ; be- 
cause he  assumed  the  character  of  Mediator,  in  order  to  ap- 
proach to  us  by  descending  from  the  bosom  and  incomprehen- 
sible glory  of  his  Father.  Wherefore  it  is  the  more  reasonable 
that  we  should  all  with  one  consent  be  ready  to  obey  him,  and 
with  the  greatest  alacrity  conform  all  our  services  to  his  will. 
For  as  he  combines  the  offices  of  a King  and  a Shepherd  to- 
wards the  faithful  who  yield  a voluntary  obedience,  so,  on  the 
contrary,  we  are  informed,  that  he  bears  a rod  of  iron  ” to 
break  ” all  the  stubborn  and  rebellious,  and  to  ‘‘dash  them 
in  pieces  like  a potter’s  vessel.”  {t)  It  is  likewise  predicted 
that  “ he  shall  judge  among  the  heathen ; he  shall  fill  the 
places  with  the  dead  bodies ; he  shall  wound  the  heads  over 
many  countries.”  (u)  Of  this  there  are  some  instances  to  be 
seen  in  the  present  state,  but  the  complete  accomplishment  of  it 
will  be  at  the  last  judgment,  which  may  also  with  propriety  be 
considered  as  the  last  act  of  his  reign. 

VI.  Concerning  his  priesthood,  we  have  briefly  to  remark, 
that  the  end  and  use  of  it  is,  that  he  may  be  a Mediator  pure 
from  every  stain,  and  by  his  holiness  may  render  us  acceptable 
to  God.  But  because  the  righteous  curse  prevents  our  access 
to  him,  and  God  in  his  character  of  Judge  is  oflfended  with  us,  — 
in  order  that  our  Priest  may  appease  the  wrath  of  God,  and 
})rocure  his  favour  for  us,  there  is  a necessity  for  the  interven- 
tion of  an  atonement.  Wherefore,  that  Christ  might  perform 
this  office,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  appear  with  a sacrifice. 
For  even  under  the  law  the  priest  was  not  permitted  to  enter 
the  sanctuary  without  blood ; that  the  faithful  might  know, 
that  notwithstanding  the  interposition  of  the  Priest  as  an  in- 
tercessor, yet  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  be  propitiated  with- 
out the  expiation  of  sins.  This  subject  the  apostle  discusses 
at  large  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  from  the  seventh  chap- 
ter almost  to  the  end  of  the  tenth.  But  the  sum  of  the  whole 


(r)  1 Cor.  viii.  5,  6.  (s)  Isaiah  xxxiii.  22.  (t)  Psalm  ii.  9.  (u)  Psalm  cx.  6. 


CHAP.  XV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  453 

is  this  — that  the  sacerdotal  dignity  belongs  exclusively  to 
Christ,  because,  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  death,  he  has  abolished 
our  guilt,  and  made  satisfaction  for  our  sins.  The  vast  im- 
portance of  this  we  are  taught  by  that  solemn  oath  which 
“ the  Lord  hath  sworn,  and  will  not  repent ; Thou  art  a priest 
for  ever,  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec.”  (v)  For  there  is  no 
doubt  that  God  intended  to  establish  that  capital  point,  which 
he  knew  to  be  the  principal  hinge  on  which  our  salvation 
turns.  And  as  we  have  observed,  there  is  no  access  to  God, 
either  for  ourselves  or  our  prayers,  unless  our  Priest  sanctify  us 
by  taking  away  our  sins,  and  obtain  for  us  that  grace  from 
which  we  are  excluded  by  the  pollution  of  our  vices  and 
crimes.  Thus,  we  see,  it  is  necessary  to  begin  with  the  death 
of  Christ,  in  order  to  experience  the  efficacy  and  utility  of  his 
priesthood.  Hence  it  follows,  that  he  is  an  eternal  inter- 
cessor, and  that  it  is  by  his  intervention  we  obtain  favour 
with  God.  Hence  proceeds  not  only  confidence  in  prayer, 
but  also  tranquillity  to  the  consciences  of  the  faithful  ; while 
they  recline  in  safety  on  the  paternal  indulgence  of  God,  and 
are  certainly  persuaded,  that  he  is  pleased  with  whatever  is 
consecrated  to  him  through  the  Mediator.  Now,  as  under  the 
law  God  commanded  victims  to  be  offered  to  him  from  the 
flock  and  the  herd,  a new  and  different  method  has  been 
adopted  in  the  case  of  Christ,  that  the  sacrifice  should  be  the 
same  with  the  priest ; because  it  was  impossible  to  find  any 
other  adequate  satisfaction  for  sins,  or  any  one  worthy  of  so 
great  an  honour  as  to  offer  to  God  his  only  begotten  Son. 
Besides,  Christ  sustains  the  character  of  a Priest,  not  only  to 
render  the  Father  favourable  and  propitious  to  us  by  an  eternal 
law  of  reconciliation,  but  also  to  associate  us  with  himself  in 
so  great  an  honour.  For  we,  who  are  polluted  in  ourselves, 
being  “ made  priests  ” (^/?)  in  him,  offer  ourselves  and  all  our 
services  to  God,  and  enter  boldly  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
so  that  the  sacrifices  of  prayers  and  praise,  which  proceed  from 
us,  are  ‘^acceptable,”  and  “a  sweet-smelling  savour  ” (^)  in 
the  Divine  presence.  This  is  included  in  the  declaration  of 
Christ,  “ For  their  sakes  I sanctify  myself ; ” (y)  for  being 
arrayed  in  his  holiness,  he  having  dedicated  us,  together  with 
himself,  to  the  Father,  we,  who  are  otherwise  offensive  in  his 
sight,  become  acceptable  to  him,  as  pure,  unpolluted,  and 
holy.  This  is  the  meaning  of  the  “ anointing  of  the  Most 
Holy,”  (z)  which  is  mentioned  in  Daniel.  For  we  must  ob- 
serve the  contrast  between  this  unction  and  that  shadowy 
unction  which  was  then  in  use  ; as  though  the  angel  had  said. 

(»)  Psalm  cx.  4.  (w)  Rev.  i.  6.  (r)  Eph.  v.  2. 

(?j)  John  xvii.  19.  (z)  Dan.  ix. 


i54 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

that  the  shadows  would  be  dissipated,  and  that  there  would  be 
a real  priesthood  in  the  person  of  Christ.  So  much  the  more 
detestable  is  the  invention  of  those,  who,  not  content  with  the 
priesthood  of  Christ,  have  presumed  to  take  upon  themselves 
the  office  of  sacrificing  him  ; which  is  daily  attempted  among 
the  Papists,  where  the  mass  is  considered  as  an  immolation  of 
Christ. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Christ’s  execution  of  the  office  of  a redeemer  to  pro- 
cure OUR  SALVATION.  HIS  DEATH,  RESURRECTION,  AND  AS- 
CENSION TO  HEAVEN. 

All  that  we  have  hitherto  advanced  concerning  Christ  is  to 
be  referred  to  this  point,  that  being  condemned,  dead,  and 
ruined  in  ourselves,  we  should  seek  righteousness,  deliverance, 
life,  and  sal\ration  in  him  ; as  we  are  taught  by  this  remarkable 
declaration  of  Peter,  that  there  is  none  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved.”  (a) 
The  name  of  JESUS  was  given  him,  not  rashly  or  by  a for- 
tuitous accident,  or  by  the  will  of  men,  but  was  brought  from 
heaven  by  the  angel,  the  herald  of  the  supreme  decree,  and 
also  with  this  reason  annexed  to  it : “ for  he  shall  save  his 
people  from  their  sins ; ” (6)  in  which  words  may  be  remarked, 
what  we  have  before  hinted,  that  the  office  of  a Redeemer  was 
assigned  to  him  in  order  that  he  might  be  our  Saviour.  Never- 
theless, the  redemption  would  be  incomplete,  if  he  did  not  by 
continual  advances  carry  us  forward  to  the  ultimate  end  of  sal- 
vation. Therefore,  as  soon  as  we  deviate  from  him,  though 
but  in  the  smallest  degree,  we  gradually  lose  sight  of  salvation, 
which  resides  entirely  in  him ; so  that  those  who  are  not  sa- 
tisfied with  him,  voluntarily  deprive  themselves  of  all  grace. 
And  the  following  observation  of  Bernard  is  worthy  of  recital : 
‘‘  that  the  name  of  Jesus  is  not  only  light,  but  also  food ; that 
it  is  likewise  oil,  without  which  all  the  food  of  the  soul  is  dry  ; 
that  it  is  salt,  unseasoned  by  which,  whatever  is  presented  to 
us  is  insipid  ; finally,  that  it  is  honey  in  the  mouth,  melody 
in  the  ear,  joy  in  the  heart,  and  medicine  to  the  soul  ; and 
that  there  are  no  charms  in  any  discourse  where  his  name  is 
not  heard.”  But  here  we  ought  diligently  to  examine  how  he 
nas  procured  salvation  for  us  ; that  we  may  not  only  know 


(a)  Acts  iv.  12. 


(6)  Matt.  1.21. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


456 


CHAP.  XVI.] 

him  to  be  the  author  of  it,  but,  embracing  those  things  which 
are  sufficient  for  the  establishment  of  our  faith,  may  reject 
every  thing  capable  of  drawing  us  aside  to  the  right  hand  or  to 
the  left.  For  since  no  man  can  descend  into  himself  and  se- 
riously consider  his  own  character,  without  perceiving  that 
God  is  angry  with  him  and  hostile  to  him,  and  consequently 
he  must  find  himself  under  a necessity  of  anxiously  seeking 
some  way  to  appease  him,  which  can  never  be  done  without  a 
satisfaction,  — this  is  a case  in  which  the  strongest  assurance  is 
required.  For  sinners,  till  they  be  delivered  from  guilt,  are 
always  subject  to  the  wrath  and  malediction  of  God,  who, 
being  a righteous  Judge,  never  suffers  his  law  to  be  violated 
with  impunity,  but  stands  prepared  to  avenge  it. 

II.  Before  we  proceed  any  further,  let  us  examine,  by  the 
way,  how  it  could  be  consistent,  that  God,  who  prevents  us 
with  his  mercy,  should  be  our  enemy,  till  he  was  reconciled  to 
us  by  Christ.  For  how  could  he  have  given  us  a special 
pledge  of  his  love  in  his  only  begotten  Son,  if  he  had  not  pre- 
viously embraced  us  in  his  gratuitous  favour  ? As  there  is 
some  appearance  of  contradiction,  therefore,  in  this  representa- 
tion, I shall  solve  the  difficulty.  The  Spirit  speaks  in  the 
Scriptures  nearly  in  this  manner  — That  God  was  an  enemy  to 
men,  till  by  the  death  of  Christ  they  were  restored  to  his  fa- 
vour; (b)  that  they  were  under  the  curse  till  their  iniquity  was 
expiated  by  his  sacrifice  ; (c)  that  they  were  separated  from 
God,  till  they  were  restored  to  union  with  him  by  the  body  of 
Christ,  (d)  Such  modes  of  expression  are  accommodated  to 
our  capacity,  that  we  may  better  understand  how  miserable 
and  calamitous  our  condition  is,  out  of  Christ.  For  if  it  were 
not  clearly  expressed,  that  we  are  obnoxious  to  the  wrath  and 
vengeance  of  God,  and  to  eternal  death,  we  should  not  so  fully 
discover  how  miserable  we  must  be  without  the  Divine  mercy, 
nor  should  we  so  highly  estimate  the  blessing  of  deliverance. 
For  example ; let  any  man  be  addressed  in  the  following  man- 
ner : “ If,  while  you  remained  a sinner,  God  had  hated  you,  and 
rejected  you  according  to  your  demerits,  horrible  destruction 
would  have  befallen  you  ; but  because  he  has  voluntarily,  and 
of  his  own  gratuitous  kindness,  retained  you  in  his  favour,  and 
not  permitted  you  to  be  alienated  from  him,  he  has  thus  de- 
livered you  from  that  danger;  ” he  will  be  affected,  and  will  in 
some  measure  perceive  how  much  he  is  indebted  to  the  Divine 
mercy.  But  if,  on  the  contrary,  he  be  told,  what  the  Scripture 
teaches,  that  he  was  alienated  from  God  by  sin,  an  heir  of 
wrath,  obnoxious  to  the  punishment  of  eternal  death,  excluded 
from  all  hope  of  salvation,  a total  stranger  to  the  Divine  bless- 


(b)  Rom.  V.  10. 


(c)  Gal.  iii.  10—13. 


(d)  Col.  i.  21,  22. 


456 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

ing,  a slave  to  Satan,  a captive  under  the  yoke  of  sin,  and,  in 
a word,  condemned  to,  and  already  involved  in,  a horrible  de- 
struction ; that  in  this  situation,  Christ  interposed  as  an  in- 
tercessor ; that  he  has  taken  upon  himself  and  suffered  the 
punishment  which  by  the  righteous  judgment  of  God  im- 
pended over  all  sinners  ; that  by  his  blood  he  has  expiated 
those  crimes  which  render  them  odious  to  God ; that  by  this 
expiation  God  the  Father  has  been  satisfied  and  duly  atoned ; 
that  by  this  intercessor  his  wrath  has  been  appeased ; that  this 
is  the  foundation  of  ‘peace  between  God  and  men  ; that  this  is 
the  bond  of  his  benevolence  towards  them  ; ” will  he  not  be 
the  more  aflected  by  these  things  in  proportion  to  the  more 
correct  and  lively  representation  of  the  depth  of  calamity  from 
which  he  has  been  delivered  ? In  short,  since  it  is  impos- 
sible for  the  life  which  is  presented  by  the  mercy  of  God,  to 
be  embraced  by  our  hearts  with  sufficient  ardour,  or  received 
with  becoming  gratitude,  unless  we  have  been  previously  terri- 
fied and  distressed  with  the  fear  of  the  Divine  wrath,  and  the 
horror  of  eternal  death,  we  are  instructed  by  the  sacred  doc- 
trine, that  irrespective  of  Christ  we  may  contemplate  God  as 
in  some  measure  incensed  against  us,  and  his  hand  armed  for 
our  destruction,  and  that  we  may  embrace  his  benevolence 
and  paternal  love  only  in  Christ. 

III.  Now,  though  this  is  expressed  according  to  the  weakness 
of  our  capacity,  yet  it  is  strictly  true.  For  God,  who  is  the 
perfection  of  righteousness,  cannot  love  iniquity,  which  he  be- 
holds in  us  all.  We  all,  therefore,  have  in  us  that  which 
deserves  God’s  hatred.  Wherefore,  in  respect  of  our  corrupt 
nature,  and  the  succeeding  depravity  of  our  lives,  we  are  all 
really  offensive  to  God,  guilty  in  his  sight,  and  born  to  the 
damnation  of  hell.  But  because  the  Lord  will  not  lose  in  us 
that  which  is  his  own,  he  yet  discovers  something  that  his 
goodness  may  love.  For  notwithstanding  we  are  sinners 
through  our  own  fault,  yet  we  are  still  his  creatures  ; notwith- 
standing we  have  brought  death  upon  ourselves,  yet  he  had 
created  us  for  life.  Thus,  by  a pure  and  gratuitous  love  towards 
us,  he  is  excited  to  receive  us  into  favour.  But  if  there  is  a 
perpetual  and  irreconcilable  opposition  between  righteousness 
and  iniquity,  he  cannot  receive  us  entirely,  as  long  as  we  re- 
main sinners.  Therefore,  to  remove  all  occasion  of  enmity, 
and  to  reconcile  us  completely  to  himself,  he  abolishes  all  our 
guilt,  by  the  expiation  exhibited  in  the  death  of  Christ,  that 
we,  who  before  were  polluted  and  impure,  may  appear  right- 
eous and  holy  in  his  sight.  The  love  of  God  the  Father  there- 
fore precedes  our  reconciliation  in  Christ ; or  rather  it  is  because 
he  first  loves,  that  he  afterwards  reconciles  us  to  himself,  (e) 


(e)  1 John  iv.  19. 


CHAP.  XVI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  457 

But  because,  till  Christ  relieves  us  by  his  death,  we  are  not  freed 
from  that  iniquity  which  deserves  the  indignation  of  God,  and 
is  accursed  and  condemned  in  his  sight ; we  have  not  a com- 
j)lete  and  solid  union  with  God,  before  we  are  united  to  him  by 
(yhrist.  And  therefore,  if  we  would  assure  ourselves  that  God 
is  pacified  and  propitious  to  us,  we  must  fix  our  eyes  and 
hearts  on  Christ  alone,  since  it  is  by  him  only  that  we  really 
obtain  the  non-imputation  of  sins,  the  imputation  of  which  is 
connected  with  the  Divine  wrath. 

IV.  For  this  reason  Paul  says,  that  the  love  which  God  had 
for  us  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  was  founded  on 
Christ.  (/)  This  doctrine  is  clear,  and  consistent  with  the 
Scripture,  and  admirably  reconciles  the  different  passages, 
where  it  is  said,  that  God  manifested  his  love  to  us  by  the  gift 
of  his  only  begotten  Son,  {g)  and  yet  that  he  was  our  enemy 
till  he  was  reconciled  by  the  death  of  Christ,  {h)  But  for  a 
further  confirmation  of  it,  to  such  as  require  the  testimony  of 
the  ancient  Church,  I will  cite  a passage  from  Augustine, 
which  expressly  maintains  the  same.  The  love  of  God,”  says 
he,  ‘‘  is  incomprehensible  and  immutable.  For  he  did  not  be- 
gin to  love  us  when  we  were  reconciled  to  him  by  the  blood 
of  his  Son,  but  he  loved  us  before  the  creation  of  the  world, 
that  we  might  be  his  children,  together  with  his  only  begotten 
Son,  even  before  we  had  any  existence.  Therefore  our  re- 
conciliation by  the  death  of  Christ  must  not  be  understood  as 
if  he  reconciled  us  to  God,  that  God  might  begin  to  love  those 
whom  he  had  before  hated;  but  we  are  reconciled  to  him  who 
already  loved  us,  but  with  whom  we  were  at  enmity  on  ac- 
count of  sin.  And  whether  my  assertion  be  true,  let  the 
apostle  attest.  ‘ God,’  says  he,  ‘commendeth  his  love  toward 
us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ''died  for  us.’  (^) 
He  loved  us,  therefore,  even  when  we  were  in  the  exercise  of 
enmity  against  him,  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  iniquity. 
Wherefore,  in  a wonderful  and  Divine  manner,  he  both  hated 
and  loved  us  at  the  same  time.  He  hated  us,  as  being  differ- 
ent from  what  he  had  made  us ; but  as  our  iniquity  had  not 
entirely  destroyed  his  work  in  us,  he  could  at  the  same  time  in 
every  one  of  us  hate  what  we  had  done,  and  love  what  pro- 
ceeded from  himself.”  This  is  the  language  of  Augustine. 

V.  Now,  in  answer  to  the  inquiry,  how  Christ,  by  the 
abolition  of  our  sins,  has  destroyed  the  enmity  between 
God  and  us,  and  procured  a righteousness  to  render  him  fa- 
vourable and  propitious  to  us,  it  may  be  replied  in  general, 
that  he  accomplished  it  for  us  by  the  whole  course  of  his 
obedience.  This  is  proved  by  the  testimony  of  Paul.  As  by 

(/)  Eph.  i.  4,  5.  {g)  John  iii.  16.  (Ji)  Rom.  v.  10.  {i)  Rom.  v.  8. 

VOL.  I.  58 


458  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

one  man’s  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by 
the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous.”  (k)  And 
indeed  in  another  place  he  extends  the  cause  of  the  pardon, 
which  exempts  us  from  the  malediction  of  the  law,  to  the 
whole  life  of  Christ.  “ When  the  fulness  of  the  time  was 
come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a woman,  made  under 
the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law.”  {1)  Thus 
he  himself  affirmed  even  his  baptism  to  be  a branch  of  his 
righteousness,  because  he  acted  in  obedience  to  the  command 
of  the  Father,  (m)  In  short,  from  the  time  of  his  assum- 
ing the  character  of  a servant,  he  began  to  pay  the  price  of  our 
deliverance  in  order  to  redeem  us.  Yet  more  precisely  to 
define  the  means  of  our  salvation,  the  Scripture  ascribes  this  in 
a peculiar  manner  to  the  death  of  Christ.  He  himself  an- 
nounces, that  he  “ gives  his  life  a ransom  for  many.”  (n)  Paul 
teaches  that  he  died  for  our  sins.”  (o)  John  the  Baptist 
exclaims,  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world  ! ” (jt?)  Paul  in  another  place  declares,  that  we 
are  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that 
is  in  Christ  Jesus  ; whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a propitiation 
through  faith  in  his  blood.”  [q)  Also  that  we  are  ^‘justified  by 
his  blood,”  and  “ reconciled  by  his  death.”  (r)  Again  : He  hath 
made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin  ; that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.”  (s)  I shall  not  pro- 
ceed with  all  the  proofs,  because  the  catalogue  would  be 
immense,  and  many  of  them  must  hereafter  be  cited  in  theii 
proper  order.  Wherefore,  in  what  is  called  the  Apostles’  Creed, 
there  is  very  properly  an  immediate  transition  from  the  birth 
of  Christ  to  his  death  and  resurrection,  in  which  the  sum  of 
perfect  salvation  consists.  Yet  there  is  no  exclusion  of  the  rest 
of  the  obedience  which  he  performed  in  his  life  ; as  Paul  com- 
prehends the  whole  of  it,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  when 
he  says,  that  “ he  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took 
upon  him  the  form  of  a servant,  and  became  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.”  {t)  And  indeed  his  volun- 
tary submission  is  the  principal  circumstance  even  in  his  death  ; 
because  the  sacrifice,  unless  freely  offered,  would  have  been 
unavailable  to  the  acquisition  of  righteousness.  Therefore  our 
Lord,  after  having  declared,  I lay  down  my  life  for  the 
sheep,”  expressly  adds,  No  man  taketh  it  from  me.”  {v)  In 
which  sense  Isaiah  says,  As  a sheep  before  her  shearers  is 
dumb,  so  he  openeth  not  his  mouth.”  (^^7)  And  the  ev’'angeli- 
3al  history  relates,  that  he  went  forth  to  meet  the  soldiers,  (ar) 


(/;)  Rom.  V.  19. 
(/)  Gal  iv.  4,  5. 
(m)  Matt.  iii.  15. 
in)  Matt.  XX.  *28 
(o)  1 Cor.  XV.  3. 


(p)  John  i.  29. 

{q)  Rom.  iii.  24,  25. 

(r)  Rom.  V.  9,  10. 

(s)  2 Cor.  V.  21. 


(t)  Phil.  ii.  7,  8. 
(n)  John  X.  15,  18 
(2c)  Isaiah  liii.  7. 
(x)  John  xviii.  4. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


459 


CHAP.  XVI.] 

and  that  before  Pilate  he  neglected  making  any  defence,  and 
waited  to  submit  to  the  sentence,  {y)  Nor  was  this  without 
inward  conflict,  because  he  had  taken  our  infirmities,  and  it 
was  necessary  to  give  this  proof  of  his  obedience  to  his  Fa- 
ther. And  it  was  no  mean  specimen  of  his  incomparable  love 
to  us,  to  contend  with  horrible  fear,  and  amid  those  dreadful 
torments  to  neglect  all  care  of  himself,  that  he  might  promote 
our  benefit.  Indeed  we  must  admit,  that  it  was  impossible  for 
God  to  be  truly  appeased  in  any  other  way,  than  by  Christ 
renouncing  all  concern  for  himself,  and  submitting  and  devo- 
ting himself  entirely  to  his  will.  On  this  subject  the  apostle 
appositely  cites  the  testimony  of  the  Psalmist : Then  said  I, 
Lo,  I come  ; in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me,  I 
delight  to  do  thy  will,  O my  God  ; yea,  thy  law  is  within  my 
heart.”  {z)  But  since  terrified  consciences  find  no  rest  but  in 
a sacrifice  and  ablution  to  expiate  their  sins,  we  are  properly 
directed  thither,  and  the  death  of  Christ  is  exhibited  to  us  as 
the  source  of  life.  Now,  because  our  guilt  rendered  us  liable  to 
a curse  at  the  heavenly  tribunal  of  God,  the  condemnation  of 
Christ  before  Pontius  Pilate,  the  governor  of  Judea,  is  stated  in 
the  first  place,  that  we  may  know  that  on  this  righteous  person 
was  inflicted  the  punishment  which  belonged  to  us.  We  could 
not  escape  the  terrible  judgment  of  God  ; to  deliver  us  from  it, 
Christ  submitted  to  be  condemned  even  before  a wicked  and 
profane  mortal.  For  the  name  of  the  governor  is  mentioned, 
not  only  to  establish  the  credit  of  the  history,  but  that  we  may 
learn,  what  is  taught  by  Isaiah,  that  the  chastisement  of  our 
peace  was  upon  him;  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed.”  (a) 
For  to  supersede  our  condemnation  it  was  not  sufficient  for  him 
to  suffer  any  kind  of  death  ; but,  to  accomplish  our  redemption, 
that  kind  of  death  was  to  be  chosen,  by  which,  both  sustaining 
our  condemnation  and  atoning  for  our  sins,  he  might  deliver 
us  from  both.  Had  he  been  assassinated  by  robbers,  or  mur- 
dered in  a popular  tumult,  in  such  a death  there  would  have 
been  no  appearance  of  satisfaction.  But  when  he  is  placed  as 
a criminal  before  the  tribunal,  — when  he  is  accused  and  over- 
powered by  the  testimony  of  witnesses,  and  by  the  mouth  of  the 
judge  is  condemned  to  die,  — we  understand  from  these  circum- 
stances, that  he  sustained  the  character  of  a malefactor.  And 
we  shall  remark  two  things  which  were  foretold  in  the  pre- 
dictions of  the  prophets,  and  aff*ord  peculiar  consolation  and 
confirmation  to  our  faith.  For  when  we  are  told,  that  Christ 
was  sent  from  the  tribunal  of  the  judge  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, and  suspended  between  two  thieves,  we  see  the  comple- 
tion of  that  prophecy,  which  is  cited  by  the  Evangelist,  “ He 

{y)  Matt,  xxvii.  12,  14.  (z)  Psalm  xl.  7,  8.  (a)  Isaiah  liii.  .5. 


460 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

was  numbered  with  the  transgressors.”  (b)  For  what  reason  ? 
to  sustain  the  character  of  a sinner,  not  of  a righteous  or 
innocent  person.  For  he  died,  not  for  his  innocence,  but  on  ac- 
count of  sin.  On  the  contrary,  when  we  hear  him  absolved  by 
the  same  mouth  by  which  he  was  condemned,  (for  Pilate  was 
constrained  repeatedly  to  give  a public  testimony  of  his  inno- 
cence,) (c)  let  it  remind  us  of  what  we  read  in  another  prophet : 

I restored  that  which  I took  not  away.”  (d)  Thus  we  shall 
behold  Christ  sustaining  the  character  of  a sinner  and  malefactor, 
while  from  the  lustre  of  his  innocence  it  will  at  the  same  time 
evidently  appear,  that  he  was  loaded  with  the  guilt  of  others,  but 
had  none  of  his  own.  He  sulfered,  then,  under  Pontius  Pilate, 
after  having  been  condemned  as  a criminal  by  the  solemn  sen- 
tence of  the  governor ; yet  not  in  such  a manner,  but  that  he 
was  at  the  same  time  pronounced  to  be  righteous,  by  the  declara- 
tion of  the  same  judge,  that  he  found  in  him  no  cause  of  accusa- 
tion. This  is  our  absolution,  that  the  guilt,  which  made  us 
obnoxious  to  punishment,  is  transferred  to  the  person  of  the  Son 
of  God.  For  we  ought  particularly  to  remember  this  satisfaction, 
that  we  may  not  spend  our  whole  lives  in  terror  and  anxiety,  as 
though  we  were  pursued  by  the  righteous  vengeance  of  God, 
which  the  Son  of  God  has  transferred  to  himself. 

VI.  Moreover,  the  species  of  death  which  he  suffered,  is 
fraught  with  a peculiar  mystery.  The  cross  was  accursed,  not 
only  in  the  opinion  of  men,  but  by  the  decree  of  the  Divine 
law.  Therefore,  when  Christ  is  lifted  up  upon  it,  he  renders 
himself  obnoxious  to  the  curse.  And  this  was  necessary  to  be 
done,  that  by  this  transfer  we  might  be  delivered  from  every 
curse  which  awaited  us,  or  rather  was  already  inflicted  upon 
us,  on  account  of  our  iniquities.  This  was  also  prefigured  in 
the  law.  For  the  victims  and  expiations  offered  for  sins  were 
called  niDLyx,  a word  which  properly  signifies  sin  itself.  By 
this  appellation  the  Spirit  intended  to  suggest  that  they  were 
vicarious  sacrifices,  to  receive  and  sustain  the  curse  due  to  sin. 
But  that  which  was  figuratively  represented  in  the  Mosaic 
sacrifices,  is  actually  exhibited  in  Christ,  the  archetype  of  the 
figures.  Wherefore,  in  order  to  effect  a complete  expiation,  he 
gave  his  soul  dk/n,  that  is,  an  atonmg  sacrifice  for  sin,  (f)  as 
the  prophet  says ; so  that  our  guilt  and  punishment  being  as  it 
were  transferred  to  him,  they  must  cease  to  be  imputed  to  us. 
The  apostle  more  explicitly  testifies  the  same,  when  he  says. 

He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin ; that 
we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.”  (g)  For 
the  Son  of  God,  though  perfectly  free  from  all  sin,  nevertheless 
assumed  the  disgrace  and  ignominy  of  our  iniquities,  and,  on 

b)  Isaiah  liil.  12.  Mark  xv.  28.  (c)  Matt,  xxvii.  18,  23,  24.  John  xviii.  38. 

(d)  Psalm  Ixix.  4.  (/)  Isaiah  liii.  10.  (g)  2 Cor.  v.  21. 


CHAP.  XVI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  461 

the  other  hand,  arrayed  us  in  his  purity.  He  appears  to  have 
intended  the  same,  when  he  says  concerning  sin,  that  it  was 
condemned  in  the  flesh,”  {h)  that  is,  in  Christ.  For  the  Fa- 
ther destroyed  the  power  of  sin,  when  the  curse  of  it  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  body  of  Christ.  This  expression  therefore  in- 
dicates, that  Christ  at  his  death  was  offered  to  the  Father  as 
an  expiatory  sacrifice,  in  order  that,  a complete  atonement  being 
made  by  his  oblation,  we  may  no  longer  dread  the  Divine 
wrath.  Now,  it  is  evident  what  the  prophet  meant,  when  he 
said,  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all  ; ” {i) 
namely,  that  when  he  was  about  to  expiate  our  sins,  they  were 
transferred  to  him  by  imputation.  The  cross,  to  which  he 
was  fixed,  was  a symbol  of  this,  as  the  apostle  informs  us : 
‘‘  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from,  the  curse  of  the  law,  being 
made  a curse  for  us ; for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
hangeth  on  a tree ; that  the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come 
on  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ.”  {k)  Peter  alluded  to 
the  same,  where  he  said,  He  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body 
on  the  tree  ; ” (/)  because  from  the  visible  symbol  of  the  curse, 
we  more  clearly  apprehend,  that  the  burden,  with  which  we 
were  oppressed,  was  imposed  on  him.  Nor  must  we  conceive 
that  he  submitted  to  a curse  which  overwhelmed  him,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  that  by  sustaining  it,  he  depressed,  broke,  and 
destroyed  all  its  power.  Wherefore  faith  apprehends  an  abso- 
lution in  the  condemnation  of  Christ,  and  a benediction  in  his 
curse.  It  is  not  without  reason,  therefore,  that  Paul  magnifi- 
cently proclaims  the  triumph  which  Christ  gained  for  himself 
on  the  cross  ; as  though  the  cross,  which  was  full  of  ignominy, 
had  been  converted  into  a triumphal  chariot.  For  he  says, 
that  he  nailed  to  his  cross  the  hand- writing,  which  was  con- 
trary to  ns,  and  having  spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  he  made 
a show  of  them  openly.”  (m)  Nor  should  this  surprise  us  ; for, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  another  apostle,  Christ  .offered 
himself  through  the  eternal  Spirit.”  [n)  Hence  arose  that 
change  of  the  nature  of  things.  But  that  these  things  may  be 
deeply  rooted  and  firmly  fixed  in  our  hearts,  let  us  always  re- 
member his  sacrifice  and  ablution.  For  we  certainly  could 
have  no  confidence  that  Christ  was  our  (a'TroXurpwo'jg,  (o)  xai  av^-i- 
XuTpov,  (jo)  xoLi  iXatfryjpiov,)  [q)  redemption^  ransom^  and  propitia- 
tion^ if  he  had  not  been  a slaughtered  victim.  And  for  this 
reason  it  is,  that  when  the  Scripture  exhibits  the  method  of 
redemption,  it  so  often  makes  mention  of  blood  ; though  the 
blood  shed  by  Christ  has  not  only  served  as  an  atonement  to 
God,  but  likewise  as  a laver  to  purge  away  our  pollutions. 

Qi)  Rom.  viii.  3.  (Z)  1 Peter  ii.  24.  (o)  TCor.  i.  30. 

(i)  Isaiah  liii.  6.  (m)  Col.  ii.  14,  15.  (/>)  1 Tim.  ii.  6. 

{k)  Gal.  iii.  13,  14  (n)  Heb.  ix.  14.  {q)  Rom.  iii.  25. 


462  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

Vn.  It  follows  in  the  Creed,  that  he  died  and  was 
buried  ; ” in  which  may  be  further  seen,  how  in  every  respect 
he  substituted  himself  in  our  room  to  pay  the  price  of  our  re- 
demption. Death  held  us  in  bondage  under  his  yoke  ; Christ, 
to  deliver  us  from  it,  surrendered  himself  to  his  power  in  our 
stead.  This  is  the  meaning  of  the  apostle,  when  he  says,  that 
‘‘he  tasted  death  for  every  man.”  (r)  For  by  his  death  he 
prevented  us  from  dying,  or,  which  comes  to  the  same  thing, 
by  his  death  recovered  life  for  us.  But  in  this  respect  he 
differed  from  us  — he  surrendered  himself  to  death  to  be,  as  it 
were,  overcome  by  it,  not  that  he  might  be  absorbed  in  its 
abysses,  but  rather  that  he  might  destroy  that,  by  which  we 
should  have  been  at  length  devoured  ; he  surrendered  himself 
to  death  to  be  subdued,  not  that  he  might  be  overwhelmed  by 
its  power,  but  rather  that  he  might  overthrow  that  which 
threatened  us,  which  indeed  had  already  overcame  us,  and 
was  triumphing  over  us.  Lastly,  he  died,  “that  he  might 
destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil ; 
and  deliver  them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  life- 
time subject  to  bondage.”  (s)  This  is  the  first  benefit  we 
have  received  from  his  death.  The  second  is,  that,  by  a com- 
munication of  himself,  he  “mortifies”  our  “members  which 
are  upon  the  earth,”  (t)  that  they  may  no  longer  perform  their 
own  actions ; and  slays  our  old  man,  that  it  may  not  flourish 
and  bear  fruit  any  more.  The  burial  of  Christ  has  the  same 
tendency,  namely,  that  being  made  partakers  of  it,  we  may  be 
buried  to  sin.  For  when  the  apostle  teaches  us  that  “ we 
have  been  planted  in  the  likeness  of  the  death  of  Christ,  and 
buried  with  him,”  {v)  to  the  death  of  sin  ; that  “by  his  cross 
the  world  is  crucified  ” unto  us,  and  we  “ unto  the  world  ; ” (tf?) 
and  that  we  “ are  dead  with  him  ; ” (a:)  he  not  only  exhorts  us 
to  imitate  the  example  of  his  death,  but  declares  that  it  con- 
tains such  an  efficacy,  as  ought  to  be  conspicuous  in  all  Chris- 
tians, unless  they  wish  to  render  that  death  ineffectual  and  use- 
less. In  the  death  and  burial  of  Christ,  therofore,  we  have  a 
twofold  benefit  proposed  to  our  enjoyment  — deliverance  from 
the  thraldom  of  death,  and  the  mortification  of  our  flesh. 

VIII.  But  it  is  not  right  to  omit  his  “ descent  into  hell,” 
which  is  of  no  small  importance  towards  the  accomplishment  of 
redemption.  For  though  it  appears  from  the  writings  of  the 
ancients,  that  this  article  of  the  Creed  was  not  always  in  com- 
mon use  in  the  chmches,  yet  in  discussing  a system  of  doc- 
trine, it  is  necessary  to  introduce  it,  as  containing  a mystery 
highly  useful,  and  by  no  means  to  be  despised.  Indeed,  there 

(r)  Heb.  ii.  9.  (t)  Col.  iii.  5.  (w)  Gal.  vi.  14. 

(?)  Heb.  ii.  14,  15.  (r)  Rom.  vi.  4,  5.  (x)  Col.  iii.  3. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


463 


CHAP.  XVI.] 

are  some  of  the  ancients  who  do  not  omit  it.  Hence  we  may 
conjecture  that  it  was  inserted  a little  after  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  and  was  not  immediately  but  gradually  received  in 
the  churches.  This  at  least  cannot  be  controverted,  that  it 
was  agreeable  to  the  general  opinion  of  all  the  faithful ; since 
there  is  not  one  of  the  fathers,  who  does  not  mention  in  his 
writings  the  descent  of  Christ  into  hell,  though  they  explain 
it  in  different  senses.  But  by  whom,  or  at  what  period,  it  was 
first  inserted,  is  of  little  consequence  ; it  is  of  more  importance 
that  the  Creed  should  present  us  a full  and  complete  summary 
of  faith,  into  which  nothing  should  be  inserted,  but  what  is 
taken  from  God’s  most  holy  word.  Yet  if  any  morosely  re- 
fuse to  admit  it  into  the  Creed,  it  shall  presently  be  proved  to 
be  so  necessary  to  the  perfection  of  our  redemption,  that  the 
omission  of  it  considerably  lessens  the  benefit  of  the  death  of 
Christ.  Some,  again,  are  of  opinion,  that  this  clause  contains 
nothing  new,  but  is  only  a repetition,  in  other  words,  of 
what  had  before  been  said  respecting  his  burial ; because  the 
woid  here  rendered  ^‘hell  ” is  frequently  used  in  the  Scriptures 
to  signify  the  grave.  I admit  the  truth  of  their  observation 
respecting  the  signification  of  this  word,  that  it  is  frequently  to 
be  understood  of  the  “grave  ; ” but  their  opinion  is  opposed  by 
two  reasons,  which  easily  induce  me  to  dissent  from  them. 
For  what  extreme  carelessness  it  would  betray,  after  a plain 
fact  had  been  stated  in  the  most  explicit  and  familiar  manner, 
to  assert  it  a second  time  in  an  obscure  combination  of  words 
calculated  rather  to  perplex  than  to  elucidate  it ! For  when 
two  phrases  expressive  of  the  same  thing  are  connected  toge- 
ther, the  latter  ought  to  be  an  explanation  of  the  former.  But 
what  an  explanation  would  this  be,  if  one  were  to  express  it 
thus  : “ When  Christ  is  said  to  have  been  buried,  the  meaning 
is,  that  he  descended  into  hell ! ” Besides,  it  is  not  probable 
that  such  a superfluous  tautology  could  have  found  its  way 
into  this  compendium,  in  which  the  principal  articles  of  faith 
are  summarily  expressed  with  the  utmost  possible  brevity.  And 
I doubt  not,  that  all  who  have  considered  this  point  with  any 
attention  will  easily  assent  to  what  I have  advanced. 

IX.  Others  give  a different  interpretation ; that  Christ  de- 
scended to  the  souls  of  the  fathers  who  had  died  under  the 
law,  for  the  purpose  of  announcing  the  accomplishment  of  re- 
demption, and  liberating  them  from  the  prison  in  which  they 
were  confined.  To  this  purpose  they  pervert  a passage  in  the 
psalms,  that  “ he  hath  broken  the  gates  of  brass,  and  cut  the 
bars  of  iron  in  sunder ;”(y)  and  another  in  Zechariah,  “I 
have  sent  forth  thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit  wherein  is  no 


(y)  Psalm  cvii.  16. 


464  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

water.”  (jz)  But  since  the  Psalmist  celebrates  the  liberation 
of  those  who  are  suffering  captivity  and  imprisonment  in  dis- 
tant countries ; and  Zechariah  compares  the  destruction  in 
which  the  people  had  been  overwhelmed  in  Babylon,  to  a dry 
pit  or  abyss  ; and  at  the  same  time  suggests,  that  the  salvation 
of  the  whole  Church  is  a deliverance  from  the  abysses  of  hell ; 
I know  not  how  it  came  to  pass,  that  posterity  should  imagine 
a subterraneous  cavern,  to  which  they  have  given  the  name  of 
Limbus.  But  this  fable,  although  it  is  maintained  by  great 
authors,  and  even  in  the  present  age  is  by  many  seriously  de- 
fended as  a truth,  is  after  all  nothing  but  a fable.  For  to  con- 
fine the  souls  of  the  dead  in  a prison,  is  quite  puerile ; but 
what  necessity  was  there  for  Christ  to  descend  thither  in  order 
to  liberate  them  ? I freely  confess,  indeed,  that  Christ  illumi- 
nated them  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit ; that  they  might  know 
that  the  grace,  which  they  had  only  tasted  by  hope,  was  then 
exhibited  to  the  world.  And  probably  to  this  we  may  accom- 
modate that  passage  of  Peter,  where  he  says,  that  Christ  went 
and  preached  unto  the  spirits  who  were  keeping  watch  as  in  a 
tower.”  {a)  This  is  generally  rendered  the  spirits  in  prison,” 
but  1 conceive  improperly.  The  context  also  gives  us  to  un- 
derstand, that  the  faithful  who  had  died  before  that  time,  were 
partakers  of  the  same  grace  with  us.  For  the  apostle  ampli- 
fies the  efficacy  of  the  death  of  Christ  from  this  consideration, 
that  it  penetrated  even  to  the  dead ; when  the  souls  of  the 
faithful  enjoyed  the  present  view  of  that  visitation  which  they 
had  been  anxiously  expecting  ; whilst,  on  the  contrary,  it  was 
more  clearly  discovered  to  the  reprobate,  that  they  were  exclu- 
ded from  all  salvation.  But  since  Peter  has  not  spoken  in  this 
distinct  manner  of  the  pious  and  the  impious,  we  must  not  un- 
derstand him  as  confounding  them  all  together,  without  any  dis- 
crimination. He  only  designs  to  inform  us,  that  the  know- 
ledge of  the  death  of  Christ  was  common  to  them  both. 

X.  But  laying  aside  all  consideration  of  the  Creed,  we  have 
to  seek  for  a more  certain  explanation  of  the  descent  of  Christ 
into  hell ; and  we  find  one  in  the  Divine  word,  not  only  holy 
and  pious,  but  likewise  replete  with  singular  consolation.  If 
Christ  had  merely  died  a corporeal  death,  no  end  would  have 
been  accomplished  by  it ; it  was  requisite,  also,  that  he  should 
feel  the  severity  of  the  Divine  vengeance,  in  order  to  appease 
the  wrath  of  God,  and  satisfy  his  justice.  Hence  it  was 
necessary  for  him  to  contend  with  the  powers  of  hell  and  the 
horror  of  eternal  death.  We  have  already  stated  from  the 
prophet,  that  “ the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,” 
that  “ he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for 


(z)  Zech.  ix.  11. 


(a)  1 Peter  iii.  19. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


465 


CHAP.  XVI.] 

oiir  iniquities;  ” (6)  the  meaning  of  which  is,  that  he  was  made 
a substitute  and  surety  for  transgressors,  and  even  treated  as  a 
criminal  himself,  to  sustain  all  the  punishments  which  would 
have  been  inflicted  on  them  ; only  with  this  exception,  that 
“ it  was  not  possible  that  he  should  be  holden  of  the  pains 
of  death.*’  (c)  Therefore  it  is  no  wonder,  if  he  be  said  to  have 
descended  into  hell,  since  he  suffered  that  death  which  the 
wrath  of  God  inflicts  on  transgressors.  It  is  a very  frivolous 
and  even  ridiculous  objection  to  say  that  by  this  explanation 
the  order  of  things  is  perverted,  because  it  is  absurd  to  make 
that  subsequent  to  his  burial,  which  really  preceded  it.  For 
the  relation  of  those  sufferings  of  Christ,  which  were  visible  to 
men,  is  very  properly  followed  by  that  invisible  and  incompre- 
hensible vengeance  which  he  suffered  from  the  hand  of  God  ; 
in  order  to  assure  us  that  not  only  the  body  of  Christ  was  given 
as  the  price  of  our  redemption,  but  that  there  was  another 
greater  and  more  excellent  ransom,  since  he  suffered  in  his 
soul  the  dreadful  torments  of  a person  condemned  and  irre- 
trievably lost. 

XL  In  this  sense  Peter  says,  that  “ God  raised  him  up,  hav- 
ing loosed  the  pains  of  death  ; because  it  was  not  possible 
that  he  should  be  holden  of  it.”  (d)  He  does  not  say  simply 
“death;”  but  tells  us,  that  the  Son  of  God  was  involved  in 
“ the  pains  of  death,”  which  proceed  from  the  Divine  wrath 
and  malediction,  which  is  the  origin  of  death.  For  what  a 
little  thing  it  would  have  been  for  Christ  to  appear  in  order  to 
suffei  death,  without  any  distress  or  perplexity,  and  even  with 
pleasure  ! But  this  was  a true  specimen  of  his  infinite  mercy, 
not  to  evade  that  death  which  he  so  much  dreaded.  Nor  can 
it  be  doubted,  but  the  apostle  means  to  suggest  the  same  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  when  he  says,  that  Christ  “ was  heard 
in  that  he  feared.”  (e)  Some,  instead  of  /ear,  translate  it  reve- 
rence ox  piety ; but  how  improperly,  is  evident  from  the  subject 
itself,  and  also  from  the  form  of  expression.  Christ,  therefore, 
“ when  he  offered  up  prayers  with  strong  crying  and  tears,  was 
heard  in  that  he  feared  ; ” not  that  he  might  obtain  an  exemp- 
tion from  death,  but  that  he  might  not  be  swallowed  up  by  it 
as  a sinner  ; for  he  was  then  sustaining  our  character.  And  it 
is  certainly  impossible  to  imagine  any  more  formidable  abyss, 
than  to  perceive  ourselves  forsaken  and  abandoned  by  God,  and 
not  to  be  heard  when  we  call  upon  him,  as  though  he  had  con- 
spired to  destroy  us.  Now,  v/e  see  Christ  was  so  deeply  de- 
jected, that  in  the  urgency  of  distress,  he  was  constrained  to 
exclaim,  “My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ? ” (/) 

(h)  Isaiah  liii.  5.  (c)  Acts  ii.  24.  {d)  Acts  ii.  24. 

(e)  Heb.  v.  7.  (/)  Matt,  xxvii.  46. 

59 


VOL.  I. 


466  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  If. 

For  the  idea  of  some,  that  he  spoke  rather  according  to  the 
opinion  of  others  than  from  his  own  feelings,  is  utterly  im- 
probable ; since  he  evidently  appears  to  have  spoken  from  the 
anguish  of  his  inmost  soul.  We  do  not  admit  that  God  was 
ever  hostile  to  him,  or  angry  with  him.  For  how  could  he  be 
angry  with  his  beloved  Son,  “ in  whom  his  soul  delighted  ? ” (g) 
or  how  could  Christ,  by  his  intercession,  appease  the  Father  for 
others,  if  the  Father  were  incensed  against  him  ? But  we  af- 
firm, that  he  sustained  the  weight  of  the  Divine  severity  ; since, 
being  ^‘smitten  and  afflicted  of  God,”  (A)  he  experienced  from 
God  all  the  tokens  of  wrath  and  vengeance.  Wherefore,  Hi- 
lary argues,  that  by  this  descent  we  have  obtained  the  destruc- 
tion of  death.  And  in  other  places  he  accords  with  our 
opinion ; as  when  he  says,  The  cross,  death,  and  hell,  are  our 
life.”  Again,  in  another  place,  “ The  Son  of  God  is  in  hell, 
but  man  is  raised  to  heaven.”  But  why  do  I cite  the  testi- 
mony of  a private  person,  when  the  apostle  asserts  the  same 
thing,  mentioning,  as  the  reward  of  Christ’s  victory,  the  de- 
liverance of  them  “ who,  through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their 
lifetime  subject  to  bondage  ? ” (i)  It  was  necessary,  therefore, 
that  he  should  overcome  that  fear,  which  naturally  and  inces- 
santly harasses  all  men  ; which  he  could  not  do  without  con- 
tending with  it.  Now,  that  his  was  not  a common  or  trivial  sor- 
row, will  soon  be  more  clearly  evinced.  Thus,  by  contending 
with  the  power  of  the  devil,  with  the  dread  of  death,  and  with 
the  pains  of  hell,  he  obtained  the  victory,  and  triumphed  over 
them,  that  in  death  we  may  no  longer  dread  those  things  which 
our  Prince  has  destroyed. 

XII.  Here  some  contentious,  though  illiterate  men,  impelled 
rather  by  malice  than  by  ignorance,  exclaim  against  me,  that  I 
am  guilty  of  an  atrocious  injury  to  Christ ; because  it  is  utterly 
unreasonable  that  he  should  have  any  fear  concerning  the  sal- 
vation of  his  soul.  And  then  they  aggravate  the  cavil,  by  pre- 
tending that  I attribute  despair  to  the  Son  of  God,  which  is 
contrary  to  faith.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  presumptuous  in 
them  to  raise  a controversy  concerning  the  fear  and  consterna- 
tion of  Christ,  which  is  so  expressly  asserted  by  the  evangelists. 
For,  before  the  approach  of  his  death,  he  experienced  a pertur- 
bation of  spirit  and  depression  of  mind ; but,  in  the  actual 
struggle  with  it,  he  began  to  feel  a greater  degree  of  conster- 
nation. If  they  say  that  this  was  only  pretence,  it  is  a most 
paltry  subterfuge.  We  ought,  therefore,  as  Ambrose  justly  ad- 
vises, fearlessly  to  acknowledge  the  sorrow  of  Christ,  unless  we 
are  ashamed  of  his  cross.  And,  indeed,  if  his  soul  had  expe- 
rienced no  punishment,  he  would  have  been  only  a Redeemer 


(g)  Isaiah  xlii.  1. 


(A)  Isaiah  liii.  4. 


(i)  Heb.  ii.  15. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


467 


CHAP.  XVI.] 

for  the  body.  It  was  necessary  for  him  to  combat,  in  order  to 
raise  up  those  who  lay  prostrate  on  the  earth  ; and  his  heaven- 
ly glory  is  so  far  from  being  diminished  by  this,  that  his  good- 
ness, which  is  never  sufficiently  celebrated,  is  conspicuous  in 
his  voluntary  and  unreluctant  assumption  of  our  infirmities. 
Hence  that  consolation  which  the  apostle  offers  us  under  our 
anxieties  and  sorrows,  that  this  Mediator  has  experienced  our 
infirmities,  in  order  that  he  might  be  the  more  ready  to  succour 
the  wretched,  (j)  They  pretend,  that  what  is  intrinsically  bad 
cannot  be  justly  attributed  to  Christ ; as  though  they  were 
wiser  than  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  connects  these  two  things 
together,  that  Christ  “ was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are, 
yet  without  sin.”  We  have  no  reason,  therefore,  to  be  alarmed 
by  the  infirmity  of  Christ,  to  which  he  was  not  compelled  by 
violence  or  necessity,  but  induced  merely  by  his  mercy  and 
love  for  us  voluntarily  to  submit  himself.  But  none  of  his 
voluntary  sufferings  for  us  have  been  any  diminution  of  his 
power.  These  captious  objectors,  however,  are  deceived  in 
one  point ; they  do  not  perceive  that  this  infirmity  in  Christ 
was  perfectly  free  from  every  stain  of  guilt,  because  he  always 
kept  himself  within  the  limits  of  obedience.  For,  because  no 
moderation  can  be  discovered  in  the  corruption  of  our  nature, 
where  all  our  passions  transgress  all  bounds  with  impetuous 
violence,  they  erroneously  measure  the  Son  of  God  by  this 
standard.  But  he  being  innocent,  and  free  from  every  defect, 
all  his  affections  were  governed  by  a moderation  which  ad- 
mitted of  no  excess.  Whence  it  was  very  possible  for  him  to 
resemble  us  in  sorrow,  fear,  and  dread,  and  yet,  in  this  respect, 
to  be  very  different  from  us.  Refuted  here,  they  proceed  to 
another  cavil ; that,  although  Christ  was  afraid  of  death,  yet 
he  was  not  afraid  of  the  malediction  and  wrath  of  God,  from 
which  he  knew  himself  to  be  safe.  But  let  the  pious  reader 
consider  how  much  honour  it  reflects  on  Christ,  that  he  was 
more  delicate  and  timorous  than  the  generality  of  mankind. 
Robbers  and  other  malefactors  obstinately  rush  forward  to 
death ; many  men  nobly  despise  it ; others  calmly  submit  to 
it.  But  what  constancy  or  magnanimity  would  the  Son  of  God 
have  discovered,  in  being  astonished  and  almost  struck  dead 
Avith  the  fear  of  it?  For  it  is  related  of  him,  Avhat  might 
generally  be  accounted  a prodigy,  that  through  the  vehemence 
of  his  agonies,  drops  of  blood  flowed  from  his  face.  Nor  did 
he  exhibit  this  spectacle  to  the  eyes  of  others;  he  sent  up  his 
groans  to  his  Father,  in  the  secrecy  of  retirement.  And  every 
doubt  is  removed  by  the  necessity  that  there  was  for  angels  to 
descend  from  heaven,  to  support  him  with  unusual  consolation. 


(j)  Heb.  iv.  15. 


468  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

What  disgraceful  effeminacy,  as  I have  suggested,  would  this 
have  been,  to  be  so  distressed  by  the  fear  of  a common  death, 
as  to  be  in  a bloody  sweat,  and  incapable  of  being  comforted 
without  the  presence  of  angels  ! What ! does  not  this  prayer, 
which  he  repeated  three  times,  O my  Father,  if  it  be  possible, 
let  this  cup  pass  from  me,”  {k)  proceeding  from  an  incredible 
bitterness  of  soul,  demonstrate  that  Christ  had  a more  severe 
and  arduous  conflict  than  with  a common  death  ? Whence  it 
appears,  that  those  trifiers,  with  whom  I am  now  disputing, 
presumptuously  chatter  about  things  which  they  know  not ; 
because  they  never  seriously  considered  the  nature  or  the  im- 
portance of  our  redemption  from  the  Divine  judgment.  But  it 
is  our  wisdom  to  have  a clear  understanding  how  much  our 
salvation  cost  the  Son  of  God.  If  any  one  inquire  whether 
Christ  was  then  descending  to  hell,  when  he  deprecated  death, 
I reply,  that  this  was  the  prelude  to  it ; whence  we  may  con- 
clude what  dreadful  and  horrible  agonies  he  must  have  suffered, 
while  he  was  conscious  of  standing  at  the  tribunal  of  God  ac- 
cused as  a criminal  on  our  account.  But,  although  the  Divine 
power  of  the  Spirit  concealed  itself  for  a moment,  to  give  place 
to  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  yet  we  know,  that  the  temptation 
arising  from  a sense  of  grief  and  fear  was  such  as  was  not  re- 
pugnant to  faith.  And  thus  was  fulfilled  what  we  find  in  the 
sermon  of  Peter,  that  it  was  not  possible  that  he  should  be 
holden  of  the  pains  of  death  ; ” (/)  because,  when  he  perceived 
himself,  as  it  were,  deserted  by  God,  still  he  relaxed  not  in  the 
least  from  his  confidence  in  his  Father’s  goodness.  This  is 
evident  from  his  celebrated  invocation,  when,  through  the 
vehemence  of  grief,  he  exclaimed,  “My  God,  my  God,  why 
hast  thou  forsaken  me  ? ” (m)  For  notwithstanding  his  ex- 
treme agony,  yet  he  continues  to  call  God  his  God,  even  when 
he  complains  that  he  is  forsaken  by  him.  Now,  this  serves  to 
refute  the  error  of  Apollinaris,  and  also  of  those  who  were 
called  Monothelites.  Apollinaris  pretended  that  the  eternal 
Spirit  supplied  the  place  of  a soul  in  Christ,  so  that  he  was  but 
half  a man,  as  though  he  could  expiate  our  sins  without 
obedience  to  the  Father.  But  where  was  the  disposition  or 
will,  requisite  to  obedience,  but  in  his  soul  ? which  we  know 
was  “ troubled,”  (n)  in  order  to  dissipate  all  our  fears,  and  obtain 
])eace  and  rest  for  ours.  Moreover,  in  opposition  to  the  Mono- 
thelites, we  see,  that  what  was  contrary  to  his  will  as  man, 
was  agreeable  to  his  will  as  God.  I say  nothing  of  his  over- 
coming the  fear  of  which  we  have  spoken,  by  a contrary  dis- 
position. For  there  is  a manifest  appearance  of  contrariety 
when  he  says,  “ Father,  save  me  from  this  hour : but  for  this 

{k)  Matt.  xxvi.  39.  (/)  Acts  ii.  24.  (wj)  Matt.  xxTii.  46.  (n)  John  xn.27 


CHAP.  XVI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  469 

cause  came  I unto  this  hour.  Father,  glorify  thy  name.”  (o) 
Yet,  in  this  perplexity,  there  is  no  such  want  of  moderation  as 
is  evident  in  us,  even  while  we  are  exerting  our  most  stre- 
nuous endeavours  to  conquer  ourselves. 

XIII.  Next  follows  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  without 
which  all  that  we  have  said  would  be  incomplete.  For,  since 
there  appears  nothing  but  infirmity  in  the  cross,  death,  and 
burial  of  Christ,  faith  must  proceed  beyond  all  these  things, 
to  be  furnished  with  sufficient  strength.  Wherefore,  although 
our  salvation  is  perfectly  accomplished  by  his  death,  because 
by  that  we  are  reconciled  to  God,  a satisfaction  is  given  to  his 
righteous  judgment,  the  curse  is  removed,  and  the  punishment 
sustained,  yet  we  are  said  to  have  been  “ begotten  again  to  a 
lively  hope,”  not  by  his  death,  but  by  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead.”  {p)  For  as  at  his  resurrection  he  appeared  the  con- 
queror of  death,  so  it  is  on  his  resurrection  that  our  faith  prin- 
cipally rests.  This  is  better  expressed  in  the  words  of  Paul, 
when  he  says,  that  Christ  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and 
was  raised  again  for  our  justification ; ” {q)  as  though  he  had 
said,  that  sin  was  removed  by  his  death,  and  righteousness  re- 
newed and  restored  by  his  resurrection.  For  how  was  it  possi- 
ble for  him  by  dying  to  liberate  us  from  death,  if  he  had  him- 
self remained  under  its  power  ? how  could  he  have  obtained 
the  victory  for  us,  if  he  had  been  vanquished  in  the  contest  ? 
Wherefore  we  ascribe  our  salvation  partly  to  the  death  of 
Christ,  and  partly  to  his  resurrection  ; we  believe  that  sin  was 
abolished,  and  death  destroyed,  by  the  former  ; that  righteous- 
ness was  restored,  and  life  established,  by  the  latter ; yet  so 
that  the  former  discovers  its  power  and  efficacy  in  us  by  means 
of  the  latter.  Therefore  Paul  asserts  that  he  was  declared  to 
be  the  Son  of  God,  by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  ; ” (r) 
because  he  then  displayed  his  heavenly  power,  which  is  both  a 
lucid  mirror  of  his  Divinity,  and  a firm  support  of  our  faith. 
So,  in  another  place,  he  says,  that  he  was  crucified  through 
weakness,  yet  he  liveth  by  the  power  of  God.”  (s)  In  the 
same  sense,  in  another  place,  treating  of  perfection,  he  says, 
that  I may  know  him,  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection.”  {t) 
Yet,  immediately  after,  he  adds,  the  fellowship  of  his  suffer- 
ings, and  conformity  to  his  death.”  In  perfect  harmony  with 
this,  is  the  following  declaration  of  Peter  : “ God  raised  him  up 
from  the  dead,  and  gave  him  glory;  that  your  faith  and  hope 
might  be  in  God:  ” (w)  not  that  faith  totters  when^it  rests  on 
his  death  ; but  because  the  power  of  God,”  which  “ keeps  us 
through  faith,”  [v)  chiefly  discovers  itself  in  his  resurrection. 

(o)  John  xii.  27,  28.  (r)  Rorn.  i.  4.  («)  1 Peter  i.  21. 

{ 'p)  1 Peter  i.  .3  {s)  2 Cor.  xiii.  4.  {v)  1 Peter  i.  5. 

{q)  Rom.  iv.  25.  {t)  Phil.  iii.  10. 


470  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

Let  iis  rememberj  therefore,  that  whenever  mention  is  made  of 
his  death  alone,  it  comprehends' also  what  strictly  belongs  tc 
his  resurrection  ; and  that  the  same  figure  of  speech  is  applied 
to  the  word  resurrection^  whenever  it  is  used  without  any  men- 
tion of  his  death,  so  that  it  connects  with  it  what  is  peculiarly 
applicable  to  his  death.  But  since  it  was  by  rising  from  the 
dead  that  he  obtained  the  palm  of  victory,  to  become  the  resur- 
rection and  the  life,  Paul  justly  contends,  that,  “ if  Christ  be 
not  risen,  then  is  ” the  “preaching  ” of  the  gospel  “ vain,  and  ” 
our  “ faith  is  also  vain.”  (v)  Therefore,  in  another  place,  af- 
ter having  gloried  in  the  death  of  Christ  in  opposition  to  all 
the  fears  of  condemnation,  he  adds,  by  way  of  amplification, 
“ Yea,  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us.”  (lo)  Be- 
sides, as  we  have  before  stated,  that  the  mortification  of  our 
flesh  depends  on  communion  with  his  cross,  so  it  must  also  be 
understood,  that  we  obtain  another  benefit,  corresponding  to 
that,  from  his  resurrection.  The  apostle  says,  “If  we  have 
been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be 
also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection  : even  so  we  also  should 
walk  in  newness  of  life.”  {x)  Therefore,  in  another  place,  as, 
from  our  being  dead  with  Christ,  he  deduces  an  argument  for 
the  mortification  of  our  members  which  are  upon  the  earth,  (y) 
so  also,  because  we  are  risen  with  Christ,  he  thence  infers  that 
we  should  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  and  not  those 
which  are  on  the  earth,  (z)  By  which  expressions  we  are  not 
only  invited  to  walk  in  newness  of  life,  after  the  example  of 
Christ  raised  from  the  dead,  but  are  taught  that  our  regenera- 
tion to  righteousness  is  effected  by  his  power.  We  derive  also 
a third  benefit  from  his  resurrection,  having  received,  as  it 
were,  a pledge  to  assure  us  of  our  own  resurrection,  of  which 
his  clearly  affords  the  most  solid  foundation  and  evidence. 
This  subject  the  apostle  discusses  more  at  large  in  the  First 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  (a)  But  it  must  be  remarked  by 
the  way,  that  when  he  is  said  to  have  “risen  from  the  dead,” 
this  phrase  expresses  the  reality  both  of  his  death  and  of  his 
resurrection  ; as  though  it  were  said,  that  he  died  the  same 
death  as  other  men  naturally  die,  and  received  immortality  in 
the  same  body  which  he  had  assumed  in  a mortal  state. 

XIV.  His  resurrection  is  properly  followed  in  the  Creed  by 
his  ascension  to  heaven.  For  though  Christ  began  to  make  a 
more  illustrious  display  of  his  glory  and  power  at  his  resurrec- 
tion, having  now  laid  aside  the  abject  and  ignoble  condition  of 
this  mortal  life,  and  the  ignominy  of  the  cross,  yet  his  ascen- 
sion into  heaven  was  the  real  commencement  of  his  reign. 

{v)  1 Cor.  XV.  14,  17.  (x)  Rom.  vi.  4,  5.  (z)  Col.  iii.  1,  2. 

(tc)  Rom.  viii.  34.  (y)  Col.  iii.  5 (a)  1 Cor.  xv. 


CHAP.  XVI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  471 

This  the  apostle  shows,  when  he  informs  us,  that  he  “ ascended 
that  he  might  fill  all  things.”  (6)  Here,  in  an  apparent  con- 
tradiction, he  suggests  to  us  that  there  is  a beautiful  harmony, 
because  Christ  departed  from  us,  that  his  departure  might  be 
more  useful  to  us  than  that  presence,  which,  during  his  continu- 
ance on  earth,  confined  itself  within  the  humble  mansion  of 
liis  body.  Therefore  John,  after  having  related  that  remark- 
able invitation,  “ If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and 
drink,”  subjoins,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given ; be- 
cause that  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified.”  (c)  This  the  Lord 
himself  also  declared  to  his  disciples  : It  is  expedient  for  yon 
that  I go  away  ; for  if  I go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not 
come  unto  you.”  {d)  Now,  he  proposes  a consolation  for  his 
corporeal  absence,  that  he  will  not  leave  them  comfortless,  or 
orphans,  but  will  come  again  to  them,”  in  a manner  invisible 
indeed,  but  more  desirable ; because  they  were  then  taught  by 
a more  certain  experience  that  the  authority  which  he  enjoys, 
and  the  power  which  he  exercises,  is  sufficient  for  the  faithful, 
not  only  to  procure  them  a blessed  life,  but  to  insure  them  a 
happy  death.  And,  indeed,  we  see  how  largely  he  then  in- 
creased the  effusions  of  his  Spiiit,  how  greatly  he  advanced  the 
magnificence  of  his  reign,  and  what  superior  power  he  exerted 
both  in  assisting  his  friends,  and  in  defeating  his  enemies. 
Being  received  up  into  heaven,  therefore  he  removed  his  cor- 
poreal presence  from  our  view  ; not  that  he  might  no  longer  be 
present  with  the  faithful  who  were  still  in  a state  of  pilgrimage 
on  earth,  but  that  he  might  govern  both  heaven  and  earth  by  a 
more  efficacious  energy.  Moreover,  his  promise,  that  he  would 
be  with  us  till  the  end  of  the  world,  he  has  performed  by  this 
his  ascension  ; by  which,  as  his  body  was  elevated  above  all 
heavens,  so  his  power  and  energy  have  been  diffused  and  ex- 
tended beyond  all  the  limits  of  heaven  and  earth.  In  repre- 
senting this,  I would  prefer  the  language  of  Augustine  to  my 
own.  Christ,”  says  he,  was  about  to  go  by  death  to  the 
right  hand  of  the  Father,  whence  he  will  hereafter  come  to 
judge  the  living  and  the  dead  ; and  this  by  a corporeal  pre- 
sence, according  to  the  rule  of  faith  and  sound  doctrine.  For 
in  his  spiritual  presence  with  them,  he  was  to  come  soon  after 
his  ascension.”  And  elsewhere  he  treats  this  subject  in  a man- 
ner still  more  diffuse  aud  explicit.  By  his  ineffable  and  invisi- 
ble grace,  Christ  has  fulfilled  his  declaration,  Lo,  I am  with 
you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.”  (e)  But  with 
respect  to  the  body  which  the  Word  assumed,  which  was  born 
of  the  Virgin,  which  was  apprehended  by  the  Jews,  which 
was  fixed  to  the  cross,  which  was  taken  down  from  the  cross, 

(t)  Eph.  iv.  10.  (c)  John  vii.  37, 39.  {d)  John  xvi.  7.  (c)  Matt,  .xxviii.  20 


472 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

which  was  folded  in  linen,  which  was  laid  in  the  sepulchre, 
which  was  manifested  at  the  resurrection,  there  has  been  an 
accomplishment  of  this  prediction : “ Ye  shall  not  have  me 
always  with  you.”  Why  ? Because  in  his  corporeal  presence 
he  conversed  with  his  disciples  for  forty  days,  and  while  they 
were  attending  him,  seen  but  not  followed  by  them,  he  as- 
cended into  heaven  ; and  he  is  not  here,  for  he  sits  there  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father  ; and  yet  he  is  here,  for  he  has 
not  withdrawn  the  presence  of  his  majesty.  In  the  presence  of 
his  majesty,  therefore,  we  have  Christ  always  with  us  ; but 
with  respect  to  his  corporeal  presence,  he  said  with  truth  to  his 
disciples,  ^^Me  ye  have  not  always.”  For  the  Church  enjoyed 
his  corporeal  presence  for  a few  days ; now  she  enjoys  him  by 
faith,  and  does  not  behold  him  with  her  eyes. 

XY.  Wherefore  it  is  immediately  added,  that  he  is  seated  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father  ; which  is  a similitude  borrowed 
from  princes,  who  have  their  assistants,  to  whom  they  depute 
the  exercise  of  the  government.  So  Christ,  in  whom  the  Fa- 
ther determines  to  be  exalted,  and  by  whose  medium  he 
chooses  to  reign,  is  said  to  have  been  received  to  his  right 
hand ; as  though  it  were  said,  that  he  had  been  inaugurated  in 
the  government  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  had  solemnly  entered 
on  the  actual  administration  of  the  power  committed  to  him  ; 
and  not  only  that  he  has  entered  on  it,  but  that  he  continues 
in  it,  till  he  descends  to  judgment.  For  so  the  apostle  explains 
it,  in  the  following  words  : The  Father  hath  set  him  at  his  own 
right  hand,  far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and  might, 
and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this 
world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come ; and  hath  put  all 
things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all 
things  to  the  church,”  &c.  (g)  We  see  the  end  of  this  session  ; 
it  is,  that  all  creatures,  both  celestial  and  terrestrial,  may  ad- 
mire his  majesty,  be  governed  by  his  hand,  obey  his  will,  and 
be  subject  to  his  power.  And  the  only  design  of  the  apostles 
in  their  frequent  mention  of  it,  is  to  teach  us  that  all  things  are 
committed  to  his  government.  Wherefore  they  who  suppose 
that  nothing  but  blessedness  is  signified  in  this  article,  are 
not  right  in  that  opinion.  It  affects  not  our  argument,  that 
Stephen  declares  that  he  sees  Christ  “ standing,”  (A)  because 
the  present  question  relates,  not  to  the  posture  of  his  body, 
but  to  the  majesty  of  his  dominion  ; so  that  sitting  signifies  no 
other  than  presiding  at  the  tribunal  of  heaven. 

XVI.  Hence  faith  receives  many  advantages.  For  it  per- 
ceives, that  by  his  ascension  the  Lord  has  opened  the  way  to 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  had  been  stopped  by  Adam. 


(^)  Eph.  i.  20 — 22. 


(/j)  Acts  vii.  55,  56. 


CHAP.  XVI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  473 

For  since  he  entered  there  in  our  nature,  and  as  it  were  in  our 
names,  it  follows  that,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  we  now  sit 
together”  with  him  ‘‘in  heavenly  places,”  (i)  because  we  not 
only  hope  for  heaven,  but  already  possess  it  in  our  Head.  Be- 
sides, faith  knows  that  his  residence  with  his  Father  conduces 
greatly  to  our  advantage.  For  being  entered  into  a sanctuary, 
which  is  not  of  human  erection,  {k)  he  continually  appears  in 
the  presence  of  the  Father  as  our  advocate  and  intercessor  ; {1) 
he  attracts  the  eyes  of  the  Father  to  his  righteousness,  so  as  to 
avert  them  from  our  sins ; he  reconciles  him  to  us,  so  as  to  pro- 
cure for  us,  by  his  intercession,  a way  of  access  to  his  throne, 
which  he  replenishes  with  grace  and  mercy,  but  which  other- 
wise would  be  pregnant  with  horror  to  miserable  sinners,  (m) 
In  the  third  place,  faith  has  an  apprehension  of  his  power,  in 
which  consists  our  strength,  our  fortitude,  our  wealth,  and  our 
triumph  over  hell.  For  “ when  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led 
captivity  captive,”  (n)  spoiled  his  enemies,  and  enriched  his 
people,  and  daily  loads  them  with  spiritual  favours.  He  sits, 
therefore,  on  high,  that  from  thence  he  may  shed  forth  his 
power  upon  us,  that  he  may  animate  us  with  spiritual  life,  that 
he  may  sanctify  us  by  his  Spirit,  that  he  may  adorn  his  Church 
with  a variety  of  graces,  and  defend  it  by  his  protection  from 
every  calamity,  that  by  the  strength  of  his  hand  he  may  re- 
strain the  ferocious  enemies  of  his  cross  and  of  our  salvation  ; 
finally,  that  he  may  retain  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth  ; 
till  he  shall  have  overthrown  all  his  enemies,  who  are  also 
ours,  and  completed  the  edification  of  his  Church.  And  this 
is  the  true  state  of  his  kingdom,  this  the  power  which  the  Fa- 
ther has  conferred  on  him,  till  he  completes  the  last  act  by 
coming  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead. 

XVH.  Christ  gives  his  servants  unequivocal  tokens  of  the 
presence  of  his  power ; but  because  on  earth  his  kingdom  is  in 
some  measure  concealed  under  the  meanness  of  the  flesh,  faith 
is,  for  a very  good  reason,  called  to  meditate  on  that  visible  pre- 
sence which  he  will  manifest  at  the  last  day.  For  he  will  de- 
scend from  heaven  in  a visible  form,  in  the  same  manner  in 
which  he  was  seen  to  ascend ; (o)  and  will  appear  to  all  with 
the  inelfable  majesty  of  his  kingdom,  with  the  splendour  of 
immortality,  with  the  infinite  power  of  Deity,  and  with  a host 
of  angels,  (p)  From  thence,  therefore,  we  are  commanded  to 
expect  him  as  our  Redeemer  at  the  last  day,  when  he  will  se- 
parate the  sheep  from  the  goats,  the  elect  from  the  reprobate  • 
and  there  will  not  be  an  individual  of  either  the  living  or  the 
dead  that  can  escape  his  judgment.  For  from  the  most  remote 

(i)  Eph.  ii.  6.  (1)  Rom.  viii.  34.  (n)  Eph.  iv.  8. 

(/c)  Heb.  ix.  24,  (m)  Heb.  iv.  16.  (o)  Acts  i.  11. 

{p)  Matt.  xxiv.  30;  xxv.  31.  1 Thess.  iv.  IG,  17. 

VOL.  I.  60 


474  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

corners  of  the  world  they  will  hear  the  sound  of  the  trumpet, 
with  which  all  mankind  will  be  summoned  to  his  tribunal, 
both  those  whom  that  day  shall  find  alive,  and  those  whom 
death  shall  previously  have  removed  from  the  society  of  the 
living.  There  are  some  who  understand  the  words  quick^  or 
living^  and  dead,  in  a different  sense.  And  indeed  we  find 
that  some  of  the  fathers  hesitated  respecting  the  exposition  of 
this  clause  ; but  the  sense  we  have  given,  being  plain  and 
clear,  is  far  more  consistent  with  the  design  of  the  Creed, 
which  appears  to  have  been  composed  for  the  common  people. 
Nor  is  this  repugnant  to  the  assertion  of  the  apostle,  that  “ it  is 
appointed  unto  men  once  to  die.”  {k)  For  although  they  who 
shall  survive  in  this  mortal  life  till  the  last  judgment,  shall  not 
die  in  a natural  manner  and  order,  yet  that  change,  which 
they  shall  experience,  since  it  will  resemble  death,  may  with- 
out impropriety  be  designated  by  that  appellation.  It  is  certain 
indeed  that  all  shall  not  sleep,  but  all  shall  be  changed.”  {1) 
What  is  that  ? In  one  moment  their  mortal  life  will  be  ex- 
tinguished and  absorbed,  and  will  be  transformed  into  a nature 
entirely  new.  This  extinction  of  the  flesh  no  man  can  deny 
to  be  death.  Nevertheless  it  remains  a truth,  that  the  living 
and  the  dead  will  be  summoned  to  judgment ; for  ‘‘the  dead  in 
Christ  shall  rise  first : then  they  which  are  alive  and  remain 
shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air.”  (m)  And  it  is  very  probable  that  this 
article  was  taken  from  the  sermon  of  Peter,  {n)  and  from  the 
solemn  charge  of  Paul  to  Timothy,  (o) 

XVIII.  It  is  a source  of  peculiar  consolation  to  hear  that  he 
will  preside  at  the  judgment,  who  has  already  destined  us  to 
participate  with  himself  the  honour  of  sitting  in  judgment  with 
him,  so  far  will  he  be  from  ascending  the  tribunal  to  condemn 
us.  For  how  could  a most  merciful  prince  destroy  his  own 
people  ? how  could  a head  scatter  his  own  members  ? how 
could  an  advocate  condemn  his  own  clients  ? For  if  the  apos- 
tle ventures  to  exclaim,  that  no  one  can  condemn  us  while 
Christ  intercedes  for  us,  [p)  it  is  much  more  certain  that 
Christ  himself,  our  intercessor,  will  not  condemn  those  whose 
cause  he  has  undertaken,  and  whom  he  has  engaged  to  support. 
Indeed,  it  is  no  inconsiderable  security,  that  we  shall  stand 
before  no  other  tribunal  than  that  of  our  Redeemer,  from  whom 
we  are  to  expect  salvation  ; and  that  he,  who  by  the  gospel 
now  promises  eternal  life,  will  at  the  judgment  ratify  and  per- 
form the  promise  which  he  has  given.  The  design  of  the  Fa- 
ther in  honouring  the  Son  by  “ committing  all  judgment  to 

{k)  Heb.  ix.  27.  (w)  1 Thess.  iv.  16,  17.  (o)  2 Tim.  iv.  1. 

(1)  1 Cor.  XV.  51.  (n)  Acts  x.  42.  (p)  Rom.  viii.  34. 


CHAP.  XVI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  475 

him,”  {([)  was,  that  he  might  relieve  the  consciences  of  his  peo- 
ple from  all  fear  concerning  the  judgment.  Thus  far  I have 
followed  the  order  of  the  Apostles’  Creed  ; because,  while  A 
comprises,  in  a few  words,  the  principal  points  of  redemption, 
\t  may  serve  to  give  *us  a distinct  and  separate  view  of  those 
particulars  respecting  Christ  which  merit  our  attention.  I style 
it  the  Apostles’  Creed,  but  am  not  at  all  solicitous  to  know  who 
was  the  composer  of  it.  The  ancient  writers  agree  in  ascribing 
it  to  the  apostles,  either  from  a belief  that  it  was  written  and 
published  by  their  common  concurrence,  or  from  an  opinion 
that  this  compendium,  being  faithfully  collected  from  the  doc- 
trine delivered  by  them,  was  worthy  of  being  sanctioned  by 
such  a title.  And  whoever  was  the  author  of  it,  I have  no 
doubt  that  it  has  been  publicly  and  universally  received  as  a 
confession  of  faith  from  the  first  origin  of  the  Church,  and 
even  from  the  days  of  the  apostles.  Nor  is  it  probable  that  it 
was  composed  by  any  private  individual,  since  from  time  im- 
memorial it  has  evidently  been  esteemed  as  of  sacred  authority 
by  all  the  pious.  But  what  we  ought  principally  to  regard,  is 
beyond  all  controversy  — that  it  comprehends  a complete  ac- 
count of  our  faith  in  a concise  and  distinct  order,  and  that 
every  thing  it  contains  is  confirmed  by  decisive  testimonies  of 
Scripture.  This  being  ascertained,  it  is  of  no  use  anxiously  to 
inquire,  or  to  contend  with  any  one,  respecting  its  author,  un- 
less it  be  not  sufficient  for  any  one  to  have  the  unerring  truth 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  without  knowing  either  by  whose  mouth  it 
was  uttered,  or  by  whose  hand  it  was  written. 

XIX.  Since  we  see  that  the  whole  of  our  salvation,  and  all 
the  branches  of  it,  are  comprehended  in  Christ,  we  must  be 
cautious  not  to  alienate  from  him  the  least  possible  portion  of 
it.  If  we  seek  salvation,  we  are  taught  by  the  name  of  JESUS, 
that  it  is  in  him  ; if  we  seek  any  other  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  they 
will  be  found  in  his  unction  ; strength,  in  his  dominion  ; purity, 
in  his  conception ; indulgence  discovers  itself  in  his  nativity, 
by  which  he  was  made  to  resemble  us  in  all  things,  that  he 
might  learn  to  condole  with  us  ; if  we  seek  redemption,  it  will 
be  found  in  his  passion;  absolution,  in  his  condemnation;  re- 
mission of  the  curse,  in  his  cross  ; satisfaction,  in  his  sacrifice  ; 
purification,  in  his  blood  ; reconciliation,  in  his  descent  into 
hell ; mortification  of  the  flesh,  in  his  sepulchre  ; newness  of 
life  and  immortality,  in  his  resurrection  ; the  inheritance  of 
the  celestial  kingdom,  in  his  entrance  into  heaven ; protection, 
security,  abundance,  and  enjoyment  of  all  blessings,  in  his 
kingdom  ; a fearless  expectation  of  the  judgment,  in  the  judi- 
cial authority  committed  to  him.  Finally,  blessings  of  every 


(q)  John  V.  22. 


476 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

kind  are  deposited  in  him ; let  us  draw  from  his  treasury,  and 
from  no  other  source,  till  onr  desires  are  satisfied.  For  they 
who,  not  content  with  him  alone,  are  carried  hither  and  thither 
into  a variety  of  hopes,  although  they  fix  their  eyes  principally 
on  him,  nevertheless  deviate  from  the  rigtit  way  in  the  diver- 
sion of  any  part  of  their  attention  to  another  quarter.  This 
distrust,  however,  cannot  intrude,  where  the  plenitude  of  his 
blessings  has  once  been  truly  known. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

CHRIST  TRULY  AND  PROPERLY  SAID  TO  HAVE  MERITED  THE 
GRACE  OF  GOD  AND  SALVATION  FOR  US. 

We  must  devote  an  additional  Chapter  to  the  solution  of 
this  question.  For  there  are  some  men,  more  subtle  than  or- 
thodox, who,  though  they  confess  that  Christ  obtained  salvation 
for  us,  yet  cannot  bear  the  word  merit,  by  which  they  suppose 
the  grace  of  God  is  obscured.  So  they  maintain  that  Christ  is 
only  the  instrument  or  minister,  not,  as  he  is  called  by  Peter, 
the  Author,  or  Leader,  and  “Prince  of  life.”  {q)  I grant,  in- 
deed, if  any  man  would  oppose  Christ  simply  and  alone  to  the 
judgment  of  God,  there  would  be  no  room  for  merit ; because 
it  is  impossible  to  find  in  man  any  excellence  which  can  merit 
the  favour  of  God  ; nay,  as  Augustine  most  truly  observes, 
“ The  brightest  illustration  of  predestination  and  grace  is  the 
Saviour  himself,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  has  acquired  this 
character  in  his  human  nature,  without  any  previous  merit 
either  of  works  or  of  faith.  Let  any  one  tell  me,  how  that 
man  merited  the  honour  of  being  assumed  into  one  person  with 
the  Word,  who  is  coeternal  with  the  Father,  and  so  becoming 
the  only  begotten  Son  of  God.  Thus  the  fountain  of  grace 
appears  in  our  Head,  and  from  him  diffuses  its  streams  through 
all  his  members  according  to  their  respective  capacities.  Every 
one,  from  the  commencement  of  his  faith,  is  made  a Christian, 
by  the  same  grace,  by  which  this  man,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  his  existence,  was  made  the  Christ.”  Again,  in  another 
treatise,  Augustine  says,  “ There  is  not  a more  illustrious  ex- 
ample of  predestination  than  the  Mediator  himself.  For  he 
who  made  of  the  seed  of  David  this  righteous  man,  so  that 
he  never  was  unrighteous,  without  any  previous  merit  of  his 


(y)  Acts  iii.  15. 


CHAP.  XVII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  477 

will,  converts  unrighteous  persons  into  righteous  ones,  and 
makes  them  members  of  that  Head,”  &c.  When  we  speak  of 
the  merit  of  Christ,  therefore,  we  do  not  consider  him  as  the 
origin  of  it,  but  we  ascend  to  the  ordination  of  God,  which  is 
the  first  cause  ; because  it  was  of  his  mere  good  pleasure,  that 
God  appointed  him  Mediator  to  procure  salvation  for  us.  And 
thus  it  betrays  ignorance  to  oppose  the  merit  of  Christ  to  the 
mercy  of  God.  For  it  is  a common  maxim,  that  between  two 
things,  of  which  one  succeeds  or  is  snbordinate  to  the  other, 
there  can  be  no  opposition.  There  is  no  reason,  therefore,  why 
the  justification  of  men  should  not  be  gratuitous  from  the  mere 
mercy  of  God,  and  why  at  the  same  time  the  merit  of  Christ 
should  not  intervene,  which  is  subservient  to  the  mercy  of  God. 
But  to  our  works  are  directly  and  equally  opposed  the  gra- 
tuitous favour  of  God  and  the  obedience  of  Christ,  each  in  its 
respective  place.  For  Christ  could  merit  nothing  except  by 
the  good  pleasure  of  God,  by  which  he  had  been  predestinated 
to  appease  the  Divine  wrath  by  his  sacrifice,  and  to  abolish  our 
transgressions  by  his  obedience.  To  conclude,  since  the  merit 
of  Christ  depends  solely  on  the  grace  of  God,  which  appointed 
this  method  of  salvation  for  us,  therefore  his  merit  and  that 
grace  are  with  equal  propriety  opposed  to  all  the  righteousnesses 
of  men. 

II.  This  distinction  is  gathered  from  numerous  passages  of 
Scripture.  ‘^God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  pe- 
rish.” (r)  We  see  that  the  love  of  God  holds  the  first  place,  as 
the  supreme  and  original  cause,  and  that  faith  in  Christ  follows 
as  the  second  and  proximate  cause.  If  it  be  objected,  that 
Christ  is  only  the  formal  cause,  this  diminishes  his  merit  more 
than  the  words  now  quoted  will  bear.  For  if  we  obtain  right- 
eousness by  a faith  which  relies  on  him,  it  is  in  him  we  are  to 
seek  the  cause  of  our  salvation.  This  is  evident  from  many 
passages.  Not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and 
sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.”  (5)  These 
words  clearly  demonstrate,  that  to  remove  every  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  his  love  towards  us,  God  appointed  a method  of 
reconciliation  in  Christ.  And  there  is  much  contained  in  the 
word  propitiation  ; ” for  God,  in  a certain  ineffable  manner, 
at  the  same  time  that  he  loved  us,  was  nevertheless  angry 
with  us,  till  he  was  reconciled  in  Christ.  This  is  implied  in 
the  following  passages : He  is  the  propitiation  for  our 

sins.”  [t)  Again;  It  pleased  the  Father,  having  made  peace 
through  the  blood  of  his  cross,  by  him  to  reconcile  all  things 
unto  himself.”  ( 17 ) Again:  “God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling 

(r)  John  iii.  16.  (s)  1 John  iv.  10.  (t)  1 John  ii.  2.  (v)  Col.  i.  19,  20. 


478  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II. 

the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto 
them.”  {lu)  Again  : He  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  Be- 
loved.” (a;)  Again:  That  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God 
in  one  body  by  the  cross.”  (y)  The  reason  of  this  mystery 
may  be  learned  from  the  first  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Ephesians,  where  Paul,  having  taught  that  we  are  chosen  in 
Christ,  adds  at  the  same  time,  that  we  are  accepted  in  him. 
How  did  God  begin  to  favour  those  whom  he  had  loved  before 
the  creation  of  the  world,  but  by  the  manifestation  which  he 
made  of  his  love  when  he  was  reconciled  by  the  blood  of 
Christ  ? For  since  God  is  the  fountain  of  all  righteousness,  he 
must  necessarily  be  the  enemy  and  judge  of  every  sinner. 
Wherefore  the  beginning  of  his  love  is  the  righteousness  de- 
scribed by  Paul : He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who 
knew  no  sin ; that  we  may  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  him.”  [z)  For  his  meaning  is,  that  by  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  we  obtain  gratuitous  righteousness,  so  as  to  be  accepta- 
ble to  God,  though  by  nature  we  are  the  children  of  wrath, 
and  alienated  from  him  by  sin.  This  distinction  is  indicated 
also  wherever  the  grace  of  Christ  is  connected  with  the  love 
of  God;  whence  it  follows  that  our  Saviour  bestows  on  us 
what  he  has  purchased  ; for  otherwise  it  would  be  inconsistent 
to  ascribe  this  praise  to  him  distinctly  from  the  Father,  that 
grace  is  his,  and  proceeds  from  him. 

III.  ^Now,  that  Christ  by  his  obedience  has  really  procured 
and  merited  grace  from  the  Father  for  us,  is  certainly  and  just- 
ly concluded  from  various  passages  of  Scripture.  For  I assume 
this  as  granted : if  Christ  has  satisfied  for  our  sins ; if  he  has 
sustained  the  punishment  due  to  us  ; if  he  has  appeased  God 
by  his  obedience  ; in  a word,  if  he  has  suffered,  the  just  for  the 
unjust,  — then  salvation  has  been  obtained  for  us  by  his  right- 
eousness, which  is  the  same  as  being  merited.  But  according 
to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  “We  were  reconciled  by  his  death, 
by  whom  we  have  received  the  atonement,”  or  reconcilia- 
tion. (.a)  Now,  there  is  no  room  for  reconciliation  without  a 
previous  offence.  The  sense  therefore  is,  that  God,  to  whom 
our  sins  had  rendered  us  odious,  has  been  appeased  by  the 
death  of  his  Son,  so  as  to  be  propitious  to  us.  And  the  anti- 
thesis, which  follows  just  after,  is  worthy  of  careful  observation  ■ 
“As  by  one  man’s  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so 
by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous.”  (6) 
For  the  meaning  is,  that  as  by  the  sin  of  Adam  we  were  alien- 
ated from  God  and  devoted  to  destruction,  so  by  the  obedience 
of  Christ  we  are  received  into  favour,  as  righteous  persons. 


CHAP.  XVII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  479 

Nor  does  the  future  tense  of  the  verb  exclude  present  right- 
eousness ; as  appears  from  the  context.  F or  he  had  before 
said,  “ The  free  gift  is  of  many  offences  unto  justification.”  (c) 
IV.  But  when  we  say  that  grace  is  procured  for  us  by  the 
merit  of  Christ,  we  intend,  that  we  have  been  purified  by  his 
blood,  and  that  his  death  was  an  expiation  for  sins.  The 

blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.”  {d)  This 

blood  is  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins.”  (e)  If  tlie  non-impu- 
tation of  our  sins  to  us  be  the  effect  of  the  blood  which  he 
shed,  it  follows  that  this  was  the  price  of  satisfaction  to  the 
justice  of  God.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  declaration  of  the 
Baptist : ‘‘  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world.”  (/)  For  he  opposes  Christ  to  all  the 
sacrifices  of  the  law,  to  show  that  what  they  prefigured 
was  accomplished  in  him  alone.  Now  we  know  what  Mo- 
ses frequently  says  — that  an  atonement  shall  be  made  for 
sin,  and  it  shall  be  forgiven.  In  short,  the  ancient  figures 
give  us  a fine  exhibition  of  the  power  and  efficacy  of  the 
death  of  Christ.  And  the  apostle  copiously  discusses  this 
subject  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  judiciously  assu- 
ming this  as  a fundamental  principle,  that  ^‘without  shed- 
ding of  blood  there  is  no  remission.”  Whence  he  infers,  that 
Christ  has  once  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice 
of  himself;  ” and  that  ‘‘he  was  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of 
many.”  {g)  He  had  already  said,  that  “ Not  by  the  blood  of 
goats  and  calves,  but  by  his  own  blood  ; he  entered  once  into 
the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption.”  (A)  Now, 
when  he  argues  in  this  manner,  “ If  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of 
goats,  and  the  ashes  of  a heifer  sprinkling  the  unclean,  sanc- 
tifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,  how  much  more  shall  the 
blood  of  Christ  purge  your  conscience  from  dead  works!  ” (^) 
it  evidently  appears  that  we  too  much  undervalue  the  grace  of 
Christ,  unless  we  attribute  to  his  sacrifice  an  expiatory,  placa- 
tory, and  satisfactory  efficacy.  Therefore  it  is  immediately 
added,  “ He  is  the  mediator  of  the  New  Testament,  that  by 
means  of  death,  for  the  redemption  of  the  transgressions  that 
were  under  the  first  testament,  they  which  are  called  might 
receive  the  promise  of  eternal  inheritance.”  {k)  But  we 
ought  particularly  to  consider  the  relation  described  by  Paul, 
that  he  was  “ made  a curse  for  us.”  (/)  For  it  would  be  un- 
necessary, and  consequently  absurd,  for  Christ  to  be  loaded 
with  a curse,  except  in  order  to  discharge  the  debts  due  from 
others,  and  thereby  to  obtain  a righteousness  for  them.  The 
testimony  of  Isaiah  likewise  is  clear,  that  “the  chastisement 

(c)  Rom.  V.  16.  (/)  John  i.  29.  (i)  FTeb.  ix.  13,  14. 

\d)  1 John  i.  7.  {g)  Heb.  ix.  22,  26,  28.  {k)  Hob.  ix.  15. 

(c)  Matt.  xxvi.  28.  (h)  Heb.  ix.  12.  {1)  Gal.  iii.  13. 


480 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  II. 

of  our  peace  was  upon  him ; and  with  his  stripes  we  are 
healed.”  (o)  For  if  Christ  had  not  made  a satisfaction  for  our 
sins,  he  could  not  be  said  to  have  appeased  God  by  suffering 
the  punishment  to  which  we  were  exposed.  This  is  confirmed 
by  a subsequent  clause  : “ For  the  transgression  of  my  people 
was  he  stricken.”  (y?)  Let  us  add  the  interpretation  of  Peter, 
which  will  remove  all  difficulty,  that  “ he  bare  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree  ; ” {q)  which  imports  that  the  burden  of 
condemnation,  from  which  we  have  been  relieved,  was  laid 
upon  Christ. 

Y.  The  apostles  explicitly  declare,  that  he  paid  a price 
to  redeem  us  from  the  sentence  of  death : “ Being  justified 
freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus ; whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a propitiation,  through 
faith  in  his  blood.”  (r)  Here  Paul  celebrates  the  grace  of  God, 
because  he  has  given  the  price  of  our  redemption  in  the  death 
of  Christ ; and  then  enjoins  us  to  betake  ourselves  to  his  blood, 
that  we  may  obtain  righteousness,  and  may  stand  secure  before 
the  judgment  of  God.  Peter  confirms  the  same  when  he  says, 
“Ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and 
gold,  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a lamb  with- 
out blemish  and  without  spot.”  (s)  For  there  would  be  no 
propriety  in  the  comparison,  unless  this  blood  had  been  the 
price  of  satisfaction  for  sin  ; for  which  reason  Paul  says,  “Ye 
are  bought  with  a price.”  {t)  Nor  would  there  be  any  truth  in 
his  other  assertion,  that  “ there  is  one  Mediator,  who  gave 
himself  a ransom,”  [v)  unless  the  punishment  due  to  our  de- 
merits had  been  transferred  to  him.  Therefore  the  same 
apostle  defines  “ redemption  through  his  blood  ” to  be  “ the 
forgiveness  of  sins  ; ” as  though  he  had  said.  We  are  justified 
or  acquitted  before  God,  because  that  blood  is  a complete  satis- 
faction for  us.  This  is  consonant  with  the  following  passage, 
that  “ he  blotted  out  the  hand-writing,  which  was  contrary  to 
us,  nailing  it  to  his  cross.”  {x)  For  these  words  signify  the 
payment  or  compensation  which  absolves  us  from  guilt. 
There  is  great  weight  also  in  these  words  of  Paul : “If  right- 
eousness come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain.”  {y) 
For  hence  we  conclude,  that  we  must  seek  from  Christ  what 
the  law  would  confer  upon  any  one  who  fulfilled  it  ; or,  Avhich 
is  the  same,  that  we  obtain  by  the  grace  of  Christ  what  God 
promised  in  the  law  to  our  works ; “ which  ” commandments 
“ if  a man  do,  he  shall  live  in  them.”  {z)  This  the  apostle 
confirms  with  equal  perspicuity  in  his  sermon  at  Antioch,  as- 


(o)  Isaiah  liii.  5. 

(p)  Isaiah  liii.  8. 

{q)  1 Peter  ii.  24. 

(r)  Rom.  iii.  24,  25. 


{s)  1 Peter  i.  18,  19. 
p)  1 Cor.  vi.  20. 

(®)  1 Tim.  ii.  5,  6. 
po)  Col.  i.  14. 


(i)  Col.  ii.  14. 
ly)  Gal.  ii.  21. 

(z)  Lev.  xviii.  5. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


481 


CHAP.  XVII.] 

sorting  that  Christ  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all 
things,  from  which  they  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of 
Moses.”  (a)  For  if  righteousness  consist  in  an  observance  of 
the  law,  who  can  deny  that  Christ  merited  favour  for  us,  when, 
by  bearing  this  burden  himself,  he  reconciles  us  to  God,  just 
as  though  we  were  complete  observers^  of  the  law  ourselves  ? 
The  same  idea  is  conveyed  in  what  he  afterwards  writes  to 
the  Galatians,  that  “ God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  under  the 
law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law.”  {b)  For  what 
was  the  design  of  that  subjection  to  the  law,  but  to  procure  a 
righteousness  for  us,  by  undertaking  to  perform  that  which  we 
were  not  able  to  do  ? Hence  that  imputation  of  righteousness 
without  works,  of  which  Paul  treats ; (c)  because  that  right- 
eousness which  is  found  in  Christ  alone  is  accepted  as  ours. 
Nor  indeed  is  the  ‘‘flesh  ” of  Christ  called  our  “food  ” {d)  for 
any  other  reason  but  because  we  find  in  it  the  substance  of 
life.  Now,  this  virtue  proceeds  solely  from  the  crucifixion  of 
the  Son  of  God,  as  the  price  of  our  righteousness.  Thus  Paul 
says,  “ Christ  hath  given  himself  for  us,  an  oflering  and  a sacri- 
fice to  God  for  a sweet-smelling  savour.”  (e)  And  in  another 
place,  “ He  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  was  raised 
again  for  our  justification.”  (/)  Hence  it  is  inferred,  not  only 
that  salvation  is  given  us  through  Christ,  but  that  the  Father 
is  now  propitious  to  us  for  his  sake.  For  it  cannot  be  doubted, 
but  this,  which  God  declares  in  a figurative  way  by  Isaiah,  is 
perfectly  fulfilled  in  him : “ I will  ” do  it  “for  mine  own  sake, 
and  for  my  servant  David’s  sake.”  {g)  Of  this  the  apostle  is  a 
sufficient  witness,  when  he  says,  “Your  sins  are  forgiven  you 
for  his  name’s  sake.”  (A)  For  although  the  name  of  Christ  is 
not  expressed,  yet  John,  in  his  usual  manner,  designates  him  by 
the  pronoun  a-jTog,  he.  In  this  sense  the  Lord  declares,  “ As  I 
live  by  the  Father,  so  he  that  eateth  me,  even  he  shall  live 
by  me.”  (i)  With  which  corresponds  the  following  declaration 
of  Paul:  “Unto  you  it  is  given  for  the  love  of  Christ 
XpKfTov)  not  only  to  believe  on  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his 
sake.”  (h) 

YI.  But  the  inquiry  made  by  Lombard  and  the  schoolmen, 
whether  Christ  merited  for  himself,  discovers  as  much  foolish 
curiosity,  as  the  assertion  does  presumption  when  they  affirm 
it.  For  what  necessity  was  there  for  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  God  to  descend,  in  order  to  make  any  new  acquisition  foi 
himself?  And  God  by  the  publication  of  his  own  counsel  re- 
moves every  doubt.  For  it  is  said,  not  that  the  Father  con- 

(a)  Acts  xiii.  39.  (e)  Eph.  v.  2. 

(f/j  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  (/)  Rom.  iv.  25. 

(c)  Rom.  iv.  5.  (g-)  Isaiah  -xxxvii  35. 

(d)  John  vi.  55. 

VOL.  I. 


61 


(/?)  1 John  ii.  12. 
Ci)  John  vi.  57. 
(A)  Phil.  i.  29. 


482  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  [bOOK  II. 

suited  the  benefit  of  the  Son  in  his  merits,  but  that  he  de- 
livered him  to  death,  and  spared  him  not,”  (^)  ‘‘because  he 
loved  the  world.”  (m)  And  the  language  of  the  prophets  is 
worthy  of  observation : “ Unto  us  a Child  is  born.”  (n)  Again  : 
“ Rejoice  greatly,  O daughter  of  Zion ; behold,  thy  King 
cometh  unto  thee.”  (o)  There  would  otherwise  be  no  force  in 
that  confirmation  of  his  love,  which  Paul  celebrates,  that  he 
“ died  for  us,  while  we  were  enemies.”  (p)  For  we  infer  from 
this,  that  he  had  no  regard  to  himself ; and  this  he  clearly  af- 
firms himself,  when  he  says,  “ For  their  sakes  I sanctify  my- 
self.” (q)  For  by  transferring  the  benefit  of  his  sanctity  to 
others,  he  declares  that  he  makes  no  acquisition  for  himself. 
And  it  is  highly  worthy  of  our  observation,  that  in  order  to  de- 
vote himself  wholly  to  our  salvation,  Christ  in  a manner  forgot 
himself.  To  support  this  notion  of  theirs,  the  schoolmen  pre- 
posterously pervert  the  following  passage  of  Paul : “ Wherefore 
also  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a name 
which  is  above  every  name.”  (r)  For,  considered  as  a man, 
by  what  merits  could  he  obtain  such  dignity  as  to  be  the  Judge 
of  the  world  and  the  Head  of  angels,  to  enjoy  the  supreme 
dominion  of  God,  and  to  be  the  residence  of  that  majesty,  the 
thousandth  part  of  which  can  never  be  approached  by  all  the 
abilities  of  men  and  of  angels  ? But  the  solution  is  easy  and 
complete,  that  Paul,  in  that  passage,  is  not  treating  of  the  cause 
of  the  exaltation  of  Christ,  but  only  showing  the  consequence 
of  it,  that  he  might  be  an  example  to  us ; nor  did  he  mean  any 
other  than  what  is  declared  in  another  place,  that  “ Christ 
ought  to  have  suffered,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory.”  (s) 

(l)  Rom.  viii.  32.  (n)  Isaiah  ix.  6.  (p)  Rom.  v.  8, 10  (r)  Phil.  ii.  9. 

(wiy  John  iii.  16.  (o)  Zech.  ix.  9.  (q)  John  xvii.  19.  (s)  Luke  xxiv.26 


INSTITUTES 

OF  THE 

CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


BOOK  III. 


ON  THE  MANNER  OF  RECEIVING  THE  GRACE  OF  CHRIST, 
THE  BENEFITS  WHICH  WE  DERIVE  FROM  IT,  AND  THE  EF- 
FECTS  WHICH  FOLLOW  IT. 


ARGUMENT. 

The  two  former  books  relate  to  God  the  Creator  and  Redeemer.  This 
treats  of  God  the  Sanctifier,  or  of  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
towards  our  salvation,  being  an  accurate  exposition  of  the  third  part 
of  the  Apostles’  Creed. 

The  principal  topics  of  this  .are  seven,  relating  chiefly  to  one  object, 
the  doctrine  of  faith. 

First.  Since  our  enjoyment  of  Christ  and  all  his  benefits  depends  on 
the  secret  and  special  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  discusses  this 
operation,  which  is  the  foundation  of  faith,  of  newness  of  life,  and 
of  all  holy  exercises — Chap.  I. 

Secondly.  Faith  being  as  it  were  the  hand  by  which  we  embrace  Christ 
the  Redeemer,  as  offered  to  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  next  adds  a 
complete  description  of  faith — Chap.  H. 

Thirdly.  To  improve  our  knowledge  of  this  salutary  faith,  it  proceeds 
to  show  the  effects  which  necessarily  result  from  it;  and  contends 
that  true  penitence  is  always  the  consequence  of  true  faith.  But  first 
it  proposes  the  doctrine  of  repentance  in  general — Chap.  HI. ; and 
then  treats  of  Popish  penance  and  its  constituent  parts — Chap.  IV. 


484 


ARGUMENT. 


[book  III. 

— of  indulgences  and  purgatorial  fire — Chap.  V.  But  institutes  a 
particular  discussion  of  the  two  branches  of  true  penitence,  the 
mortification  of  the  flesh,  and  the  vivification  of  the  spirit,  or 
the  life  of  a Christian,  which  is  excellently  described — Chap.  VI 
VII.  VIII.  IX.  X. 

Fourthly.  In  order  to  a clearer  display  of  the  advantages  and  conse- 
quences of  this  faith,  it  first  treats  of  justification  by  faith — Chap. 
XI. — then  explains  the  questions  which  arise  from  it — Chap.  XII. 
XIII.  XIV.  XV.  XVI.  XVII.  XVIII.— and,  lastly,  proceeds  to  a 
dissertation  on  Christian  liberty,  which  is  an  appendage  to  justifi- 
cation— Chap.  XIX. 

Fifthly.  Next  follows  prayer,  the  principal  exercise  of  faith,  and  the 
medium  or  instrument  by  which  we  daily  receive  blessings  from 
God— Chap.  XX. 

Sixthly.  But  since  the  communication  of  Christ  offered  in  the  gospel 
is  not  embraced  by  men  in  general,  but  only  by  those  whom  the 
Lord  has  favoured  with  the  efficacy  and  peculiar  grace  of  his  Spirit, 
it  obviates  any  supposition  of  absurdity,  by  subjoining  a necessary 
and  appropriate  dissertation  on  the  doctrine  of  Divine  election — 
Chap.  XXI.  XXII.  XXIII.  XXIV. 

Lastly.  Since  we  are  liable  to  various  difficulties  and  troubles  while 
exercised  in  the  severe  warfare  which  always  attends  the  life  of  a 
Christian,  it  contends  that  this  may  be  alleviated  by  meditating  on 
the  final  resurrection  ; and  therefore  adds  a discourse  on  that  subject 
—Chap.  XXV. 


CHAPTER  1. 

WHAT  IS  DECLARED  CONCERNING  CHRIST  RENDERED  PROFITABLE 
TO  US  BY  THE  SECRET  OPERATION  OF  THE  SPIRIT. 

We  are  now  to  examine  how  we  obtain  the  enjoyment  of 
tliose  blessings  which  the  Father  has  conferred  on  his  only 
begotten  Son,  not  for  his  own  private  use,  hut  to  enrich  the 
poor  and  needy.  And  first  it  must  be  remarked,  that  as  long  as 
there  is  a separation  between  Christ  and  us,  all  that  he  suffered 
and  performed  for  the  salvation  of  mankind  is  useless  and  una- 
vailing to  us.  To  communicate  to  us  what  he  received  from 
his  Father,  he  must,  therefore,  become  ours,  and  dwell  within 
us.  On  this  account  he  is  called  our  “ Head,”  (a)  and  “the 


(a)  Ephes.  iv.  15. 


CHAP.  I.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  485 

first-born  among  many  brethren (Z>)  and  we,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  said  to  be  ^‘grafted  into  him,”  (c)  and  to  “put  him 
on ; ” {d)  for,  as  I have  observed,  whatever  he  possesses  is 
nothing  to  us,  till  we  are  united  to  him.  But  though  it  be 
true  that  we  obtain  this  by  faith,  yet,  since  we  see  that  the 
communication  of  Christ,  offered  in  the  gospel,  is  not  promis- 
cuously embraced  by  all,  reason  itself  teaches  us  to  proceed 
further,  and  to  inquire  into  the  secret  energy  of  the  Spirit,  by 
which  we  are  introduced  to  the  enjoyment  of  Christ  and  all  his 
benefits.  I have  already  treated  of  the  eternal  Deity  and  es- 
sence of  the  Spirit ; let  us  now  confine  ourselves  to  this  parti- 
cular point : Christ  came  thus  by  water  and  blood,  that  the 
Spirit  may  testify  concerning  him,  in  order  that  the  salvation 
procured  by  him  may  not  be  lost  to  us.  For  as  “ there  are 
three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and 
the  Spirit,”  so  also  “ there  are  three  on  earth,  the  spirit,  the 
water,  and  the  blood.”  (e)  Nor  is  this  a useless  repetition  of 
the  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  which  we  perceive  to  be  engraven 
like  a seal  on  our  hearts,  so  that  it  seals  the  ablution  and  sacrifice 
of  Christ.  For  which  reason  Peter  also  says,  that  believers  are 
“ elect  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  unto  obedience,  and 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.”  ( / ) This  passage  sug- 
gests to  us,  that  our  souls  are  purified  by  the  secret  ablution  of 
the  Spirit,  that  the  effusion  of  that  sacred  blood  may  not  be  in 
vain.  For  the  same  reason  also  Paul,  when  speaking  of  puri- 
fication and  justification,  says,  we  enjoy  both  “ in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God.”  {g)  The 
sum  of  all  is  this  — that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  bond  by  which 
Christ  efficaciously  unites  us  to  himself.  And  what  we  have 
advanced  in  the  last  book  concerning  his  unction,  tends  to 
establish  the  same  truth. 

II.  But  as  a further  confirmation  of  this  point,  which  is 
highly  worthy  of  being  understood,  we  must  remember  that 
Christ  was  endued  with  the  Holy  Spirit  in  a peculiar  manner ; 
in  order  to  separate  us  from  the  world,  and  introduce  us  into 
the  hope  of  an  eternal  inheritance.  Hence  the  Spirit' is  called 
“ the  Spirit  of  holiness ; ” {h)  not  only  because  he  animates 
and  supports  us  by  that  general  power  which  is  displayed  in 
mankind,  and  in  all  other  creatures,  but  because  he  is  the  seed 
and  root  of  a heavenly  life  within  us.  - The  principal  topic, 
therefore,  dwelt  on  by  the  prophets  in  celebrating  the  kingdom 
of  Christ,  is,  that  there  would  then  be  a more  exuberant  effu- 
sion of  the  Spirit.  The  most  remarkable  passage  is  that  of 
Joel : “ I will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh  in  those 

(&)  Rom.  viii.  29.  (c)  Rom.  xi.  17.  {d)  Gal.  iii.  27.  (e)  1 John  v.  7,  8. 

(/)  1 Pet.  i.  2.  {g)  1 Cor.  vi.  11.  Qi)  Rom.  i.  4. 


486  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

days.”  {i)  For,  though  the  prophet  seems  to  restrict  the  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  to  the  exercise  of  the  prophetic  function,  yet  he 
signifies,  in  a figurative  way,  that  God,  by  the  illumination  of 
his  Spirit,  will  make  those  his  disciples,  who  before  were  total 
strangers  to  the  heavenly  doctrine.  Besides,  as  God  the  Fathei 
gives  us  his  Holy  Spirit  for  the  sake  of  his  Son,  and  yet  has 
deposited  all  fulness  ” with  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the 
minister  and  dispenser  of  his  own  goodness,  — the  Holy  Spirit 
is  sometimes  called  the  Spirit  of  the  Father,  and  sometimes  the 
Spirit  of  the  Son.  “ Ye  (says  Paul)  are  not  in  -the  flesh,  but 
in  the  Spirit,  if  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you. 
Now,  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of 
his.”  {k)  And  -thence  he  inspires  a hope  of  complete  renova- 
tion, for  “ he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead,  shall  also 
quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in 
you.”  (Z)  For  there  is  no  absurdity  in  ascribing  to  the  Father 
the  praise  of  his  own  gifts,  of  which  he  is  the  author ; and 
also  ascribing  the  same  glory  to  Christ,  with  whom  the  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  are  deposited,  to  be  given  to  his  people.  There- 
fore he  invites  all  who  thirst  to  come  to  him  and  drink,  (m) 
And  Paul  teaches  us,  that  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given 
grace  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ.”  (n)  And 
it  must  be  remarked,  that  he  is  called  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  not 
only  because  the  eternal  Word  of  God  is  united  with  the  same 
Spirit  as  the  - Father,  but  also  with  respect  to  his  character 
of  Mediator ; for,  if  he  had  not  been  endued  with  this  power, 
his  advent  to  us  would  have  been  altogether  in  vain.  In 
which  sense  he  is  called  “ the  second  Adam,  the  Lord  from 
heaven,  a quickening  Spirit ; ” (o)  where  Paul  compares  the 
peculiar  life  with  which  the  Son  of  God  inspires  his  people, 
that  they  may  be  one  with  him,  to  that  animal  life  which  is 
equally  common  to  the  reprobate.  So,  where  he  wishes  to  the 
faithful  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God,”  he  adds 
also  “the  communion  of  the  Spirit,” (^)  without  which  there 
can  be  no  enjoyment  of  the  paternal  favour  of  God,  or  the  be- 
neficence of  Christ.  As  he  says  also  in  another  place,  “ the 
love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  is  given  unto  us.”  (g) 

HI.  And  here  it  will  be  proper  to  notice  the  titles  by  which 
the  Scripture  distinguishes  the  Spirit,  where  it  treats  of  the 
commencement,  progress,  and  completion  of  our  salvation. 

First,  he  is  called  the  “ Spirit  of  adoption,”  (r)  because  he  wit- 
nesses to  us  the  gratuitous  benevolence  of  God,  with  which  God 
the  Father  has  embraced  us  in  his  beloved  and  only  begotten 

(i)  Joel  ii.  28.  (?/i)  John  vii.  37.  (p)  2 Cor.  xiii.  14. 

(/>■)  Rom.  viii.  9.  (n)  Ephes.  iv.  7.  (g)  Rom.  y.  5. 

(1)  Rom.  viii.  11.  (o)  1 Cor.  xv.  45.  (r)  Rom.  viii.  15. 


CHAP.  I.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  487 

Son,  that  he  might  be  a father  to  us ; and  animates  us  to  pray 
with  confidence,  and  even  dictates  expressions,  so  that  we  may 
boldly  cry,  ‘‘Abba,  Father.”  For  the  same  reason,  he  is  said 
to  be  “the  earnest”  and  “seal”  of  our  inheritance;  because, 
while  we  are  pilgrims  and  strangers  in  the  world,  and  as  per- 
sons dead,  he  infuses  into  us  such  life  from  heaven,  that  we 
are  certain  of  our  salvation  being  secured  by  the  Divine  faith- 
fulness and  care,  (s)  Whence  he  is  also  said  to  be  “life,” 
because  of  righteousness,  {t)  Since  by  his  secret  showers  he 
makes  us  fertile  in  producing  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  he  is 
frequently  called  “ water ; ” as  in  Isaiah  : “ Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters.”  (2^)  Again:  “I  will  pour 
water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry 
ground.”  {lo)  To  which  corresponds  the  invitation  of  Christ, 
just  quoted : “If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me.”  {x) 
He  sometimes,  however,  receives  this  appellation  from  his 
purifying  and  cleansing  energy ; as  in  Ezekiel,  where  the 
Lord  promises  to  sprinkle  clean  water  on  his  people,  to  cleanse 
them  from  their  impurities,  {y)  Because  he  restores  to  life  and 
vigour,  and  continually  supports,  those  whom  he  has  anointed 
with  the  oil  of  his  grace,  he  thence  obtains  the  name  of 
“ unction.”  {z)  Because  he  daily  consumes  the  vices  of  our 
concupiscence,  and  inflames  our  hearts  with  the  love  of  God 
and  the  pursuit  of  piety,  — from  these  effects  he  is  justly  called 
“fire.”  (a)  Lastly,  he  is  described  to  us  as  a “fountain,” 
whence  we  receive  all  the  emanation  of  heavenly  riches ; and 
as  “ the  hand  of  God,”  by  which  he  exerts  his  power  ; because 
by  the  breath  of  his  power  he  inspires  us  with  Divine  life,  so 
that  we  are  not  now  actuated  from  ourselves,  ^but  directed  by 
his  agency  and  influence  ; so  that  if  there  be  any  good  in  us, 
it  is  the  fruit  of  his  grace,  whereas  our  characters  without  him 
are  darkness  of  mind  and  perverseness  of  heart.  It  has,  indeed, 
already  been  clearly  stated,  that  till  our  minds  are  fixed  on  the 
Spirit,  Christ  remains  of  no  value  to  us ; because  we  look  at 
him  as  an  object  of  cold  speculation  without  us,  and  therefore 
at  a great  distance  from  us.  But  we  know  that  he  benefits 
none  but  those  who  have  him  for  their  “ head  ” and  “ elder 
brother,”  and  who  have  “put  him  on.”  {h)  This  union  alone 
renders  his  advent  in  the  character  of  a Saviour  available  to  us. 
We  learn  the  same  truth  from  that  sacred  marriage,  by  which 
we  are  made  flesh  of  his  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone,  and  there- 
fore one  with  him.  (c)  It  is  only  by  his  Spirit  that  he  unites 
himself  with  us ; and  by  the  grace  and  power  of  the  same 

(5)  2 Cor.  i.  22.  Eph.  i.  13, 14.  (t)  Rom.  viii.  10.  {u)  Isaiah  Iv.  1. 

{w)  Isaiah  xliv.  3.  (x)  John  vii.  37  ; iv.  14. 

(?/)  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25.  (z)  1 John  ii.  20.  («)  Luke  iii.  lb*. 

(b)  Eph.  iv.  15.  Rom.  viii.  29.  Gal.  iii.  27.  (c)  Eph.  v.  30. 


488  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III, 

Spirit  we  are  made  his  members ; that  he  may  keep  us  under 
himself,  and  we  may  mutually  enjoy  him. 

IV.  But  faith,  being  his -principal  work,  is  the  object  princi- 
pally referred  to  in  the  most  frequent  expressions  of  his  power 
and  operation ; because  it  is  the  only  medium  by  which  he 
leads  us  into  the  light  of  the  gospel ; according  to  the  declara- 
tion of  John,  that  ‘‘  Christ  gave  power  (or  privilege)  to  become 
the  sons  of  God  to  them  that  believed  on  his  name ; which 
were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of 
the  will  of  man,  but  of  God  ; ” (d)  where,  opposing  God  to  flesh 
and  blood,  he  asserts  the  reception  of  Christ  by  faith,  by  those 
who  would  otherwise  remain  unbelievers,  to  be  a supernatural 
gift.  Similar  to  which  is  this  answer  of  Christ : “ Flesh  and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father,  which  is 
in  heaven ; ” (e)  which  I now  merely  mention  because  I have 
elsewhere  treated  it  at  large.  Similar  also  is  the  assertion  of 
Paul,  that  the  Ephesians  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit 
of  promise.”  (/)  For  this  shows,  that  there  is  an  eternal 
teacher,  by  whose  agency  the  promise  of  salvation,  which 
otherwise  would  only  strike  the  air,  or  at  most  our  ears,  pene- 
trates into  our  minds.  Similar  also  is  his  remark,  that  the 
Thessalonians  were  ‘‘  chosen  by  God  through  sanctification  of 
the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth ; ” {g)  by  which  connection, 
he  briefly  suggests,  that  faith  itself  proceeds  only  from  the 
Spirit.  John  expresses  this  in  plainer  terms:  “We  know  that 
he  abideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit  which  he  hath  given  us.”  {h) 
Again  : “ Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us, 
because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.”  {i)  Therefore  Christ 
promised  to  send  to  his  disciples  “ the  Spirit  of  truth,  whom 
the  world  cannot  receive,”  {k)  that  they  might  be  capable  of 
attaining  heavenly  wisdom.  He  ascribes  to  him  the  peculiar 
office  of  suggesting  to  their  minds  all  the  oral  instructions 
which  he  had  given  them.  For  in  vain  would  the  light  present 
itself  to  the  blind,  unless  this  Spirit  of  understanding  would 
open  their  mental  eyes  ; so  that  he  may  be  justly  called  the  key 
with  which  the  treasures  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  are  unlocked 
to  us ; and  his  illumination  constitutes  our  mental  eyes  to  be- 
hold them.  It  is  therefore  that  Paul  so  highly  commends  the 
ministry  of  the  Spirit ; (1)  because  the  instructions  of  preachers 
would  produce  no  benefit,  did  not  Christ  himself,  the  interna! 
teacher,  by  his  Spirit,  draw  to  him  those  who  were  given  him 
by  the  Father,  (m)  Therefore,  as  we  have  stated,  that  com- 
plete salvation  is  found  in  the  person  of  Christ,  so,  to  make  us 


{(l)  John  i.  12,  13. 
(c)  Matt.  xvi.  17. 
(/)  i.  13. 


{g)  2 Thess.  ii.  13. 
(//)  1 John  iii.  24. 
(i)  1 John  iv.  13. 


(k)  John  xiv.  17. 
(/)  2 Cor.  iii.  6. 
(?n)  John  vi.  44. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


489 


CHAP.  II.] 

partakers  of  it,  he  “ baptizes  us  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with 
fire,”  (7i)  enlightening  us  into  the  faith  of  his  Gospel,  regene- 
rating us  so  that  we  become  new  creatures,  and,  purging  us 
from  profane  impurities,  consecrates  us  as  holy  temples  to  God. 


CHAPTER  II. 

FAITH  DEFINED,  AND  ITS  PROPERTIES  DESCRIBED. 

All  these  things  will  be  easily  understood  when  we  have 
given  a clearer  definition  of  faith,  that  the  reader  may  perceive 
its  nature  and  importance.  But  it  will  be  proper  to  recall  to 
his  remembrance,  what  has  been  already  stated  ; that  God  has 
given  us  his  law  as  the  rule  of  our  conduct,  and  that,  if  we  are 
guilty  of  even  the  smallest  breach  of  it,  we  are  exposed  to 
the  dreadful  punishment  of  eternal  death,  which  he  denounces. 
Again,  that  since  it  is  not  only  difiicult,  but  entirely  above  our 
strength,  and  beyond  the  utmost  extent  of  our  ability,  to  fulfil 
the  law  as  he  requires,  — if  we  only  view  ourselves,  and  con- 
sider what  we  have  demerited,  we  have  not  the  least  hope 
left,  but,  as  persons  rejected  by  God,  are  on  the  verge  of  eter- 
nal perdition.  In  the  third  place,  it  has  been  explained,  that 
there  is  but  one  method  of  deliverance,  by  which  ^Ave  can  be 
extricated  from  such  a direful  calamity  ; that  is,  the  appearance 
of  Christ  the  Redeemer,  by  Avhose  means  our  heavenly  Father, 
commiserating  us  in  his  infinite  goodness  and  mercy,  has  been 
pleased  to  relieve  us,  if  we  embrace  this  mercy  with  a sincere 
faith,  and  rely  on  it  with  a constant  hope.  But  we  must  now 
examine  the  nature  of  this  faith,  by  which  all  Avho  are  the 
adopted  sons  of  God  enter  on  the  possession  of  the  heavenly 
kingdom ; since  it  is  certain,  that  not  every  opinion,  nor  even 
every  persuasion,  is  equal  to  the  accomplishment  of  so  great  a 
work.  And  we  ought  to  be  the  more  cautious  and  diligent  in 
our  meditations  and  inquiries  on  the  genuine  property  of  faith, 
in  proportion  to  the  pernicious  tendency  of  the  mistakes  of 
multitudes  in  the  present  age  on  this  subject.  For  a great  part 
of  the  Avorld,  Avhen  they  hear  the  word  faith,  conceive  it  to  be 
nothing  more  than  a common  assent  to  the  evangelical  history. 
And  even  the  disputes  of  the  schools  concerning  faith,  by 
simply  styling  God  the  object  of  it,  (as  I have  elsewhere  ob- 
served,) rather  mislead  miserable  souls  by  a vain  speculation, 


VOL.  I. 


62 


(n)  Luke  iii.  16. 


490  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

than  direct  them  to  the  proper  mark.  For,  since  God  ‘‘dwell- 
eth  in  the  light,  which  no  man  can  approach  unto,”  (o)  there  is 
a necessity  for  the  interposition  of  Christ,  as  the  medium  of 
access  to  him.  Whence  he  calls  himself  “ the  light  of  the 
world,”  {p)  and  in  another  place,  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and 
the  life  ; ” because  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father,”  who  is 
the  fountain  of  life,  ‘‘  but  by  him  ; ” {q)  because  he  alone 
knows  the  Father,  and  reveals  him  to  believers,  (r) 

For  this  reason  Paul  asserts,  that  he  esteemed  nothing 
worthy  of  being  known  but  Jesus  Christ ; (s)  and  in  the  twen- 
tieth chapter  of  the  Acts  declares,  that  he  had  preached  faith  in 
Christ ; and  in  another  place,  he  introduces  Christ  speaking  in 
the  following  manner : ‘‘  I send  thee  unto  the  Gentiles,  that 
they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheritance  among 
them  which  are  sanctified  by  faith,  that  is  in  me.”  {t)  This 
apostle  tells  us,  that  the  glory  of  God  is  visible  to  us  in  his 
person,  or  (which  conveys  the  same  idea)  that  ‘Hhe  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of,  God  ” shines  “ in  his  face.”  {u) 
It  is  true,  that  faith  relates  to  the  one  God ; but  there  must 
also  be  added  a knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he  has 
sent,  {w)  For  God  himself  would  be  altogether  concealed 
from  us,  if  we  were  not  illuminated  by  the  brightness  of  Cfirist. 
For  this  purpose  the  Father  has  deposited  all  his  treasures 
with  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  he  might  reveal  himself  in 
him  ; and  that,  by  such  a communication  of  blessings,  he 
might  express  a true  image  of  his  glory.  For  as  it  has  been 
observed,  that  we  require  to  be  drawn  by  the  Spirit,  that  we 
may  be  excited  to  seek  Christ,  so  we  should  also  be  apprized, 
that  the  invisible  Father  is  to  be  sought  only  in  this  image. 
On  which  subject,  Augustine,  treating  of  the  object  of  faith, 
beautifully  remarks,  “ that  we  ought  to  know  whither  we  should 
go,  and  in  what  way ; ” and  immediately  after  he  concludes, 
that  he  who  unites  Deity  and  humanity  in  one  person,  is  the 
way  most  secure  from  all  errors;  for  that  it  is  God  towards 
whom  we  tend,  and  man  by  whom  we  go  ; but  that  both  to- 
gether can  be  found  only  in  Christ.”  Nor  does  Paul,  when  he 
speaks  of  faith  in  God,  intend  to  subvert  what  he  so  frequently 
inculcates  concerning  faith,  whose  stability  is  wholly  in  Christ. 
And  Peter  most  suitably  connects  them  together,  when  he  says, 
that  by  him  we  believe  in  God.”  {x) 

II.  This  evil,  then,  as  well  as  innumerable  others,  must  be 
imputed  to  the  schoolmen,  who  have,  as  it  were,  concealed 
Christ,  by  drawing  a veil  over  him ; whereas,  unless  our 
views  be  immediately  and  steadily  directed  to  him,  we  shall 

(o)  1 Tim.  vi.  16.  (r)  Luke  x.  22.  (m)  2 Cor.  iv.  6. 

(/>)  John  viii.  12.  (s)  1 Cor.  ii.  2.  (w)  John  xvii.  3. 

\q)  John  xiv.  6.  {t)  Acts  xxvi.  17,  18.  (x)  1 Pet.  i.  21. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  491 

ahvays  be  wandering  through  labyrinths  without  end.  They 
not  only,  by  their  obscure  definition,  diminish,  and  almost  an- 
nihilate, all  the  importance  of  faith,  but  have  fabricated  the  no- 
tion of  implicit  faith,  a term  with  which  they  have  honoured  the 
grossest  ignorance,  and  most  perniciously  deluded  the  miserable 
multitude.  Indeed,  to  express  the  fact  more  truly  and  plainly, 
this  notion  has  not  only  buried  the  true  faith  in  oblivion,  but  has 
entirely  destroyed  it.  Is  this  faith  — to  understand  nothing, 
but  obediently  to  submit  our  understanding  to  the  Church? 
Faith  consists  not  in  ignorance,  but  in  knowledge ' and  that  | 
not  only  of  God,  but  also  of  the  Divine  will.  For  we  do  not  ; 
obtain  salvation  by  our  promptitude  to  embrace  as  truth  what- 
ever the  Church  may  have  prescribed,  or  by  our  transferring  to 
her  the  province  of  inquiry  and  of  knowledge.  But  when  we 
know  God  to  be  a propitious  Father  to  us,  through  the  recon- 
ciliation effected  by  Christ,  and  that  Christ  is  given  to  us  for 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  life,  — by  this  knowledge,  I 
say,  not  by  renouncing  our  understanding,  we  obtain  an  en- 
, trance  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  For,  when  the  apostle 
says,  that  “ with  the  heart  man  belie veth  unto  righteousness, 
and  with  the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation,”  (y) 
he  indicates,  that  it  is  not  sufficient  for  a man  implicitly  to 
credit,  what  he  neither  understands,  nor  even  examines ; but 
he  requires  an  explicit  knowledge  of  the  Divine  goodness,  in 
which  our  righteousness  consists. 

III.  I do  not  deny  (such  is  the  ignorance  with  which  we 
are  enveloped)  that  many  things  are  very  obscure  to  us  at 
present,  and  will  continue  to  be  so,  till  we  shall  have  cast  off 
the  burden  of  the  flesh,  and  arrived  nearer  to  the  presence  of 
God.  On  such  subjects,  nothing  would  be  more  proper  than  a 
suspension  of  judgment,  and  a firm  resolution  to  maintain  unity 
with  the  Church.  But  that  ignorance  combined  with  humilityX 
should,  under  this  pretext,  be  dignified  with  the  appellation  of  i 
Faith,  is  extremely  absurd.  For  faith  consists  in  a knowledge  j 
of  God  and  of  Christ,  (z)  not  in  reverence  for  the  Church./ 
And  we  see  what  a labyrinth  they  have  fabricated  by  thi^ 
notion  of  theirs,  so  that  the  ignorant  and  inexperienced,  with- 
out any  discrimination,  eagerly  embrace  as  oracular  every 
thing  obtruded  upon  them  under  the  name  of  the  Church ; 
sometimes  even  the  most  monstrous  errors.  This  inconsiderate 
credulity,  though  it  be  the  certain  precipice  of  ruin,  is,  never- 
theless, excused  by  them  on  the  plea  that  it  credits  nothing 
definitively,  but  with  this  condition  annexed.  If  such  be  the 
faith  of  the  Church.  Thus  they  pretend  that  truth  is  held  in 
error,  light  in  darkness,  and  true  knowledge  in  ignorance. 


(y)  Rom.  X.  10 


(z)  John  xvii.  3. 


492 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

But,  not  to  occupy  any  more  time  in  refuting  them,  we  only 
admonish  the  reader  to  compare  their  doctrine  with  ours ; for 
the  perspicuity  of  the  truth  will  of  itself  furnish  a sufficient 
refutation.  For  the  question  with  them  is  not,  whether  faith 
be  yet  involved  in  many  relics  of  ignorance,  but  they  po- 
sitively assert,  that  persons  are  possessed  of  true  faith,  who  are 
charmed  with  their  ignorance,  and  even  indulge  it,  providea 
they  assent  to  the  authority  and  judgment  of  the  Church  con- 
cerning things  unknown  ,*  as  if  the  Scripture  did  not  univer- 
sally inculcate  that  knowledge  is  united  with  faith. 

IV.  We  grant,  that  during  our  pilgrimage  in  the  world,  our 
faith  is  implicit,  not  only  because  many  things  are  yet  hidden 
from  our  view,  but  because  our  knowledge  of  every  thing  is 
very  imperfect,  in  consequence  of  the  clouds  of  error  by  which 
we  are  surrounded.  For  the  greatest  wisdom  of  those  who  are 
most  perfect,  is  to  improve,  and  to  press  forward  with  patient 
docility.  Therefore  Paul  exhorts  the  faithful,  if  they  differ 
from  each  other  on  any  subject,  to  wait  for  further  revela- 
tion. [a)  And  experience  teaches  us,  that  till  we  are  divested 
of  the  flesh,  our  knowledge  falls  far  short  of  what  might  be 
wished ; in  reading  also,  many  obscure  passages  daily  occur, 
which  convince  us  of  onr  ignorance.  With  this  barrier  God 
restrains  us  within  the  bounds  of  modesty,  assigning  to  every 
one  a measure  of  faith,  that  even  the  most  learned  teacher  may 
be  ready  to  learn.  We  may  observe  eminent  examples  of  this 
implicit  faith  in  the  disciples  of  Christ,  before  they  were  fully 
enlightened.  We  see  with  what  difficulty  they  imbibed  the 
first  rudiments;  how  they  hesitated  even  at  the  most  minute 
particulars ; what  inconsiderable  advances  they  made  even 
while  hanging  on  the  lips  of  their  Master  ; and  when  they  ran 
to  the  grave  at  the  intelligence  of  the  women,  his  resurrection 
was  like  a dream  to  them.  The  testimony  already  borne  by 
Christ  to  their  possession  of  faith,  forbids  us  to  say  that  they 
were  entirely  destitute  of  it ; indeed,  if  they  had  not  been  per- 
suaded that  Christ  would  rise  from  the  dead,  they  would  have 
felt  no  further  concern  about  him.  The  women  were  not  in- 
duced by  superstition  to  embalm  with  spices  the  body  of  a 
deceased  man,  of  whose  life  there  was  no  hope ; but  though 
they  credited  his  declarations,  whose  veracity  they  well  knew, 
yet  the  ignorance,  which  still  occupied  their  minds,  involved 
their  faith  in  darkness,  so  that  they  were  almost  lost  in  astonish- 
ment. Whence  also  they  are  said  at  length  to  have  believed, 
when  they  saw  the  words  of  Christ  verified  by  facts ; not  that 
their  faith  then  commenced,  but  the  seed  of  faith,  which  had 
been  latent,  and  as  it  were  dead  in  their  hearts,  then  shot  forth 


(a)  Phil.  iii.  15. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


493 


CHAP.  II.] 


with  additional  vigour.  They  had  therefore  a true  but  an 
implicit  faith,  because  they  received  Christ  with  reverence  as 
their  only  teacher : being  taught  by  him,  they  were  persuaded 
that  he  was  tlie  author  of  their  salvation  ; and  they  believed 
that  he  came  from  heaven,  that  through  the  grace  of  the  Fa- 
ther he  might  assemble  all  his  disciples  there.  But  we  need 
not  seek  a more  familiar  proof  of  this  point,  than  that  some 
portion  of  unbelief  is  always  mixed  with  faith  m every 
Christian. 

V.  We  may  also  style  that  an  implicit  faith,  which  in  strict 
propriety  is  nothing  but  a preparation  for  faith.  The  evange- 
lists relate  that  many  believed,  who,  only  being  filled  with 
admiration  at  the  miracles  of  Christ,  proceeded  no  further  than 
a persuasion  that  he  was  the  promised  Messiah,  although  they 
had  little  or  no  knowledge  of  evangelical  doctrine.  Such  reve- 
rence, which  induced  them  cheerfully  to  submit  themselves  to 
Christ,  is  dignified  with  the  title  of  faith,  of  which,  however, 
it  was  merely  the  commencement.  Thus  the  nobleman,  or 
courtier,  who  believed  the  promise  of  Christ  concerning  the 
healing  of  his  son,  when  he  returned  to  his  house,  (b)  accord- 
ing to  the  testimony  of  the  evangelist,  believed  again ; that  is, 
first  he  esteemed  as  an  oracle  what  he  had  heard  from  the  lips 
of  Christ ; but  afterwards  he  devoted  himself  to  his  authority 
to  receive  his  doctrine.  It  rnust  be  understood,  however,  that 
he  was  docile  and  ready  to  learn  ; that  the  word  believe,  in  the 
first  place,  denotes  a particular  faith ; but  in  the  second  place, 
it  numbers  him  among  the  disciples  who  had  given  their 
names  to  Christ.  John  gives  us  a similar  example  in  the  Sa- 
maritans, who  believed  the  report  of  the  woman,  so  as  to  run 
with  eagerness  to  Christ ; but  who,  after  having  heard  him,  said 
to  the  woman,  “ Now  we  believe,  not  because  of  thy  saying  ; for 
we  have  heard  him  ourselves,  and  know,  that  this  is  indeed  the 
Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world.”  (c)  Hence  it  appears,  that 
persons  not  yet  initiated  into  the  first  elements,  but  only  in- 
clined to  obedience,  are  called  believers  ; not,  indeed,  with 
strict  propriety,  but  because  God,  in  his  goodness,  distinguishes 
that  pious  disposition  with  such  a great  honour.  But  this 
docility,  connected  with  a desire  of  improvement,  is  very  re- 
mote from  that  gross  ignorance  which  stupefies  those  who  are 
content  with  such  an  implicit  faith  as  the  Papists  have  invented. 
For  if  Paul  severely  condemns  those  who  are  “ ever  learning, 
yet  never  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,”  (d)  how 
much  greater  ignominy  do  they  deserve  who  make  it  their 
study  to  know  nothing ! 

VI.  This,  then,  is  the  true  knowledge  of  Christ  — to  receive 


(b)  John  iv.  50 — 53. 


(c)  John  iv.  42. 


(d)  2 Tim.  iii.  7. 


494  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

him  as  he  is  offered  by  the  Father,  that  is,  invested  Avith  his 
gospel  ; for,  as  he  is  appointed  to  be  the  object  of  our  faith,  so 
Ave  cannot  advance  in  the  right  Avay  to  him,  Avithout  the  gui- 
dance of  the  gospel.  The  gospel  certainly  opens  to  us  those 
treasures  of  grace,  Avithout  Avhich  Christ  Avould  profit  us  little. 
Thus  Paul  connects  faith  ’as  an  inseparable  concomitant  Avith 
doctrine,  Avhere  he  says,  ‘‘Ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ ; if  so 
be  ye  have  been  taught  by  him,  as  the  truth  is  in  Jesus.”  (e)  Yet 
I do  not  so  far  restrict  faith  to  the  gospel,  but  that  I admit 
Moses  and  the  prophets  to  have  delivered  Avhat  Avas  sufficient 
for  its  establishment ; but  because  the  gospel  exhibits  a fuller 
manifestation  of  Christ,  it  is  justly  styled  by  Paul,  “ the  Avords 
of  faith  and  of  good  doctrine.”  (/)  For  the  same  reason,  in 
another  place,  he  represents  the  laAv  as  abolished  by  the  com- 
ing of  faith  ; (g)  comprehending  under  this  term  the  neAv  kind 
of  teaching,  by  Avhich  Christ,  since  his  appearance  as  our  Mas- 
ter, has  given  a brighter  display  of  the  mercy  of  the  Father, 
and  a more  explicit  testimony  concerning  our  salvation.  The 
more  easy  and  convenient  method  for  us  Avill  be,  to  descend 
regularly  from  the  genus  to  the  species.  In  the  first  place,  Ave 
must  be  apprized,  that  faith  has  a perpetual  relation  to  the 
Avord,  and  can  no*  more  be  separated  from  it,  than  the  rays  from 
the  sun,  Avhence  they  proceed.  Therefore  God  proclaims  by 
Isaiah,  “Hear,  and  your  souls  shall  live.”  (A)  And  that  the 
Avord  is  the  fountain  of  faith,  is  evident  from  this  language  of 
John:  “ These  are  Avritten,  that  ye  might  believe.”  (^)  The 
Psalmist  also,  intending  to  exhort  the  people  to  faith,  says, 
“ To-day,  if  ye  Avill  hear  his  voice  ; ” (k)  and  to  hear,  gene- 
rally means  to  believe.  Lastly,  it  is  not  Avithout  reason  that  in 
Isaiah,  God  distinguishes  the  children  of  the  Church  from 
strangers,  by  this  character,  that  they  shall  all  be  his  disciples, 
and  be  taught  by  him  ; (1)  for,  if  this  Avere  a benefit  common 
to  all,  Avhy  should  he  address  himself  to  a feAV  ? Correspond- 
ent Avith  this  is  the  general  use  of  the  Avords  believers,” 
and  “disciples,”  as  synonymous,  by  the  evangelists,  on  all 
occasions,  and  by  Luke  in  particular,  very  frequently  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  ; in  the  ninth  chapter  of  Avhich,  he  ex- 
tends the  latter  epithet  even  to  a Avoman.  Wherefore,  if  faith 
decline  in  the  smallest  degree  from  this  object,  toAvards  Avhich 
it  ought  to  be  directed,  it  no  longer  retains  its  OAvn  nature, 
but  becomes  an  uncertain  credulity,  and  an  erroneous  excursion 
of  the  mind.  The  same  Divine  Avord  is  the  foundation  by 
Avhich  faith  is  sustained  and  supported,  from  Avhich  it  cannot 
be  moA^ed  Avithout  an  immediate  doAvnfall.  Take  aAvay  the 
Avord,  then,  and  there  Avill  be  no  faith  left.  We  are  not  here 

(e)  Eph.  iv.  20, 21 . (/)  1 Tim.  iv.  6.  (g)  Gal.  iii.  23—25.  (h)  Isaiah  Iv.  3. 

(i)  John  XX.  31.  (/i)  Psalm  xcv.  7.  (/)  Isaiah  liv.  13. 


CHAP.  II.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


495 


disputing  whether  the  ministry  of  men  he  necessary  to  disse- 
minate the  word  of  God,  by  Avhich  faith  is  produced,  which  we 
shall  discuss  in  another  place  ; but  we  assert,  that  the  word 
Itself,  however  it  may  be  conveyed  to  us,  is  like  a mirror,  in 
which  faith  may  behold  God.  Whether,  therefore,  God  in  this 
instance  use  the  agency  of  men,  or  whether  he  operate  solely 
by  his  own  power,  he  always  discovers  himself  by  his  word  to 
those  whom  he  designs  to  draw  to  himself,  (m)  Whence 
Paul  defines  faith  as  an  obedience  rendered  to  the  gospel,  and 
praises  the  service  of  faith,  [n)  For  the  apprehension  of  faith 
is  not  confined  to  our  knowing  that  there  is  a God,  but  chiefly 
consists  in  our  understanding  what  is  his  disposition  towards 
us.  For  it  is  not  of  so  much  importance  to  us  to  know  what 
he  is  in  himself,  as  what  he  is  willing  to  be  to  us.  We  find, 
therefore,  that  faith  is  a knowledge  of  the  will  of  God  respect- 
ing us,  received  from  his  word.  And  the  foundation  of  this  is 
a previous  persuasion  of  the  Divine  veracity ; any  doubt  of 
which  being  entertained  in  the  mind,  the  authority  of  the  word 
will  be  dubious  and  weak,  or  rather  it  will  be  of  no  authority 
at  all.  Nor  is  it  sufficient  to  believe  that  the  veracity  of  God 
is  incapable  of  deception  or  falsehood,  unless  you  also  admit,  as 
beyond  all  doubt,  that  whatever  proceeds  from  him  is  sacred 
and  inviolable  truth. 

YII.  But  as  the  human  heart  is  not  excited  to  faith  by  every 
word  of  God,  we  must  further  inquire  what  part  of  the  word 
it  is,  with  which  faith  is  particularly  concerned.  God  de- 
clared to  Adam,  “ Thou  shalt  surely  die ; ” (o)  and  to  Cain, 

The  voice  of  thy  brother’s  blood  crieth  unto  me  from  the 
ground  ;”(y))  but  these  declarations  are  so  far  from  being 
adapted  to  the  establishment  of  faith,  that  of  themselves  they 
can  only  shake  it.  We  do  not  deny  that  it  is  the  office  of 
faith  to  subscribe  to  the  truth  of  God,  whatever  be  the  time, 
the  nature,  or  the  manner  of  his  communications  ; but  our  pre- 
sent inquiry  is  only,  what  faith  finds  in  the  Divine  word,  upon 
which  to  rest  its  dependence  and  confidence.  When  our  con- 
science beholds  nothing  but  indignation  and  vengeance,  how 
shall  it  not  tremble  with  fear  ? And  if  God  be  the  object  of 
its  terror,  how  should  it  not  fly  from  him  ? But  faith  ought  to 
seek  God,  not  to  fly  from  him.  It  appears,  then,  that  we  have 
not  yet  a complete  definition  of  faith  ; since  a knowledge  of  the 
Divine  will  indefinitely,  ought  not  to  be  accounted  faith.  But 
suppose,  instead  of  will,  — the  declaration  of  which  is  often  pro- 
ductive of  fear  and  sorrow,  — we  substitute  benevolence  or 
mercy.  This  will  certainly  bring  us  nearer  to  the  nature  of 


(m)  Rom.  i.  5. 

(n)  rhil.  ii.  17. 


(o)  Ger?  ii.  17. 
('»»)  Gen.  IV.  10. 


496  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

faith.  For  we  are  allured  to  seek  God,  after  we  have  learned 
that  salvation  is  laid  up  for  us  with  him ; which  is  confirmed 
to  us  by  his  declaring  it  to  be  the  object  of  his  care  and  af- 
fection. Therefore  we  need  a promise  of  grace,  to  assure  us 
that  he  is  our  propitious  Father ; since  we  cannot  approach  to 
him  without  it,  and  it  is  upon  that  alone  that  the  human  heart 
can  securely  depend.  For  this  reason,  in  the  Psalms,  mercy 
and  truth  are  generally  united,  as  being  closely  connected ; be- 
cause it  would  be  of  no  avail  for  us  to  know  the  veracity  of 
God,  if  he  did  not  allure  us  to  himself  by  his  mercy  ; nor 
should  we  embrace  his  mercy,  if  he  did  not  offer  it  with  his 
own  mouth.  “ I have  declared  thy  faithfulness  and  thy  salva- 
tion : I have  not  concealed  thy  loving-kindness  and  thy  truth. 
Let  thy  loving-kindness  and  thy  truth  continually  preserve 
me.’’ (q)  Again:  “Thy  mercy,  O Lord,  is  in  the  heavens; 
and  thy  faithfulness  reacheth  unto  the  clouds.”  (r)  Again  : 
“ All  the  paths  of  the  Lord  are  mercy  and  truth  unto  such  as 
keep  his  covenant.”  (s)  Again  : “ His  merciful  kindness  is 
great  towards  us  ; and  the  truth  of  the  Lord  endureth  for 
ever.”(^)  Again:  “I  will  praise  thy  name  for  thy  loving- 
kindness, and  for  thy  truth.”  (u)  1 forbear  to  quote  what  we 

read  in  the  prophets  to  the  same  purport,  that  God  is  merciful 
and  faithful  in  his  promises.  For  it  will  be  temerity  to  con- 
clude that  God  is  propitious  to  us,  unless  he  testify  concerning 
himself,  and  anticipate  us  by  his  invitation,  that  his  will  re- 
specting us  may  be  neither  ambiguous  nor  obscure.  But  we 
have  already  seen,  that  Christ  is  the  only  pledge  of  his  love, 
without  whom  the  tokens  of  his  hatred  and  wrath  are  mani- 
fest both  above  and  below.  Now,  since  the  knowledge  of  the 
•Divine  goodness  will  not  be  attended  with  much  advantage, 
unless  it  lead  us  to  rely  upon  it,  we  must  exclude  that  ap- 
prehension of  it  which  is  mixed  with  doubts,  which  is  not 
uniform  and  steady,  but  wavering  and  undecided.  Now,  the 
human  mind,  blinded  and  darkened  as  it  is,  is  very  far  from 
being  able  to  penetrate  and  attain  to  a knowledge  of  the  Divine 
will ; and  the  heart  also,  ffuctuating  in  perpetual  hesitation,  is 
far  from  continuing  unshaken  in  that  persuasion.  Therefore 
our  mind  must  be  illuminated,  and  our  heart  established  by 
some  exterior  power,  that  the  word  of  God  may  obtain  full 
credit  with  us.  Now,  we  shall  have  a complete  definition  of 
faith,  if  we  say,  that  it  is  a steady  and  certain  knowledge  of 
the  Divine  benevolence  towards  us,  which,  being  founded  on 
the  truth  of  the  gratuitous  promise  in  Christ,  is  both  revealed 
to  our  minds,  and  confirmed  to  our  hearts,  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

(q)  Psalm  xl.  10,  11,  (r)  Psalm  xxxvi.  5.  (s)  Psalm  xxv.  10. 

(t)  Psalm  cxvii.  2.  {u)  Psalm  cxxxviii.  2. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  497 

VIII.  But  before  I proceed  any  further,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  make  some  preliminary  observations,  for  the  solution  of  diffi- 
culties, which  otherwise  might  prove  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
the  reader. 

And  first,  we  must  refute  the  nugatory  distinction,  which 
prevails  in  the  schools,  of  formal  and  informal  faith.  For  they 
imagine,  that  such  as  are  not  impressed  with  any  fear  of  God, 
or  with  any  sense  of  piety,  believe  all  that  is  necessary  to  be 
known  in  order  to  salvation ; as  though  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  il- 
luminating our  hearts  to  faith,  were  not  a witness  to  us  of  our 
adoption.  Yet,  in  opposition  to  the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture, 
they  presumptuously  dignify  such  a persuasion,  destitute  of  the 
fear  of  God,  with  the  name  of  faith.  We  need  not  contend 
with  this  definition  any  further  than  by  simply  describing  the 
nature  of  faith,  as  it  is  represented  in  the  Divine  word.  And 
this  will  clearly  evince  the  ignorance  and  insipidity  of  their 
clamour  concerning  it.  I have  treated  it  in  part  already,  and 
shall  subjoin  what  remains  in  its  proper  place.  At  present,  I 
affirm,  that  a greater  absurdity  than  this  figment  of  theirs,  can- 
not possibly  be  imagined.  They  maintain  faith  to  be  a mere 
assent,  with  which  every  despiser  of  God  may  receive  as  true 
whatever  is  contained  in  the  Scripture.  But  first  it  should  be 
examined,  whether  every  man  acquires  faith  for  himself  by  his 
own  power,  or  whether  it  is  by  faith  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
becomes  the  witness  of  adoption.  They  betray  puerile  folly, 
therefore,  in  inquiring  whether  faith,  which  is  formed  by  the 
superaddition  of  a quality,  be  the  same,  or  whether  it  be  a new 
and  different  faith.  It  clearly  appears,  that  while  they  have 
been  trifling  in  this  manner,  they  never  thought  of  the  peculiar 
gift  of  the  Spirit ; for  the  commencement  of  faith  contains  in 
it  the  reconciliation  by  which  man  draws  near  to  God.  But, 
if  they  would  duly  consider  that  declaration  of  Paul,  With 
the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,”  {w)  they  would 
cease  their  trifling  about  this  superadded  quality.  If  we  had 
only  this  one  reason,  it  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  terminate  the 
controversy  — that  the  assent  which  we  give  to  the  Divine 
word,  as  I have  partly  suggested  before,  and  shall  again  more 
largely  repeat,  is  from  the  heart  rather  than  the  head,  and  from 
the  affections  rather  than  the  understanding.  For  which  reason 
it  is  called  “ the  obedience  of  faith,”  {x)  to  which  the  Lord 
prefers  no  other  obedience ; because  nothing  is  more  precious 
to  him  than  his  own  truth  ; which,  according  to  the  testimony 
of  John  the  Baptist,  (y)  believers,  as  it  were,  subscribe  and 
seal.  As  this  is  by  no  means  a dubious  point,  we  conclude  at 
once,  that  it  is  an  absurdity  to  say,  that  faith  is  formed  by  the 

(w)  Rom.  X.  10.  (*)  Rom.  i.  5.  {y)  John  iii.  33. 

VOL.  I.  63 


498  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II  • 

addition  of  a pious  affection  to  an  assent  of  the  mind ; whereas, 
even  this  assent  consists  in  a pious  affection,  and  is  so  described 
in  the  Scriptures.  But  another  argument  offers  itself,  which  is 
still  plainer.  Since  faith  accepts  Christ,  as  he  is  offered  to  us 
by  the  Father  ; and  he  is  offered,  not  only  for  righteousness, 
remission  of  sins,  and  peace,  but  also  for  sanctification  and  as  a 
fountain  of  living  water ; it  is  certain,  that  no  man  can  ever 
know  him  aright,  unless  he  at  the  same  time  receive  the  sanc- 
tification of  the  Spirit.  Or,  if  any  one  would  wish  it  to  be 
more  clearly  expressed.  Faith  consists  in  a knowledge  of  Christ. 
Christ  cannot  be  known  without  the  sanctification  of  his 
Spirit.  Consequently,  faith  is  absolutely  inseparable  from  a 
pious  affection. 

IX.  This  passage  of  Paul,  Though  I have  all  faith,  so 
that  I could  remove  mountains,  and  have  not  charity,  I am 
nothing,”  (z)  is  generally  adduced  by  them  to  support  the  no- 
tion of  an  informal  faith  unaccompanied  with  charity  ; but 
they  overlook  the  sense  in  which  the  apostle  uses  the  word 
“faith  ” in  this  place.  For  having,  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
treated  of  the  various  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  among  which  he  has 
enumerated  “ divers  kinds  of  tongues,  the  working  of  miracles 
and  prophecy,”  (a)  and  having  exhorted  the  Corinthians  to 
“ covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts,”  from  which  the  greatest  bene- 
fit and  advantage  would  accrue  to  the  whole  body  of  the 
Church,  he  adds,  “ yet  show  I unto  you  a more  excellent 
way  ; ” implying,  that  all  such  gifts,  whatever  be  their  intrinsic 
excellence,  are  yet  to  be  deemed  worthless,  unless  they  be 
subservient  to  charity  ,*  for  that,  being  given  for  the  edification 
of  the  Church,  if  not  employed  for  that  purpose,  they  lose  their 
beauty  and  value.  To  prove  this,  he  particularly  specifies  them, 
repeating  the  same  gifts,  which  he  had  before  enumerated,  but 
under  other  names.  He  uses  the  word  “ faith  ” to  denote 
what  he  had  before  called  powers,  (5uvajm-s<^,  potestates,  virtutes,) 
that  is,  a power  of  working  miracles.  This,  then,  whether  it 
be  called  power  or  faith,  being  a particular  gift  of  God,  which 
any  impious  man  may  both  possess  and  abuse,  as  the  gift  of 
tongues,  or  prophecy,  or  other  gifts,  we  need  not  wonder  if  it 
be  separated  from  charity.  But  the  mistake  of  such  persons 
arises  wholly  from  this  — that  though  the  word  “ faith  ” is  used 
in  many  senses,  not  observing  this  diversity  of  signification, 
they  argue  as  if  it  had  always  the  same  meaning.  The  pas- 
sage which  they  adduce  from  James  in  support  of  the  same 
error,  shall  be  discussed  in  another  place.  Now,  although,  for 
the  sake  of  instruction,  when  we  design  to  show  the  nature  of 
that  knowledge  of  God,  which  is  possessed  by  the  impious,  we 


(z)  1 Cor.  xiii.  2. 


(a)  1 Cor.  xii.  10 — 31. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


499 


CHAP.  II.] 

allow  that  there  are  various  kinds  of  faith,  yet  we  acknow- 
ledge and  preach  only  one  faith  in  the  pious,  according' to  the 
doctrine  of  the  Scripture.  Many  men  certainly  believe  that 
there  is  a God  ; they  admit  the  evangelical  history  and  the 
other  parts  of  Scripture  to  be  true  ; just  as  we  form  an  opinion 
of  transactions  which  are  narrated  as  having  occurred  in  former 
times,  or  of  which  we  have  ourselves  been  spectators.  There 
are  some  who  go  further ; esteeming  the  word  of  God  as  an 
undoubted  revelation  from  heaven,  not  wholly  disregarding  its 
precepts,  and  being  in  some  measure  affected  both  by  its  de- 
nunciations and  by  its  promises.  To  such  persons,  indeed, 
faith  is  attributed  ; but  by  a catachresis,  a tropical  or  improper 
form  of  expression ; because  they  do  not  with  open  impiety  re- 
sist, or  reject,  or  contemn  the  word  of  God,  but  rather  exhibit 
some  appearance  of  obedience  to  it. 

X.  But  this  shadow  or  image  of  faith,  as  it  is  of  no  impor- 
tance, so  is  unworthy  of  the  name  of  faith ; its  great  distance 
from  the  substantial  truth  of  which,  though  we  shall  show 
more  at  large  hereafter,  there  can  be  no  objection  to  its  being 
briefly  pointed  out  here.  Simon  Magus  (6)  is  said  to  have  be- 
lieved, who,  nevertheless,  just  after,  betrays  his  unbelief.  When 
faith  is  attributed  to  him,  we  do  not  apprehend,  with  some, 
that  he  merely  pretended  to  it  with  his  lips,  while  he  had  none 
in  his  heart ; but  we  rather  think,  that  being  overcome  with 
the  majesty  of  the  gospel,  he  did  exercise*  a kind  of  faith,  and 
perceived  Christ  to  be  the  author  of  life  and  salvation,  so  as 
freely  to  profess  himself  one  of  his  followers.  Thus,  in  the 
Gospel  of  Luke,  those  persons  are  said  to  believe  for  a time,  in 
whom  the  seed  of  the  word  is  prematurely  choked  before  it 
fructifies,  and  those  in  whom  it  takes  no  root,  but  soon  dries 
up  and  perishes.  We  doubt  not  but  such  persons,  being  at- 
tracted with  some  taste  of  the  word,  receive  it  with  avidity, 
and  begin  to  perceive  something  of  its  Divine  power;  so  that 
by  the  fallacious  counterfeit  of  faith,  they  impose  not  only  on 
the  eyes  of  men,  but  even  on  their  own  minds.  For  they  per- 
suade themselves,  that  the  reverence  which  they  show  for  thr? 
word  of  God,  is  real  piety  ; supposing  that  there  is  no  impiety 
but  a manifest  and  acknowledged  abuse  or  contempt  of  it. 
But,  whatever  be  the  nature  of  that  assent,  it  penetrates  not  to 
the  heart,  so  as  to  fix  its  residence  there  ; and  though  it  some- 
times appears  to  have  shot  forth  roots,  yet  there  is  no  life  in 
them.  The  heart  of  man  has  so  many  recesses  of  vanity,  and 
so  many  retreats  of  falsehood,  and  is  so  enveloped  with  fraudu- 
'ent  hypocrisy,  that  it  frequently  deceives  even  himself.  But 
let  them,  who  glory  in  such  phantoms  of  faith,  know,  that  in 


(b)  Acts  viii.  13, 18,  19. 


500 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  *11 

this  respect  they  are  not  at  all  superior  to  devils.  Persons  of 
the  former  description,  who  hear  and  understand  without  any 
emotion  those  things,  the  knowledge  of  which  makes  devils 
tremble,  are  certainly  far  inferior  to  the  fallen  spirits ; and  the 
others  are  equal  to  them  in  this  respect  — that  the  sentiments 
with  which  they  are  impressed,  finally  terminate  in  terror  and 
consternation,  (c) 

XI.  I know  that  it  appears  harsh  to  some,  when  faith  is  at- 
tributed to  the  reprobate  ; since  Paul  affirms  it  to  be  the  fruit 
of  election.  But  this  difficulty  is  easily  solved ; for,  though 
none  are  illuminated  to  faith,  or  truly  feel  the  efficacy  of  the 
gospel,  but  such  as  are  preordained  to  salvation,  yet  expe- 
rience shows,  that  the  reprobate  are  sometimes  affected  with 
emotions  very  similar  to  those  of  the  elect,  so  that,  in  their  own 
opinion,  they  in  no  respect  differ  from  the  elect.  Wherefore, 
it  is  not  at  all  absurd,  that  a taste  of  heavenly  gifts  is  ascribed 
to  them  by  the  apostle,  and  a temporary  faith  by  Christ : (d) 
not  that  they  truly  perceive  the  energy  of  spiritual  grace  and 
clear  light  of  faith,  but  because  the  Lord,  to  render  their  guilt 
more  manifest  and  inexcusable,  insinuates  himself  into  their 
minds,  as  far  as  his  goodness  can  be  enjoyed  without  the  Spirit 
of  adoption.  If  any  one  object,  that  there  remains,  then,  no 
further  evidence  by  which  the  faithful  can  certainly  judge  of 
their  adoption,  I reply,  that  although  there  is  a great  simili- 
tude and  affinity  between  the  elect  of  God  and  those  who  are 
endued  with  a frail  and  transitory  faith,  yet  the  elect  possess 
that  confidence,  which  Paul  celebrates,  so  as  boldly  to  “ cry, 
Abba,  Father.”  (e)  Therefore,  as  God  regenerates  for  ever  the 
elect  alone  with  incorruptible  seed,  so  that  the  seed  of  life 
planted  in  their  hearts  never  perishes,  so  he  firmly  seals  with- 
in them  the  grace  of  his  adoption,  that  it  may  be  confirmed  and 
ratified  to  their  minds.  But  this  by  no  means  prevents  that 
inferior  operation  of  the  Spirit  from  exerting  itself  even  in  the 
reprobate.  In  the  mean  time  the  faithful  are  taught  to  examine 
themselves  Avith  solicitude  and  humility,  lest  carnal  security 
insinuate  itself,  instead  of  the  assurance  of  faith.  Besides,  the 
reprobate  have  ‘ only  a confused  perception  of  grace,  so  that 
they  embrace  the  shadow  rather  than  the  substance  ,*  because 
the  Spirit  properly  seals  remission  of  sms  in  the  elect  alone, 
and  they  apply  it  by  a special  faith  to  their  own  benefit.  Yet 
the  reprobate  are  justly  said  to  believe  that  God  is  propitious 
to  them,  because  they  receive  the  gift  of  reconciliation,  though 
in  a confused  and  too  indistinct  manner  : not  that  they  are  par- 
takers of  the  same  faith  or  regeneration  with  the  sons  of  God, 
but  because  they  appear,  under  the  disguise  of  hypocrisy,  to 


(c)  James  ii.  19. 


(d)  Heb.  vi.  4. 


(e)  Gal.  iv.  6. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


501 


CHAP.  II.] 

have  the  principle  of  faith  in  common  with  them.  Nor  do  I 
deny,  that  God  so  far  enlightens  their  minds,  that  they  discover 
his  grace ; but  he  so  distinguishes  that  perception  from  the 
peculiar  testimony,  which  he  gives  to  his  elect,  that  they  never 
attain  any  solid  effect  and  enjoyment.  For  he  does  not,  there- 
fore, show  himself  propitious  to  them,  by  truly  delivering  them 
from  death,  and  receiving  them  under  his  protection  ; but  he 
only  manifests  to  them  present  mercy.  But  he  vouchsafes  to 
the  elect  alone,  the  living  root  of  faith,  that  they  may  persevere 
even  to  the  end.  Thus  we  have  refuted  the  objection,  that  if 
God  truly  discovers  his  grace,  it  remains  for  ever  ; because 
nothing  prevents  God  from  illuminating  some  with  a present 
perception  of  his  grace,  which  afterwards  vanishes  away. 

XII.  Moreover,'  though  faith  is  a knowledge  of  the  benevo- 
lence of  God  towards  us,  and  a certain  persuasion  of  his  ve- 
racity, yet  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  the  subjects  of 
these  temporary  impressions  lose  the  sense  of  Divine  love, 
which,  notwithstanding  its  affinity  to  faith,  is  yet  widely  dif- 
ferent from  it.  The  will  of  God,  I confess,  is  immutable,  and 
Iris  truth  always  consistent  with  itself.  But  I deny  that  the 
reprobate  ever  go  so  far  as  to  penetrate  to  that  secret  revelation, 
which  the  Scripture  confines  to  the  elect.  I deny,  therefore, 
that  they  either  apprehend  the  will  of  God,  as  it  is  immutable, 
or  embrace  his  truth  with  constancy ; because  they  rest  in  a 
fugitive  sentiment.  Thus  a tree,  not  planted  deeply  enough  to 
shoot  forth  living  roots,  in  process  of  time  withers  ; though  for 
some  years  it  may  produce  not  only  leaves  and  blossoms,  but 
even  fruits.  Finally,  as  the  defection  of  the  first  man  was  suf- 
ficient to  obliterate  the  Divine  image  from  his  mind  and  soul, 
so  we  need  not  wonder  if  God  enlightens 'the  reprobate  with 
some  beams  of  his  grace,  which  he  afterwards  suffers  to  be  ex- 
tinguished. Nor  does  any  thing  prevent  him  from  slightly 
tincturing  some  with  the  knowledge  of  his  gospel,  and 
thoroughly  imbuing  others  with  it.  It  must,  nevertheless,  be 
remembered,  that  how  diminutive  and  weak  soever  faith ‘may 
be  in  the  elect,  yet,  as  the  Spirit  of  God  is  a certain  pledge 
and  seal  to  them  of  their  adoption,  his  impression  can  never  be 
erased  from  their  hearts  ; but  that  the  reprobate  have  only  a 
few  scattered  rays  of  light,  which  are  afterwards  lost ; yet 
that  the  Spirit  is  not  chargeable  with  deception,  because  he  in- 
fuses no  life  into  the  seed  which  he  drops  in  their  hearts,  that 
it  may  remain  for  ever  incorruptible,  as  in  the  elect.  I go 
still  further  ; for  since  it  is  evident  from  the  tenor  of  the 
Scripture,  and  from  daily  experience,  that  the  reprobate  are 
sometimes  affected  with  a sense  of  Divine  grace,  some  desire 
of  mutual  love  must  necessarily  be  excited  in  their  hearts. 
Thus  Saul  had  for  a time  a pious  disposition  to  love  God,  from 


502  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

whom  experiencing  paternal  kindness,  he  was  allured  by  the 
charms  of  his  goodness.  But  as  the  persuasion  of  the  paternal 
love  of  God  is  not  radically  fixed  in  the  reprobate,  so  they  love 
him  not  reciprocally  with  the  sincere  affection  of  children,  but 
are  influenced  by  a mercenary  disposition  ; for  the  spirit  of  love 
was  given  to  Christ  alone,  that  he  might  instil  it  into  his  mem- 
bers. And  this  observation  of  Paul  certainly  extends  to  none 
but  the  elect : The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  given  unto  us  ,*  ” (/)  the  same  love, 
which  generates  that  confidence  of  invocation  which  I have 
before  mentioned.  Thus,  on  the  contrary,  we  see  that  God  is 
wonderfully  angry  with  his  children,  whom  he  ceases  not  to 
love : not  that  he  really  hates  them,  but  because  he  designs  to 
terrify  them  with  a sense  of  ^his  wrath,  to  humble  their  carnal 
pride,  to  shake  off  their  indolence,  and  to  excite  them  to  re- 
pentance. Therefore  they  apprehend  him  to  be  both  angry  with 
them,  or  at  least  with  their  sins,  and  propitious  to  them  at  the 
same  time ; for  they  sincerely  deprecate  his  wrath,  and  yet 
resort  to  him  for  succour  with  tranquillity  and  confidence. 
Hence  it  appears,  that  faith  is  not  hypocritically  counterfeited 
by  some,  who  nevertheless  are  destitute  of  true  faith  ; but,  while 
they  are  hurried  away  with  a sudden  impetuosity  of  zeal,  they 
deceive  themselves  by  a false  opinion.  Nor  is  it  to  be  doubted, 
that  indolence  preoccupies  them,  and  prevents  them  from 
properly  examining  their  hearts  as  they  ought  to  do.  It  is 
l^robable  that  those  persons  were  of  this  description,  to  whom, 
according  to  John,  ‘‘  Jesus  did  not  commit  himself,”  notwith- 
standing that  they  believed  in  him,  ‘^because  he  knew  all 
men  : he  knew  what  was  in  man.”  (§')  If  multitudes  did  not 
depart  from  the  common  faith,  (I  style  it  common,  because 
there  is  a great  similitude  and  affinity  between  temporary  faith 
and  that  which  is  living  and  perpetual,)  Christ  would  not 
have  said  to  his  disciples,  “ If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then 
are  ye  my  disciples  indeed,  and  ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and 
the  truth  shall  make  you  free.”  (/i)  For  he  addresses  those 
who  have  embraced  his  doctrine,  and  exhorts  them  to  an  in- 
crease of  faith,  that  the  light  which  they  have  received  may 
not  be  extinguished  by  their  own  supineness.  Therefore 
Paul  claims  faith  as  peculiar  to  the  elect,  (i)  indicating  that 
many  decay,  because  they  have  had  no  living  root.  Thus  also 
Christ  says  in  Matthew,  “ Every  plant,  which  my  heavenly 
Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  up.”  (/c)  There  is  a 
grosser  deception  in  others,  who  are  not  ashamed  to  attempt  to 
deceive  both  God  and  men.  James  inveighs  against  this  class 

(/)  Rom.  V.  5.  (^)  John  ii.  24,  25.  (/i)  John  viii.  31,  32. 

(i)  Tilus  i.  1.  (A)  Matt.  xv.  13. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  503 

of  men,  who  impiously  profane  faith  by  hypocritical  preten- 
sions to  it.  (/)  Nor  would  Paul  require  from  the  children  of 
God,  a ‘‘  faith  unfeigned,”  (m)  but  because  multitudes  pre- 
sumptuously arrogate  to  themselves  what  they  possess  not,  and 
with  their  vain  pretences  deceive  others,  and  sometimes  even 
themselves.  Therefore  he  compares  a good  conscience  to  a 
vessel  in  which  faith  is  kept ; because  many,  having  put  away 
a good  conscience,  concerning  faith  have  made  shipwreck.”  {n) 
XIII.  We  must  also  remember  the  ambiguous  signification 
of  the  word  faith  ; for  frequently  faith  signifies  the  sound  doc- 
trine of  piety,  as  in  the  place  which  we  have  just  cited,  and  in 
the  same  Epistle,  where  Paul  says,  that  deacons  must  hold  “ the 
mystery  of  the  faith  in  a pure  conscience.”  (o)  Also  where  he 
predicts  the  apostasy  of  some  ^^from  the  faith.”  (jp)  But,  on 
the  contrary,  he  says,  that  Timothy  had  been  nourished  up 
in  the  words  of  faith.”  {q)  Again,  where  he  says,  ‘‘avoiding 
profane  and  vain  babblings,  and  oppositions  of  science,  falsely 
so  called  ; which  some  professing,  have  erred  concerning  the 
faith  ; ” (r)  whom  in  another  place  he  styles  “ reprobates  con- 
cerning the  faith.”  (s)  Thus,  also,  when  he  directs  Titus  to 
“rebuke  them,  that  they  may  be  sound  in  the  faith,”  (^)  by 
soundness,  he  means  nothing  more  than  that  purity  of  doctrine, 
which  is  so  liable  to  be  corrupted  and  to  degenerate  through 
the  instability  of  men.  Since  “ all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge  are  hidden  in  Christ,”  {u)  whom  faith  pos- 
sesses, faith  is  justly  extended  to  the  whole  summary  of  hea- 
venly doctrines,  with  which  it  is  inseparably  connected.  On  the 
contrary,  it  is  sometimes  restricted  to  a particular  object  ; as 
when  Matthew  says,  that  “Jesus  saw  their  faith,”  {lo)  who  let 
down  the  paralytic  man  through  the  roof ; and  when  Christ  ex- 
claimed respecting  the  centurion,  “ I have  not  found  so  great 
faith,  no,  not  in  Israel.”  {x)  But  it  is  probable,  that  the  centu- 
rion was  wholly  intent  on  the  recovery  of  his  son,  a con- 
cern for  whom  wholly  occupied  his  mind  ; yet,  because  he  was 
contented  with  the  mere  answer  of  Christ,  without  being  im- 
portunate for  his  corporeal  presence,  it  is  on  account  of  this  Cir- 
cumstance that  his  faith  is  so  greatly  extolled.  And  we  have 
lately  shown,  that  Paul  uses  faith  for  the  gift  of  miracles  ; 
which  is  possessed  by  those  who  are  neither  regenerated  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  nor  serious  worshippers  of  him.  In  another 
place,  also,  he  uses  it  to  denote  the  instruction  by  which  we  are 
edified  in  the  faith ; for,  when  he  suggests  that  faith  will  bo 
abolished,  it  must  undoubtedly  be  referred  to  the  ministry  of 
the  Church,  which  is,  at  present,  useful  to  our  infirmity.  In 

(l)  James  ii.  14.  {]))  1 Tim.  iv.  1.  {t)  Titus  i.  13. 

{m)  1 Tim.  i.  5.  {q)  1 Tim.  iv.  6.  {n)  Col.  ii.  3. 

(rt)  1 Tim.  i.  19,  (r)  1 Tim.  vi.  20,  21.  {w)  Matt,  ix  2.  Mark  ii.  5 

(o)  1 Tim.  iii.  9 (5)  2 Tim.  iii.  8.  (z)  Matt.  viii.  10. 


504 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  hi. 


these  forms  of  expression,  however,  there  is  an  evident  analogy. 
But  when  the  word  faith  ” is  in  an  improper  sense  transferred 
to  a hypocritical  profession,  or  to  that  which  falsely  assumes 
the  name,  it  should  not  be  accounted  a harsher  catachresis, 
than  when  the  fear  of  God  is  used  for  a corrupt  and  perverse 
worship ; as  when  it  is  frequently  said  in  the  sacred  history, 
that  the  foreign  nations,  which  had  been  transplanted  to  Sa- 
maria and  its  vicinity,  feared  the  fictitious  deities  and  the 
God  of  Israel ; which  is  like  confounding  together  heaven  and 
earth.  But  our  present  inquiry  is,  what  is  that  faith  by  which 
the  children  of  God  are  distinguished  from  unbelievers,  by 
which  we  invoke  God  as  our  Father,  by  which  we  pass  from 
death  to  life,  and  by  which  Christ,  our  eternal  life  and  salva- 
tion, dwells  in  us  ? The  force  and  nature  of  it,  I conceive,  I 
have  concisely  and  clearly  explained. 

XIV.  Now,  let  us  again  examine  all  the  parts  ofthat  defini- 
tion ; a careful  consideration  of  which,  I think,  will  leave 
nothing  doubtful  remaining.  When  we  call  it  knowledge,  we 
intend  not  such  a comprehension  as  men  commonly  have  of 
those  things  which  fall  under  the  notice  of  their  senses.  For 
it  is  so  superior,  that  the  human  mind  must  exceed  and  rise  above 
itself,  in  order  to  attain  to  it.  Nor  does  the  mind  which  attains 
it  comprehend  what  it  perceives,  but  being  persuaded  of  that 
which  it  cannot  comprehend,  it  understands  more  by  the  cer- 
tainty of  this  persuasion,  than  it  would  comprehend  of  any  hu- 
man object  by  the  exercise  of  its  natural  capacity.  Wherefore 
Paul  beautifully  expresses  it  in  these  terms:  ‘‘  to  comprehend 
what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height ; and  to 
know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge.”  {y)  For 
he  meant  to  suggest,  that  what  our  mind  apprehends  by  faith  is 
absolutely  infinite,  and  that  this  kind  of  knowledge  far  exceeds 
all  understanding.  Yet,  because  God  has  revealed  to  his  saints 
the  secret  of  his  will,  “which  had  been  hidden  from  ages  and 
from  generations,”  [z)  therefore  faith  is  in  Scripture  justly 
styled  “an  acknowledgment (a)  and  by  John,  “know- 
ledge,” when  he  asserts,  that  believers  know  that  they  are  the 
sons  of  God.  {h)  And  they  have  indeed  a certain  knowledge 
of  it ; but  are  rather  confirmed  by  a persuasion  of  the  veracity 
of  God,  than  taught  by  any  demonstration  of  reason.  The 
language  of  Paul  also  indicates  this : “ whilst  we  are  at  home 
in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord  ; for  we  walk  by  faith, 
not  by  sight.”  By  this  he  shows  that  the  things  which  we 
understand  through  faith,  are  at  a distance  from  us,  and  beyond 
our  sight.  Whence  we  conclude,  that  the  knowledge  of  faith 
consists  more  in  certainty  than  in  comprehension. 


hi)  Eph.  iii.  18. 
(z)  Col.  i.  26. 


(а)  Col.  ii.  2. 

(б)  1 John  in.  2. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  505 

XV.  To  express  the  solid  constancy  of  the  persuasion,  we 
further  say,  that  it  is  a certain  and  steady  knowledge.  For,  as 
faith  is  not  content  with  a dubious  and  versatile  opinion,  so 
neither  with  an  obscure  and  perplexed  conception ; but  re- 
quires a full  and  fixed  certainty,  such  as  is  commonly  obtained 
respecting  things  that  have  been  tried  and  proved.  For  un- 
belief is  so  deeply  rooted  in  our  hearts,  and  such  is  our  pro- 
pensity to  it,  that  though  all  men  confess  with  the  tongue, 
that  God  is  faithful,  no  man  can  persuade  himself  of  the  truth 
of  it,  without  the  most  arduous  exertions.  Especially  when 
the  time  of  trial  comes,  the  general  indecision  discloses  the 
fault  which  was  previously  concealed.  Nor  is  it  without 
reason  that  the  Holy  Spirit  asserts  the  authority  of  the  Divine 
word  in  terms  of  such  high  commendation,  but  with  a design 
to  remedy  the  disease  which  I have  mentioned,  that  the  pro- 
mises of  God  may  obtain  full  credit  with  us.  ‘‘  The  words  of 
the  Lord  (says  David)  are  pure  words  ; as  silver  tried  in  a furnace 
of  earth  purified  seven  times.”  (c)  Again  : The  word  of  the 
Lord  is  tried : he  is  a buckler  to  all  those  that  trust  in  him.”  {(1) 
And  Solomon  confirms  the  same,  nearly  in  the  same  words: 

Every  word  of  God  is  pure.”  (e)  But,  as  the  hundred  and 
nineteenth  Psalm  is  almost  entirely  devoted  to  this  subject,  it 
were  needless  to  recite  any  more  testimonies.  Whenever  God 
thus  recommends  his  word  to  us,  he,  without  doubt,  obliquely 
reprehends  our  unbelief;  for  the  design  of  those  recommenda- 
tions is  no  other  than  to  eradicate  perverse  doubts  from  our 
hearts.  There  are  also  many,  who  have  such  conceptions  of 
the  Divine  mercy,  as  to  receive  but  very  little  consolation  from 
it.  For  they  are  at  the  same  time  distressed  with  an  unhappy 
anxiety,  doubting  whether  he  will  be  merciful  to  them ; be- 
cause they  confine  within  too  narrow  limits  that  clemency,  of 
which  they  suppose  themselves  to  be  fully  persuaded.  For 
they  reflect  with  themselves  thus : that  his  mercy  is  large  and 
copious,  bestowed  upon  many,  and  ready  for  the  acceptance  of 
all  ; but  that  it  is  uncertain  whether  it  will  reach  them  also,  or, 
rather,  whether  they  shall  reach  it.  This  thought,  since  it 
stops  in  the  midst  of  its  course,  is  incomplete.'  Therefore  it 
does  not  so  much  confirm  the  mind  with  secure  tranquillity,  as 
disturb  it  with  restless  hesitation.  But  very  different  is  the 
meaning  of  “full  assurance,”  (‘7r'X7]po(popiac:,)  which  is  always  attri- 
buted to  faith  in  the  Scriptures  ; and  which  places  the  goodness 
of  God,  that  is  clearly  revealed  to  us,  beyond  all  doubt.  But 
this  cannot  take  place,  unless  we  have  a real  sense  and  experi- 
ence of  its  sweetness  in  ourselves.  Wherefore  the  apostle 
from  faith  deduces  confidence,  and  from-  confidence  boldness. 

(c)  Psalm  xii.  6.  id)  Psalm  xviii.  30.  (e)  Prov.  xxx.  5, 

VOL.  I.  64 


506  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

For  this  is  his  language  : In  Christ  we  have  boldness  and  ac- 
cess, with  confidence  by  the  faith  of  him.”  (/)  These  words 
imply  that  we  have  no  right  faith,  but  when  we  can  venture 
with  tranquillity  into  the  Divine  presence.  This  boldness 
arises  only  from  a certain  confidence  of  the  Divine  benevolence 
and  our  sakation ; which  is  so  true,  that  the  word  “ faith  ” is 
frequently  used  for  confidence. 

XVI.  The  principal  hinge  on  which  faith  turns  is  this  — that 
we  must  not  consider  the  promises  of  mercy,  which  the  Lord 
offers,  as  true  only  to  others,  and  not  to  ourselves  ,•  but  rather 
make  them  our  own,  by  embracing  them  in  our  hearts.  Hence 
arises  that  confidence,  which  the  same  apostle  in  another  place 
calls  peace  ; ” {g)  unless  any  one  would  rather  make  peace 
the  effect  of  confidence.  It  is  a security,  which  makes  the 
conscience  calm  and  serene  before  the  Divine  tribunal,  and 
without  which  it  must  necessarily  be  harassed  and  torn 
almost  asunder  with  • tumultuous  trepidation,  unless  it  happen 
to  slumber  for  a moment  in  an  oblivion  of  God  and  itself. 
And  indeed  it  is  but  for  a moment ; for  it  does  not  long  enjoy 
that  wretched  oblivion,  but  is  most  dreadfully  wounded  by  the 
remembrance,  which  is  perpetually  recurring,  of  the  Divine 
judgment.  In  short,  no  man  is  truly  a believer,  unless  he  be 
firmly  persuaded,  that  God  is  a propitious  and  benevolent  Fa- 
ther to  him,  and  promise  himself  every  thing  from  his  good- 
ness ; unless  he  depend  on  the  promises  of  the  Divine  be- 
nevolence to  him,  and  feel  an  undoubted  expectation  of 
salvation  ; as  the  apostle  shows  in  these  words  : “ If  we  hold 
fast  the  beginning  of  our  confidence  steadfast  unto  the  end.”  {h) 
Here  he  supposes,  that  no  man  has  a good  hope  in  the  Lord, 
who  does  not  glory  with  confidence,  in  being  an  heir  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  He  is  no  believer,  I say,  who  does  not 
rely  on  the  security  of  his  salvation,  and  confidently  triumph 
over  the  devil  and  death,  as  Paul  teaches  us  in  this  remarkable 
peroration  : I am  persuaded  (says  he)  that  neither  death,  nor 
life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things 
present,  nor  things  to  come,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.”  (^)  Thus 
the  same  apostle  is  of  opinion,  that  ‘‘the  eyes  of  our  under- 
standing ” are  not  truly  “ enlightened,”  unless  we  discover 
what  is  the  hope  of  the  eternal  inheritance,  to  which  we  are 
called,  (/j)  And  he  every  where  inculcates,  that  we  have  no 
just  apprehensions  of  the  Divine  goodness,  unless  we  derive 
from  it  a considerable  degree  of  assurance.  ^ 

XVH.  But  some  one  will  object,  that  the  experience  of  be- 
lievers is  very  different  from  this  ; for  that,  in  recognizing  the 

(/)  Eph.  ili.  12.  (o-)  Rom.  v.  1.  (^0  Heb.  iii.  14. 

(i)  Rom.  viii.  33.  (A:)  Eph.  i.  18. 


CHAP.  II.J 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


507 


grace  of  God  towards  them,  they  are  not  only  disturbed  with 
inquietude,  (which  frequently  befalls  them,)  but  sometimes  also 
tremble  with  the  most  distressing  terrors.  The  vehemence  of 
temptations,  to  agitate  their  minds,  is  so  great,  that  it  appears 
scarcely  compatible  with  that  assurance  of  faith  of  which  we 
have  been  speaking.  We  must  therefore  solve  this  difficulty, 
if  we  mean  to  support  the  doctrine  we  have  advanced.  When 
we  inculcate,  that  faith  ought  to  be  certain  and  secure,  we  con- 
ceive not  of  a certainty  attended  with  no  doubt,  or  of  a security 
interrupted  by  no  anxiety ; but  we  rather  affirm,  that  believers 
have  a perpetual  conflict  with  their  own  diffidence,  and  are  far 
from  placing  their  consciences  in  a placid  calm,  never  disturbed 
by  any  storms.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  we  deny,  however 
they  may  be  affiicted,  that  they  ever  fall  and  depart  from  that 
certain  confidence  which  they  have  conceived  in  the  Divine 
mercy.  The  Scripture  proposes  no  example  of  faith  more 
illustrious  or  memorable  than  David,  especially  if  you  consider 
the  whole  course  of  his  life.  Yet  that  his  mind  was  not  in- 
variably serene,  appears  from  his  innumerable  complaints,  of 
which  it  will  be  sufficient  to  select  a few.  When  he  rebukes 
his  soul  for  turbulent  emotions,  is  he  not  angry  with  his  un- 
belief ? “ Why  (says  he)  art  thou  cast  down,  O my  soul  ? and 
why  art  thou  disquieted  in  me?  Hope  thou  in  God.”  (1)  And, 
certainly,  that  consternation  was  an  evident  proof  of  diffidence, 
as  though  he  supposed  himself  to  be  forsaken  by  God.  In 
another  place,  also,  we  find  a more  ample  confession : I said,  in 
my  haste,  I am  cut  ofi*  from  before  thine  eyes.”  (m)  In  another 
place,  also,  he  debates  with  himself  in  anxious  and  miserable 
perplexity,  and  even  raises  a dispute  concerning  the  nature  of 
God : “ Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious  ? Will  the  Lord  cast 
off  for  ever  ? ” What  follows  is  still  harsher  : “ And  I said,  I 
must  fall ; these  are  the  changes  of  the  right  hand  of  the  Most 
High.”  (w)  For,  in  a state  of  despair,  he  consigns  himself  to 
ruin  ; and  not  only  confesses  that  he  is  agitated  with  doubts, 
but,  as  vanquished  in  the  conflict,  considers  all  as  lost ; because 
God  has  deserted  him,  and  turned  to  his  destruction  that  hand 
which  used  to  support  him.  Wherefore  it  is  not  without  rea- 
son that  he  says,  Return  unto  thy  rest,  O my  soul ; ” (o)  since 
he  had  experienced  such  fluctuations  amidst  the  waves  of 
trouble.  And  yet,  wonderful  as  it  is,  amidst  these  concussions, 
faith  sustains  the  hearts  of  the  pious,  and  truly  resembles  the 
palm-tree,  rising  with  vigour  undiminished  by  any  burdens 
which  may  be  laid  upon  it,  but  which  can  never  retard  its 
growth ; as  David,  when  he  might  appear  to  be  overwhelmed. 


(l)  Psalm  xlii.  5. 
(m)  Psalm  xxxi.  22. 


(n)  Psalm  Ixxvii.  7,  9,  10. 

(o)  Psalm  cxvi.  7. 


508 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III, 


yet,  chiding  himself,  ceased  not  to  aspire  towards  God.  Indeed, 
he  who,'  contending  with  his  own  infirmity,  strives  in  his  anx- 
ieties to  exercise  faith,  is  already  in  a great  measure  victorious. 
Which  we  may  infer  from  such  passages  as  this  : “ Wait  on 

the  Lord : be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen  thine 
heart ; wait,  I say,  on  the  Lord.”  {p)  He  reproves  himself  for 
timidity,  and  repeating  the  same  twice,  confesses  himself  to  be 
frequently  subject  to  various  agitations.  In  the  mean  time,  he 
is  not  only  displeased  with  himself  for  these  faults,  but  ar- 
dently aspires  towards  the  correction  of  them.  Now,  if  we 
enter  into  a close  and  correct  examination  of  his  character  and 
conduct,  and  compare  him  with  Ahaz,  we  shall  discover  a con- 
siderable difference.  Isaiah  is  sent  to  convey  consolation  to  the 
anxiety  of  the  impious  and  hypocritical  king  ; he  addresses  him 
in  these  words : “ Take  heed,  and  be  quiet ; fear  not,”  &c.  {q) 
But  what  effect  had  the  message  on  him  ? As  it  had  been  be- 
fore said,  that  his  heart  was  moved  as  the  trees  of  the  wood 
are  moved  with  the  wind,”  (r)  though  he  heard  the  promise,  he 
ceased  not  to  tremble.  This  therefore  is  the  proper  reward  and 
punishment  of  infidelity  — so  to  tremble  with  fear,  that  he  who 
opens  not  the  gate  to  himself  by  faith,  in  the  time  of  tempta- 
tion departs  from  God  ; but,  on  the  contrary,  believers,  whom 
the  weight  of  temptations  bends  and  almost  oppresses,  con- 
stantly emerge  from  their  distresses,  though  not  without  trouble 
and  difficulty.  And  because  they  are  conscious  of  their  own 
imbecility,  they  pray  with  the  Psalmist,  Take  not  the  word 
of  truth  utterly  out  of  my  mouth.”  (s)  By  these  words  we 
are  taught,  that  they  sometimes  become  dumb,  as  though  their 
faith  were  destroyed  ; yet  that  they  neither  fail  nor  turn  their 
backs,  but  persevere  in  their  conflict,  and  arouse  their  inactivity 
by  prayer,  that  they  may  not  be  stupefied  by  self-indulgence. 

XVIII.  To  render  this  intelligible,  it  is  necessary  to  recur 
to  that  division  of  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  which  we  noticed 
in  another  place,  and  which  most  clearly  discovers  itself  in  this 
case.  The  pious  heart  therefore  perceives  a division  in  itself, 
being  partly  affected  with  delight,  through  a knowledge  of 
the  Divine  goodness  ; partly  distressed  with  sorrow,  through  a 
sense  of  its  own  calamity ; partly  relying  on  the  promise  of 
the  gospel;  partly  trembling  at  the  evidence  of  its  own  ini- 
quity ; partly  exulting  in  the  apprehension  of  life ; partly 
alarmed  by  the  fear  of  death.  This  variation  happens  through 
the  imperfection  of  faith ; since  we  are  never  so  happy,  during 
tfie  present  life,  as  to  be  cured  of  all  diffidence,  and  entirely 
filled  and  possessed  by  faith.  Hence  those  conflicts,  in  which 


(p)  Psalm  xxvii.  14. 
ijl)  Isaiah  vii.  4. 


(?•)  Isaiah  vii.  2. 

(s)  Psalm  cxix.  43. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


509 


CHAP.  II.] 

the  diffidence  which  adheres  to  the  relics  of  the  flesh,  rises  up  in 
opposition  to  the  faith  formed  in  the  heart.  But  if,  in  the  mind 
of  a believer,  assurance  be  mixed  with  doubts,  do  we  not  always 
come  to  this  point,  that  faith  consists  not  in  a certain  and  clear, 
but  only  in  an  obscure  and  perplexed  knowledge  of  the  Divine 
will  respecting  us  ? Not  at  all.  For,  if  we  are  distracted  by 
various  thoughts,  we  are  not  therefore  entirely  divested  of  faith  ; 
neither,  though  harassed  by  the  agitations  of  diffidence,  are  we 
therefore  immerged  in  its  abyss ; nor,  if  we  be  shaken,  are  we 
therefore  overthrown.  For  the  invariable  issue  of  this  contest 
is,  that  faith  at  length  surmounts  those  difficulties,  from  which, 
while  it  is  encompassed  with  them,  it  appears  to  be  in  danger. 

XIX.  Let  us  sum  it  up  thus : As  soon  as  the  smallest  par- 
ticle of  grace  is  infused  into  our  minds,  we  begin  to  contem- 
plate the  Divine  countenance  as  now  placid,  serene,  and  pro- 
pitious to  us : it  is  indeed  a very  distant  prospect,  but  so  clear, 
that  we  know  we  are  not  deceived.  Afterwards,  in  proportion 
as  we  improve,  — for  we  ought  to  be  continually  improving  by 
progressive  advances,  — we  arrive  at  a nearer,  and  therefore  more 
certain  view  of  him,  and  by  continual  habit  he  becomes  more 
familiar  to  us.  Thus  we  see,  that  a mind  illuminated  by  the 
knowledge  of  God,  is  at  first  involved  in  much  ignorance, 
which  is  removed  by  slow  degrees.  Yet  it  is  not  prevented 
either  by  its  ignorance  of  some  things,  or  by  its  obscure  view 
of  what  it  beholds,  from  enjoying  a clear  knowledge  of  the 
Divine  will  respecting  itself,  which  is  the  first  and  principal 
exercise  of  faith.  For,  as  a man  who  is  confined  in  a prison, 
into  which  the  sun  shines  only  obliquely  and  partially  through 
a very  small  window,  is  deprived  of  a full  view  of  that  luminary, 
yet  clearly  perceives  its  splendour,  and  experiences  its  beneficial 
influence,  — thus  we,  who  are  bound  with  terrestrial  and  corpo- 
real fetters,  though  surrounded  on  all  sides  with  great  obscurity, 
are  nevertheless  illuminated,  sufficiently  for  all  the  purposes  of 
real  security,  by  the  light  of  God  shining  ever  so  feebly  to 
discover  his  mercy. 

XX.  The  apostle  beautifully  inculcates  both  these  ideas 
in  various  places.  For  when  he  says,  that  we  know  in  part, 
and  we  prophesy  in  part,  and  see  through  a glass  darkly,”  {t) 
he  indicates,  how  very  slender  a portion  of  that  wisdom  which 
is  truly  Divine,  is  conferred  upon  us  in  the  present  life.  For 
although  these  words  imply,  not  only  that  faith  remains  im- 
perfect as  long  as  we  groan  under  the  burden  of  the  flesh,  but 
that  our  imperfection  renders  it  necessary  for  us  to  be  unremit- 
tingly employed  in  acquiring  further  knowledge,  yet  he . sug- 
gests, that  it  is  impossible  for  our  narrow  capacity  to  compre- 
hend that  which  is  infinite.  And  this  Paul  predicates  con- 


(t)  1 Cor.  xiii.  9, 12. 


510  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

cerning  the  whole  Church  ; though  every  individual  of  us  is 
obstructed  and  retarded,  by  his  own  ignorance,  from  making 
that  progress  which  might  be  wished.  But  what  a sure  and 
certain  experience,  of  itself,  even  the  smallest  particle  of  faith 
gves  us,  the  same  apostle  shows  in  another  place,  where  he 
asserts,  that  ‘‘we,  Avith  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a glass  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image.”  {u) 
Such  profound  ignorance  must  necessarily  involve  much  doubt 
and  trepidation  ; especially  as  our  hearts  are,  by  a kind  of  natu- 
ral instinct,  inclined  to  unbelief.  Besides,  temptations,  vari- 
ous and  innumerable,  frequently  assail  us  Avith  great  violence. 
Above  all,  our  OAvn  conscience,  oppressed  by  its  incumbent 
load  of  sin,  sometimes  complains  and  groans  within  itself, 
sometimes  accuses  itself,  sometimes  murmurs  in  secret,  and 
sometimes  is  openly  disturbed.  Whether,  therefore,  adversity 
discover  the  wrath  of  God,  or  the  conscience  find  in  itself  any 
reason  or  cause  of  it,  thence  unbelief  derives  Aveapons  to  oppose 
faith,  Avhich  are  perpetually  directed  to  this  object,  to  persuade 
us,  that  God  is  angry  Avith  us,  and  inimical  to  us  ; that  we  may 
not  hope  for  any  assistance  from  him,  but  may  dread  him  as 
our  irreconcilable  enemy. 

XXL  To  sustain  these  attacks,  faith  arms  and  defends  it- 
self with  the  Avord  of  the  Lord.  And  when  such  a temptation 
as  this  assails  us,  — that  God  is  our  enemy,  because  he  is  angry 
with  us,  — faith,  on  the  contrary,  objects,  that  he  is  merciful 
even  when  he  afilicts,  because  chastisement  proceeds  rather 
from  love  than  from  Avrath.  When  it  is  pressed  Avith  this 
thought,  that  God  is  an  aA^enger  of  iniquities,  it  opposes  the 
pardon  provided  for  all  offences,  Avhenever  the  sinner  makes 
application  to  the  Divine  clemency.  Thus  the  pious  mind, 
hoAv  strangely  soever  it  may  be  agitated  and  harassed,  rises  at 
length  superior  to  all  difficulties,  nor  ever  suffers  its  confidence 
in  the  Divine  mercy  to  be  shaken.  The  various  disputes  Avhich. 
exercise  and  fatigue  it,  terminate  rather  in  the  confirmation  of 
that  confidence.  It  is  a proof  of  this,  that  when  the  saints 
conceive  themselves  to  feel  most  the  vengeance  of  God,  they 
still  confide  their  complaints  to  him,  and  when  there  is  no  ap- 
pearance of  his  hearing  them,  they  continue  to  call  upon  him. 
For  what  end  would  be  ansAvered  by  addressing  complaint  to 
him  from  whom  they  expected  no  consolation  ? And  they 
Avould  never  be  disposed  to  call  upon  him,  unless  they  believed 
him  to  be  ready  to  assist  them,  {iv)  Thus  the  disciples,  Avhom 
Christ  reprehends  for  the  Aveakness  of  their  faith,  complained 
indeed  that  they  Avere  perishing,  but  still  they  implored  his  as- 
sistance. Nor,  Avhen  he  chides  them  on  account  of  their  Aveak 
faith,  does  he  reject  them  from  the  number  of  his  children,  or 


(m)  2 Cor.  iii.  18. 


(ic)  Matt.  viii.  25. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  611 

class  them  with  unbelievers ; but  he  excites  them  to  correct 
that  fault.  Therefore  we  repeat  the  assertion  already  made, 
that  faith  is  never  eradicated  from  a pious  heart,  but  continues 
firmly  fixed,  however  it  may  be  shaken,  and  seem  to  bend  this 
way  or  that ; that  its  light  is  never  so  extinguished  or  smo- 
thered, but  that  it  lies  at  least  concealed  under  embers ; and  that 
this  is  an  evident  proof,  that  the  word,  which  is  an  incorruptible 
seed,  produces  fruit  similar  to  itself,  whose  germ  never  entirely 
perishes.  For,  though  it  is  the  last  cause  of  despair  that  can 
happen  to  saints,  to  perceive,  according  to  their  apprehension 
of  present  circumstances,  the  hand  of  God  lifted  up  for  their 
destruction,  yet  Job  asserts  the  extent  of  his  hope  to  be  such, 
that  though  he  should  be  slain  by  him,  he  would  continue  to 
trust  in  him.  {x)  This,  then,  is  the  real  state  of  the  case : 
Unbelief  is  not  inwardly  predominant  in  the  hearts^  of  the 
pious,  but  it  assails  them  from  without ; nor  do  its  weapons 
mortally  wound  them ; they  only  molest  them,  or  at  least  inflict 
such  wounds  as  are  curable.  For  faith,  according  to  Paul, 
serves  us  as  a shield,  which,  being  opposed  to  hostile  weapons, 
receives  their  blows,  and  entirely  repels  them,  or  at  least 
breaks  their  force,  so  that  they  penetrate  no  vital  part.  When 
faith  is  shaken,  therefore,  it  is  just  as  if  a soldier,  otherwise 
bold,  were  constrained,  by  a violent  stroke  of  a javelin,  to 
change  his  position  and  retreat  a little  ; but  when  faith  itself  is 
wounded,  it  is  just  as  if  his  shield  were  broken  by  a blow,  yet 
not  pierced  through.  For  the  pious  mind  will  always  recover 
so  far  as  to  say,  with  David,  Though  I walk  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I will  fear  no  evil ; for  thou  art 
with  me.”  {y)  To  walk  in  the  gloom  of  death  is  certainly  ter- 
rible ; and  believers,  whatever  degree  of  firmness  they  have, 
cannot  but  dread  it.  But  when  this  thought  prevails,  that  God 
is  present  with  them,  and  concerned  for  their  salvation,  fear  at 
once  gives  way  to  security.  But,  as  Augustine  says,  whatever 
powerful  engines  the  devil  erects  against  us,  when  he  possesses 
not  the  heart,  which  is  the  residence  of  faith,  he  is  kept  at  a dis- 
tance. Thus,  if  we  judge  from  the  event,  believers  not  only  es- 
cape in  safety  from  every  battle,  so  that,  receiving  an  accession 
of  vigour,  they  are  soon  after  prepared  to  enter  the  field  again ^ 
but  we  see  the  accomplishment  of  what  John  says,  in  his  canon- 
ical Epistle  : This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world, 
even  our  faith.”  (z)  For  he  affirms,  that  it  will  be  not  only 
victorious  in  one  or  in  a few  battles,  or  against  some  particular 
assault,  but  that  it  Avill  overcome  the  whole  world,  though  it 
should  be  attacked  a thousand  times. 

XXII.  There  is  another  species  of  fear  and  trembling,  by 


(x)  Job  xiii,  15. 


(y)  Psalm  xxiii.  4. 


(z)  1 John  V.  4. 


512  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

which,  nevertheless,  the  assurance  of  faith  is  so  far  from 
being  impaired,  that  it  is  more  firmly  established.  That  is. 
when  believers,  considering  the  examples  of  the  Divine  ven- 
geance against  the  impious  as  lessons  given  to  them,  are  solici- 
tously cautious  not  to  provoke  the  wrath  of  God  against  them- 
selves by  the  same  crimes ; or  when,  feeling  their  own  misery, 
they  learn  to  place  all  their  dependence  on  the  Lord,  without 
whom  they  perceive  themselves  to  be  more  inconstant  and 
transient  than  the  wind.  For  when  the  apostle,  by  a represen- 
tation of  the  punishments  which  the  Lord  formerly  inflicted 
on  the  Israelitish  nation,  alarms  the  fears  of  the  Corinthians, 
lest  they  should  involve  themselves  in  the  same  calamities,  (a) 
he  in  no  respect  weakens  their  confidence,  but  shakes  off  the 
indolence  of  the  flesh,  by  which  faith  is  rather  impaired  than 
confirmed.  Nor  when,  from  the  fall  of  the  Jews,  he  takes  an 
occasion  to  exhort  him  that  standeth  to  beware  lest  he  fall,  (6) 
does  he  direct  us  to  waver,  as  though  we  were  uncertain  of 
our  stability ; but  only  forbids  all  arrogance  and  presi^mptuous, 
overweening  confidence  in  our  own  strength,  that  the  Gentiles 
may  not  proudly  insult  over  the  expelled  Jews,  into  whose 
place  they  have  been  received,  (c)  In  that  passage,  however, 
he  not  only  addresses  believers,  hut  in  his  discourse  also  in- 
cludes hypocrites,  who  gloried  merely  in  external  appearance. 
For  he  admonishes  not  men  individually,  but  instituting  a 
comparison  between  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  after  having 
shown  that  the  rejection  of  the  former  was  a righteous  pu- 
nishment for  their  unbelief  and  ingratitude,  he  exhorts  the  latter 
not  to  lose,  by  pride  and  haughtiness,  the  grace  of  adoption 
recently  transferred  to  them.  But  as,  in  the  general  rejection 
of  the  Jews,  there  remained  some  of  them  who  fell  not  from 
the  covenant  of  adoption,  so  among  the  Gentiles  there  might 
possibly  arise  some,  who,  destitute  of  true  faith,  would  only  be 
inflated  with  foolish  and  carnal  confidence,  and  thus  abuse  the 
goodness  of  God  to  their  own  ruin.  But  though  you  should 
understand  this  to  be  spoken  to  the  elect  and  believers,  no  in- 
convenience would  result  from  it.  For  it  is  one  thing  to  repress 
the  temerity,  which  from  remaining  carnality  sometimes  dis- 
covers itself  in  the  saints,  that  it  may  not  produce  vain  confi- 
dence ; and  another  to  strike  the  conscience  with  fear,  that  it 
may  not  rely  with  full  security  on  the  mercy  of  God. 

XXIII.  Moreover,  when  he  teaches  us  to  “ work  out  our 
own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,”  (d)  he  only  requires  us 
to  accustom  ourselves,  with  great  self-humiliation,  to  look  up 
to 'the  power  of  the  Lord.  For  nothing  arouses  us  to  repose  all 
confidence  and  assurance  of  mind  on  the  Lord,  so  much  as  dif- 


(a)  1 Cor.  X.  11.  (h)  1 Cor.  x.  12. 


(c)  Rom.  xi.  10. 


(d)  Phil.  ii.  11. 


CHAP.  II.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


513 


fidence  of  ourselvesj  and  anxiety  arising  from  a consciousness 
of  our  own  misery.  In  which  sense,  we  must  understand  this 
declaration  of  the  Psalmist,  I will  come  into  thy  house  in  the 
multitude  of  thy  mercy,  and  in  thy  fear  will  I worship.”  (e) 
Whence  he  beautifully  connects  the  confidence  of  faith,  which 
relies  on  the  mercy  of  God,  with  that  religious  fear  by  which 
we  ought  to  be  aftected,  whenever  we  come  into  the  presence 
of  the  Divine  Majesty,  and  from  its  splendour,  discover  our 
^ixtrcme  impurity.  Solomon  also  truly  pronounces,  “ Happy  is 
the  man  who  feareth  alway ; but  he  that  hardeneth  his  heart 
shall  fall  into  mischief.”  (/)  But  he  intends  that  fear  which 
will  render  us  more  cautious,  not  such  as  would  afiiict  and 
ruin  us  ^ such  as,  when  the  mind,  confounded  in  itself,  recovers 
itself  in  God ; dejected  in  itself,  finds  consolation  in  him ; and 
despairing  of  itself,  revives  with  confidence  in  him.  Wherefore 
nothing  prevents  believers  from  being  distressed  with  fear,  and 
at  the  same  time  enjoying  the  most  serene  consolation  ; as  they 
now  turn  their  eyes  towards  their  own  vanity,  and  now  direct 
the  attention  of  their  mind  to  the  truth  of  God.  How  can  fear 
and  faith,  it  will  be  asked,  both  reside  in  the  same  mind  ? Just 
as,  on  the  contrary,  insensibility  and  anxiety.  For  though  the 
impious  endeavour  to  acquire  a habit  of  insensibility,  that  they 
may  not  be  disquieted  by  the  fear  of  God,  the  judgment  of 
God  follows  them  so  closely,  that  they  cannot  attain  the  object 
of  their  desires.  So  nothing  prevents  God  from  training  his 
people  to  humility,  that  in  their  valiant  warfare  they  may  re- 
strain themselves  within  the  bounds  of  modesty.  And  that 
this  was  the  design  of  the  apostle  appears  from  the  context, 
where,  as  the  cause  of  fear  and  trembling,  he  assigns  the  good 
pleasure  of  God,  by  which  he  gives  to  his  people  both  rightly 
to  will,  and  strenuously  to  perform.  In  the  same  sense  we 
should  understand  this  prediction : “ The  children  of  Israel 
shall  fear  the  Lord  and  his  goodness  ; ” (^)  for  not  only  piety 
produces  a reverence  of  God,  but  also  the  sweetness  of  grace 
fills  a man  that  is  dejected  in  himself,  with  fear  and  admira- 
tion ; causing  him  to  depend  upon  God,  and  humbly  submit 
himself  to  his  power. 

XXIV.  Yet  we  give  no  encouragement  to  the  very  pestilent 
philosophy,  begun  to  be  broached  by  some  semi-Papists  in  the 
present  day.  For,  being  unable  to  defend  that  gross  notion  of 
faith  as  a doubtful  opinion,  which  has  been  taught  in  the 
schools,  they  resort  to  another  invention,  and  propose  a confi- 
dence mixed  with  unbelief.  They  confess,  that  whenever  we 
look  to  Christ,  we  find  in  him  a sufficient  ground  of  comforta- 
ble hope ; but  because  we  are  always  unworthy  of  all  those 

(e)  Fsalm  v.  7.  (/)  Prov.  xxviii.  14. 

VOL.  I. 


65 


(g)  Hosea  iii.  5. 


514  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

blessings  which  are  offered  to  ns  in  Christ,  they  wish  us  to 
fluctuate  and  hesitate  in  the  view  of  our  own  unworthiness. 
In  short,  they  place  the  conscience  in  such  a state  between 
hope  and  fear,  that  it  alternately  inclines  to  both.  They  also 
connect  hope  and  fear  together,  so  that  when  the  former  rises, 
it  depresses  the  latter,  and  when  the  latter  lifts  its  head,  the 
former  falls.  Thus  Satan,  finding  that  those  open  engines, 
which  he  heretofore  employed  to  destroy  the  assurance  of 
faith,  are  now  no  longer  of  any  avail,  secretly  endeavours  to 
undermine  it.  But  Avhat  kind  of  confidence  would  that  be, 
which  should  frequently  give  way  to  despair  ? If  you  consider 
Christ,  (say  they,)  salvation  is  certain  ; if  you  return  to  yourself, 
condemnation  is  certain.  Diffidence  and  good  hope,  therefore, 
must  of  necessity  alternately  prevail  in  your  mind.  As  though 
we  ought  to  consider  Christ  as  standing  apart  from  us,  and  not 
rather  as  dwelling  within  us.  For  we  therefore  expect  salva- 
tion from  him,  not  because  he  appears  to  us  at  a great  distance, 
but  because,  having  ingrafted  us  into  his  body,  he  makes  us 
partakers  not  only  of  all  his  benefits,  but  also  of  himself. 
Wherefore  I thus  retort  their  own  argument : If  you  consider 
yourself,  condemnation  is  certain ; but  since  Christ,  with  all  his 
benefits,  is  communicated  to  you,  so  that  all  that  he  has  be- 
comes yours,  and  you  become  a member  of  him,  and  one  with 
him,  — his  righteousness  covers  yoitr  sins  ; his  salvation  super- 
sedes your  condemnation  ; he  interposes  with  his  merit,  that 
your  unworthiness  may  not  appear  in  the  Divine  presence.  In- 
deed, the  truth  is,  that  we  ought  by  no  means  to  separate 
Christ  from  us,  or  ourselves  from  him  ; but,  with  all  our  might, 
firmly  to  retain  that  fellowship  by  which  he  has  united  us  to 
himself.  Thus  the  apostle  teaches  us  : “ The.  body  (says  he) 
is  dead  because  of  sin  ; but  the  spirit  is  life  because  of  right- 
eousness.” (k)  According  to  this  frivolous  notion  of  these 
persons,  he  ought  to  have  said,  Christ  indeed  has  life  in  him- 
self ; but  you,  being  sinners,  remain  obnoxious  to  death  and 
condemnation.  But  he  speaks  in  a very  diflerent  manner  ; for 
he  states,  that  the  condemnation  which  we  demerit  in  our- 
selves is  swallowed  up  by  the  salvation  of  Christ ; and  in  con- 
firmation of  this,  uses  the  same  argument  as  I have  adduced, 
that  Christ  is  not  without  us,  but  dwells  within  us  ; and  not 
only  adheres  to  us  by  an  indissoluble  connection  of  fellowship, 
but  by  a certain  wonderful  communion  coalesces  daily  more 
and  more  into  one  body  with  us,  till  he  becomes  altogether 
one  with  us.  Nor  do  I deny,  what  I have  lately  said,  that 
some  interruptions  of  faith  at  times  occur,  as  its  imbecility  is 
by  the  force  of  violence  inclined  to  this  or  the  other  direction. 


(h)  Rom.  viii.  10. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


516 


CHAP.  II.] 

Thus,  in  the  thick  gloom  of  temptations,  its  light  is  smothered  ; 
but,  whatever  befalls  it,  it  never  discontinues  its  efforts  in  seek- 
ing God. 

XXV.  Bernard  reasons  in  a similar  manner,  when  he  pro- 
fessedly discusses  this  subject,  in  the  Fifth  Homily,  on  the 
Dedication  of  the  Temple.  By  the  goodness  of  God,  medi- 
tating sometimes  on  the  soul,  I think  I discover  in  it,  as  it 
were,  two  opposite  characters.  If  I view  it  as  it  is  in  itself  and 
of  itself,  I cannot  utter  a greater  truth  concerning  it,  than  that 
it  is  reduced  to  nothing.  What  need  is  there  at  present  to  enu- 
merate all  its  miseries,  how  it  is  loaded  with  sins,  enveloped 
in  darkness,  entangled  with  allurements,  inflamed  .with  in- 
ordinate desires,  subject  to  the  passions,  filled  with  illusions, 
always  prone  to  evil,  inclined  to  every  vice,  and  finally  full  of 
ignominy  and  confusion  ? Now,  if  even  our  righteousnesses, 
when  viewed  in  the  light  of  truth,  be  found  to  be  ‘as  filthy  rags,’  {i) 
what  judgment  will  be  formed  of  our  acknowledged  unright- 
eousness ? ‘ If  the  light  that  is  in  ’ us  ‘ be  darkness,  how  great 
is  that  darkness!  ’ {k)  What  then?  Man  is  undoubtedly  be- 
come like  vanity  ; man  is  reduced  to  nothing  ; man  is  nothing. 
Yet  how  is  he  entirely  nothing,  whom  God  magnifies  ? How 
is  he  nothing,  on  whom  the  heart  of  God  is  fixed  ? Brethren, 
let  us  revive  again.  Although  we  are  nothing  in  our  own 
hearts,  perhaps  there  may  be  something  for  us  latent  in  the 
heart  of  God.  O Father  of  mercies,  O Father  of  the  miserable, 
how  dost  thou  fix  thine  heart  on  us ! For  thine  heart  is  where 
thy  treasure  is.  But  how  are  we  thy  treasure,  if  we  are  no- 
thing ? All  nations  are  before  thee  as  though  they  existed  not  ; 
they  must  be  considered  as  nothing.  That  is,  before  thee ; not 
within  thee  : thus  it  is  in  the  judgment  of  thy  truth  ; but  not 
thus  in  the  affection  of  thy  clemency.  Thou  callest  things 
which  are  not,  as  though  they  were  ; and  therefore  they 
are  not,  because  thou  callest  things  which  are  not ; yet  they 
are,  because  thou  callest  them.  For  though  they  are  not,  with 
reference  to  themselves,  yet  with  thee  they  are  ; according  to 
this  expression  of  Paul : ‘ Not  of  works,  but  of  him  that 
calleth.’”(/)  After  this,  Bernard  says,  that  there  is  a wonderful 
connection  between  these  two  considerations.  . Things  which 
are  connected  with  each  other,  certainly  do  not  reciprocally 
destroy  each  other ; which  he  also  more  plainly  declares  in  the 
following  conclusion  : “ Now,  if  we  diligently  examine  what 
we  are  in  both  considerations, — how  in  one  view  we  are  no- 
thing, and  in  the  other  how  we  are  magnified,  — I conceive  that 
our  boasting  appears  to  be  restrained ; but  perhaps  it  is  more 
increased,  and  indeed  established,  that  we  may  glory  not  in 


(i)  Isaiah  Ixiv.  6. 


(Zc)  Matt.  vl.  23. 


0)  Rom.  ix.  11. 


616 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  IIJ 

ourselves,  but  in  the  Lord.  If  we  reflect,  if  he  has  decreed 
to  save  us,  we  shall  shortly  be  delivered  ; this  is  sufficient  to 
recover  us.  But  ascending  to  a loftier  and  more  extensive 
prospect,  let  us  seek  the  city  of  God,  let  us  seek  his  temple,  let 
us  seek  his  palace,  let  us  seek  his  spouse.  I have  not  forgotten, 
but  with  fear  and  reverence  I say.  We  are  ; but  in  the  heart 
of  God.  We  are ; but  by  his  condescending  favour,  not  by 
our  own  merit.” 

XXVI.  Now,  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  which  is  universally  as- 
cribed to  all  the  saints,  and  which  is  called  sometimes  ‘‘  the  begin- 
ning of  wisdom,”  (m)  sometimes  “ wisdom  ” (?i)  itself,  although 
it  be  but  one,  proceeds  from  a twofold  apprehension  of  him. 
For  God  requires  the  reverence  of  a Father  and  of  a Master. 
Therefore  he  who  truly  desires  to  worship  him,  will  study  to 
pay  him  the  obedience  of  a son  and  the  submission  of  a ser- 
vant. The  Lord,  by  the  prophet,  distinguishes  the  obedience 
which  is  paid  to  him  as  a father,  by  the  appellation  of  ho- 
nour ; and  the  service  which  he  receives  as  a master,  by  that 
of  fear.  A son  (says  he)  honoureth  his  father,  and  a servant 
his  master.  If,  then,  I be  a father,  where  is  mine  honour  ? And 
if  Lbe  a master,  where  is  my  fear?  ” (o)  But  notwithstand- 
ing his  distinction  between  them,  you  see  how  he  confounds 
them  together.  Let  the  fear  of  the  Lord  therefore  with  us  be 
a reverence  mingled  with  this  honour  and  fear.  Nor  is  it  sur- 
prising, that  the  same  mind  cherishes  both  these  affections ; for 
he  who  considers  what  a Father  God  is  to  us,  has  ample  reason, 
even  though  there  were  no  hell,  to  dread  his  displeasure  more 
than  any  death.  But,  such  is  'the  propensity  of  our  nature  to 
the  licentiousness  of  transgression,  that  in  order  to  restrain  it 
by  every  possible  method,  we  should  at  the  same  time  indulge 
this  reffection,  that  all  iniquity  is  an  abomination  to  the  Lord, 
under  whose  power  we  live,  and  whose  vengeance  they  will 
not  escape,  who  provoke  his  wrath  against  them  by  the  wicked- 
ness of  their  lives. 

XXVII.  Now,  the  assertion  of  John,  that  there  is  no  fear 
in  love,  but  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear,  because  fear  hath 
torment,”  (^)  is  not  at  all  repugnant  to  what  we  have  ad- 
vanced. For  he  speaks  of  the  terror  of  unbelief,  between  which 
and  the  fear  of  believers  there  is  a wide  difference.  For  the 
impious  fear  not  God  from  a dread'of  incurring  his  displeasure, 
if  they  could  do  it  with  impunity ; but  because  they  know  him 
to  be  armed  with  vindictive  power,  they  tremble  with  horror  at 
hearing -of  his  wrath.  And  thus  also  they  fear  his  wrath,  be- 
cause they  apprehend  it  to  be  impending  over  them,  because 
they  every  moment  expect  it  to  fall  on  their  heads.  But  the 

(to)  Psalm  cxi.  10.  (o)  Mai.  i.  6. 

(n)  Prov.  i.  7;  ix.  10.  Job  xxviii.  28.  1 John  iv.  18. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


517 


CHAP.  II.] 

faithful,  as  we  have  observed,  fear  his  displeasure  more  than 
punishment,  and  are  not  disturbed  with  the  fear  of  punishment, 
as  though  it  were  impending  over  them,  but  are  rendered  more 
cautious  that  they  may  not  incur  it.  Thus  the  apostle,  when 
addressing  believers,  says,  Let  no  man  deceive  you  with 
vain  words  ; for,  because  of  these  things  cometh  the  wrath 
of  God  upon  the  children  of  disobedience  [or  unbelief]  ” {q) 
He  threatens  not  its  descending  on  them  ; but  admonishes 
them  to  consider  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  prepared  for  the  im- 
pious, on  account  of  the  crimes  which  he  had  enumerated,  that 
they  may  avoid  tempting  it.  It  seldom  happens,  however,  that 
the  reprobate  are  aroused  merely  by  simple  threatenings  ; but, 
on  the  contrary,  being  already  obdurate  and  insensible,  when 
God  thunders  from  heaven,  if  it  be  only  in  words,  they  rather 
harden  themselves  in  rebellion ; but  when  they  feel  the  stroke 
of  his  hand,  they  are  compelled  to  fear  him,  whether  they  will 
or  not.  This  is  commonly  called  a servile  fear,  in  opposition 
to  a filial  fear,  which  is  ingenuous  and  voluntary.  Some  per- 
sons curiously  introduce  an  intermediate  species  of  fear ; be- 
cause that  servile  and  constrained  affection  sometimes  subdues 
men’s  minds,  so  that  they  voluntarily  approach  to  the  fear  of 
God. 

XXVIII.  Now,  in  the  Divine  benevolence,  which  is  affirmed 
to  be  the  object  of  faith,  we  apprehend  the  possession  of  salva- 
tion and  everlasting  life  to  be  obtained.  For,  if  no  good  can 
be  wanting  when  God  is  propitious,  we  have  a sufficient  cer- 
tainty of  salvation,  when  he  himself  assures  us  of  his  love. 

O God,  cause  thy  face  to  shine,  and  we  shall  be  saved,”  (r) 
says  the  Psalmist.  Hence  the  Scriptures  represent  this  as  the 
sum  of  our  salvation,  that  he  has  abolished  ” all  “ enmity,”  (s) 
and  received  us  into  his  favour.  In  which  they  imply,  that 
since  God  is  reconciled  to  us,  there  remains  no  danger,  but  that 
all  things  will  prosper  with  us.  Wherefore  faith,  having  appre- 
hended the  love  of  God,  has  promises  for  the  present  life  and 
the  life  to  come,  and  a solid  assurance  of  all  blessings ; but  it 
is  such  an  assurance  as  may  be  derived  from  the  Divine  word. 
For  faith  certainly  promises  itself  neither  longevity,  nor  ho- 
nour, nor  wealth,  in  the  present  state  ; since  the  Lord  has  not 
been  pleased  to  appoint  any  of  these  things  for  us ; but  is  con- 
tented with  this  assurance,  that  whatever  we  may  want  of  the 
conveniences  or  necessaries  of  this  life,  yet  God  will  never 
leave  us.  But  its  principal  security  consists  in  an  expectation 
of  the  future  life,  which  is  placed  beyond  all  doubt  by  the 
word  of  God.  For  whatever  miseries  and  calamities  may  on 
earth  await  those  who  are  the  objects  of  the  love  of  God,  they 


(y)  Eph.  V.  6.  Col.  iii.  6. 


(/)  Psalm  Ixxx.  3. 


(s)  Eph.  ii.  14,  15. 


518 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

cannot  prevent  the  Divine  benevolence  from  being  a source  of 
complete  felicity.  Therefore,  when  we  meant  to  express  the 
perfection  of  blessedness,  we  have  mentioned  the  grace  of  God, 
as  the  fountain  from  which  every  species  of  blessings  flows 
down  to  us.  And  we  may  generally  observe  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, that  when  they  treat  not  only  of  eternal  salvation,  but 
of  any  blessing  we  enjoy,  our  attention  is  recalled  to  the  love 
of  God.  For  which  reason  David  says,  that  The  loving- 
kindness  of  God,”  when  experienced  in  a pious  heart,  “is  bet- 
ter” and  more  desirable  “than  life”  itself,  {t)  Finally,  if  we 
have  an  abundance  of  all  things  to  the  extent  of  our  desires, 
but  are  uncertain  of  the  love  or  hatred  of  God,  our  prosperity 
will  be  cursed,  and  therefore  miserable.  But  if  the  paternal 
countenance  of  God  shine  on  us,  even  our  miseries  will  be 
blessed,  because  they  will  be  converted  into  aids  of  our  salva- 
tion. {u)  Thus  Paul,  after  an  enumeration  of  all  possible  ad- 
versities, glories  that  they  can  never  separate  us  from  the  love 
of  God  ; and  in  his  prayers,  he  always  begins  with  the  grace  of 
God,  from  which  all  prosperity  proceeds.  David  likewise  op- 
poses the  Divine  favour  alone  against  all  the  terrors  which  dis- 
turb us  : “ Though  I walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  (says  he,)  I will  fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with  me.”  {w) 
And  we  always  feel  our  minds  wavering,  unless,  contented 
with  the  grace  of  God,  they  seek  their  peace  in  it,  and  are 
deeply  impressed  with  the  sentiment  of  the  Psalmist : “ Blessed 
is  the  nation  whose  God  is  the  Lord ; and  the  people  whom  he 
hath  chosen  for  his  own  inheritance.”  {x) 

XXIX.  We  make  the  foundation  of  faith  to  be  the  gratu- 
itous promise  ; for  on  that  faith  properly  rests.  For,  although 
faith  admits  the  veracity  of  God  in  all  things,  whether  he  com- 
mand or  prohibit,  whether  he  promise  or  threaten  ; though  it 
obediently  receives  his  injunctions,  carefully  observes  his  pro- 
hibitions, and  attends  to  his  threatenings,  — yet  with  the  promise 
it  properly  begins,  on  that  it  stands,  and  in  that  it  ends.  For 
it  seeks  in  God  for  life,  which  is  found,  not  in  precepts  nor  in 
denunciations  of  punishments,  but  in  the  promise  of  mercy, 
and  in  that  only  which  is  gratuitous  ; for  a conditional  promise, 
which  sends  us  back  to  our  own  works,  promises  life  to  us  only 
if  we  find  it  in  ourselves.  Therefore,  if  we  wish  our  faith  not 
to  tremble  and  waver,  we  must  support  it  with  the  promise  of 
salvation,  which  is  voluntarily  and  liberally  offered  us  by  the 
Lord,  rather  in  consideration  of  our  misery,  than  in  respect  of 
our  worthiness.  Wherefore  the  apostle  denominates  the  gos- 
pel “ the  word  of  fliith  ; ” {ij)  a character  which  he  denies  both 
io  the  precepts  and  to  the  promises  of  the  law  ; since  there  is 

{t)  Psalm  Ixiii.  3.  (u)  Rom.  vlii.  39.  (^o)  Psalm  xxiii.  4. 

(x)  Psalm  xxxiii.  12.  {y)  Rom.  x.  8. 


CHAP.  II.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


519 


nothing  that  can  establish  faith,  but  that  liberal  embassy  by 
which  God  reconciles  the  world  to  himself.  Hence  also  the 
same  apostle  frequently  connects  faith  with  the  gospel ; as 
when  he  states,  that  ‘‘  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  was  com- 
mitted to  him  for  obedience  to  the  faith ; ” that  it  is  “ the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  belie veth  ; ” that 
therein  is  the  ‘‘righteousness  of  God  revealed  from  faith  to 
faith.”  (z)  Nor  is  this  to  be  wondered  at ; for  the  gospel 
being  “ the  ministry  of  reconciliation,”  (a)  there  is  no  other 
sufficient  testimony  of  the  Divine  benevolence  towards  us,  the 
knowledge  of  which  is  necessary  to  faith.  ^ When  we  assert, 
therefore,  that  faith  rest^  on  the  gratuitous  promise,  we  deny 
not  that  believers  embrace  and  revere  every  part  of  the  Divine 
word,  but  we  point  out  the  promise  of  mercy  as  the  peculiar 
object  of  faith.  Thus  believers  ought  to  acknowledge  God  as 
a judge  and  avenger  of  crimes  ; yet  they  fix  their  eyes  peculiarly 
on  his  clemency ; described  for  their  contemplation  as  “ gra- 
cious and  full  of  compassion  ; slow  to  anger,  and  of  great 
mercy ; good  to  all,  and  diffusing  his  tender  mercies  over  all 
his  works.”  (b) 

XXX.  Nor  do  I regard  the  clamours  of  Pigliius,  or  any 
such  snarlers,  who  censure  this  restriction,  as  though  it  divi- 
ded faith,  and  comprehended  only  one  branch  of  it.  I grant 
that,  as  I have  already  said,  the  general  object  of  faith  (as  they 
express  themselves)  is  the  veracity  of  God,  whether  he  threaten, 
or  give  us  a hope  of  his  grace.  Wherefore  the  apostle  attri- 
butes this  to  faith,  that  Noah  feared  the  destruction  of  the  world 
while  it  was  yet  unseen,  (c)  If  the  fear  of  impending  pu- 
nishment was  the  work  of  faith,  threatenings  ought  not  to  be 
excluded  from  the  definition  of  it.  This  indeed  is  true  ; but 
these  cavillers  unjustly  charge  us  with  denying  that  faith  re- 
spects every  part  of  the  word  of  God.  For  we  only  intend  to 
establish  these  two  points  ; first,  that  it  never  stands  firmly  till 
it  comes  to  the  gratuitous  promise  ; secondly,  that  we  are 
reconciled  to  God  only  as  it  unites  us  to  Christ.  Both  these 
points  are  worthy  of  observation.  We  are  inquiring  for  a faith 
which  may  distinguish  the  sons  of  God  from  the  reprobate,  and 
believers  from  unbelievers.  If  any  man  believes  the  justice  of 
the  Divine  commands  and  the  truth  of  the  Divine  threaten- 
ings, must  he  therefore  be  called  a believer  ? By  no  means. 
Therefore  faith  can  have  no  stability,  unless  it  be  placed  on 
the  Divine  mercy.  Now,  to  what  purpose  do  we  argue  con- 
cerning faith  ? Is  it  not  that  we  may  understand  the  way  of 
salvation  ? But  how  is  faith  saving,  but  by  ingrafting  us  into 


(z)  Rom.  i.  5,  16,  17. 

(a)  2 Cor.  v.  13. 


(b)  Psalm  cxlv.  8,  9. 

(c)  Heb.  xi.  7. 


520  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

the  body  of  Christ  ? There  will  be  no  absurdity,  then,  if,  in 
the  definition  of  it,  we  insist  on  its  principal  effect,  and  as  a 
difference,  add  to  the  genus  that  character  which  separaiCci  be- 
lievers from  unbelievers.  In  a word,  these  malevolent  men 
have  nothing  to  carp  at  in  this  doctrine,  without  involving  in 
the  same  reprehension  with  us,  the  apostle  Paul,  who  parti- 
cularly styles  the  gospel  the  word  of  faith.”  {d) 

XXXI.  Hence,  again,  we  infer,  what  has  been  before  stated, 
that  the  word  is  as  necessary  to  faith,  as  the  living  root  of  the 
tree  is  to  the  fruit ; because,  according  to  David,  none  can 
trust  in  God  but  those  who  know  his  name,  (e)  But  this 
knowledge  proceeds  not  from  every  ijian’s  own  imagination, 
but  from  the  testimony  which  God  himself  gives  of  his  own 
, goodness.  This  the  same  Psalmist  confirms  in  another  place  : 

Thy  salvation  according  to  thy  word.”  (/)  Again : ‘‘  Save 
me  : I hoped  in  thy  word.”  {g)  Where  we  must  observe  the 
relation  of  faith,  to  the  word,  and  that  salvation  is  the  conse- 
quence of  it.  Yet  we  exclude  not  the  Divine  power,  by  a 
view  of  which,  unless  faith  be  supported,  it  will  never  ascribe 
to  God  the  honour  that  is  due  to  him.  Paul  seems  to  relate  a 
trifling  or  uninteresting  circumstance  concerning  Abraham, 
when  he  says,  that  he  was  persuaded  that  God,  who  had  pro- 
mised him  the  blessed  seed,  ‘‘  was  able  also  to  perform.”  {h)  In 
another  place,  respecting  himself  he  says,  “ I know  whom  I 
have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that 
which  I have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day.”(«)  But 
if  any  one  considers,  how  many  doubts  respecting  the  power 
of  God  frequently  intrude  themselves,  he  will  fully  acknow- 
ledge, that  they  who  magnify  it  as  it  deserves,  have  made  no 
small  progress  in  faith.  We  shall  all  confess,  that  God  is  able 
to  do  whatever  he  pleases ; but  whilst  the  smallest  temptation 
strikes  us  with  consternation  and  terror,  it  is  evident  that  we 
derogate  from  the  Divine  power,  to  which  we  prefer  the 
menaces  of  Satan  in  opposition  to  the  promises  of  God.  This 
is  the  reason  why  Isaiah,  when  he  would  impress  the  hearts 
of  the  people  with  an  assurance  of  salvation,  discourses  in  so 
magnificent  a manner  concerning  the  infinite  power  of  God. 
He  frequently  appears,  after  having  begun  to  treat  of  the  hope 
of  pardon  and  reconciliation,  to  digress  to  another  subject,  and 
to  wander  through  prolix  and  unnecessary  circumlocutions, 
celebrating  the  wonders  of  the  Divine  government  in  the  ma- 
chine of  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  whole  order  of  nature : yet 
there  is  nothing  but  what  is  applicable  to  the  present  subject  ; 
for,  unless  the  omnipotence  of  God  be  presented  to  our  eyes 

(d)  Rom.  X.  8.  (g)  Psalm  cxix.  146,  147. 

(e)  Psalm  ix.  10.  {h)  Rom.  iv.  21. 

(/)  Psalm  cxix.  41.  («)  2 Tim.  i.  12. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


521 


CHAP.  II.] 

our  ears  Avill  not  attend  to  his  word,  or  not  esteem  it  according 
to  its  worth.  Moreover,  the  Scripture  there  speaks  of, his  effec- 
tual power ; for  piety,  as  we  have  elsewhere  seen,  always  makes 
a useful  and  practical  application  of  the  power  of  God ; and 
particularly  proposes  to  itself  those  of  his  works  in  which  he 
has  discovered  himself  as  a father.  Hence  the  frequent  men- 
tion of  redemption  in  the  Scriptures,  from  which  the  Israelites 
might  learn,  that  God,  who  had  once  been  the  author  of  salva- 
tion, would  be  its  everlasting  preserver.  David  also  teaches  us 
by  his  own  example,  that  the  private  benefits  which  God  has 
conferred  on  an  individual,  conduce  to  the  confirmation  of  his 
faith  for  the  future  : even  when  he  seems  to  have  deserted  us, 
we  ought  to  extend  our  views  further,  so  as  to  derive  encou- 
ragement from  his  ancient  benefits,  as  it  is  said  in  another 
psalm:  “I  remember  the  days  of  old;  I meditate  on  all  thy 
works,”  &c.  {k)  Again : “ I will  remember  the  works  of  the 
Lord:  surely  I will  remember  thy  wonders  of  old.”  (/)  But 
since,  without  the  word,  all  our  conceptions  of  the  power  and 
works  of  God  are  unprofitable  and  transient,  we  have  suffi- 
cient reason  for  asserting,  that  there  can  be  no  faith,  without 
the  illumination  of  Divine  grace.  But  here  a question  might 
be  raised  — What  must  be  thought  of  Sarah  and  Rebecca,  both 
of  whom,  apparently  impelled  by  the  zeal  of  faith,  transgressed 
the  limits  of  the  word  ? Sarah,  when  she  ardently  desired  the 
promised  son,  gave  her  maid-servant  to  her  husband.  That 
she  sinned  in  many  respects,  is  not  to  be  denied  ; but  I now 
refer  to  her  error  in  being  carried  away  by  her  zeal,  and 
not  restraining  herself  within  the  bounds  of  the  Divine  word. 
Yet  it  is  certain,  that  this  desire  proceeded  from  faith.  Rebec- 
ca, having  been  divinely  assured  of  the  election  of  her  son  Jacob, 
procures  him  the  benediction  by  a sinful  artifice  ; she  deceives 
her  husband,  the  witness  and  minister  of  the  grace  of  God  ; 
she  constrains  her  son  to  utter  falsehoods  ; she  corrupts  the  truth 
of  God  by  various  frauds  and  impostures ; finally,  by  expo- 
sing his  promise  to  ridicule,  she  does  all  in  her  power  to  destroy 
it  And  yet  this  transaction,  however  criminal  and  reprehen- 
siDie,  was  not  unaccompanied  with  faith ; because  she  had  to 
overcome  many  obstacles,  that  she  might  aspire  earnestly  to 
that  which,  without  any  expectation  of  worldly  advantage, 
was  pregnant  with  great  troubles  and  dangers.  So  we  must 
not  pronounce  the  holy  patriarch  Isaac  to  be  entirely  destitute 
of  faith,  because,  after  having  been  divinely  apprized  of  the 
translation  of  the  honour  to  his  younger  son,  he  nevertheless 
ceases  not  to  be  partial  to  Esau,  his  first-born.  These  exam- 
ples certainly  teach  that  errors  are  frequently  mixed  with  faith, 

(/c)  Psalm  cxliii.  5. 

VOL.  I.  66 


(/)  Psalm  Ixxvii.  11. 


622  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  IIj, 

yet  that  faith,  when  real,  always  retains  the  preeminence. 
For,  as  the  particular  error  of  Rebecca  did  not  annul  the  eifect 
of  the  benediction,  so  neither  did  it  destroy  the  faith  which 
generally  predominated  in  her  mind,  and  was  the  principle  and 
cause  of  that  action.  Nevertheless,  Rebecca,  in  this  instance, 
has  discovered  how  liable  the  human  mind  is  to  error,  as  soon 
as  it  allows  itself  the  smallest  license.  But  though  our  defi- 
ciency or  imbecility  obscures  faith,  yet  it  does  not  extinguish 
it : in  the  mean  time  it  reminds  us  how  solicitously  we  ought 
to  attend  to  the  declarations  of  God ; and  confirms  what  we 
have  said,  that  faith  decays  unless  it  be  supported  by  the 
word ; as  the  minds  of  Sarah,  Isaac,  and  Rebecca,  would  have 
been  lost  in  their  obliquities,  if  they  had  not,  by  the  secret  re- 
straint of  God,  been  kept  in  obedience  to  the  word. 

XXXII.  Again  : it  is  not  without  reason  that  we  include  all 
the  promises  in  Christ ; [m)  as  the  apostle  in  the  knowledge  of 
him  includes  the  whole  gospel  ; and  in  another  place  teaches, 
that  ‘^all  the  promises  of  God  in  him  are  yea,  and  in  him 
amen.”  {n)  The.  reason  of  this  is  plain.  For,  if  God  pro- 
mises any  thing,  he  gives  a proof  of  his  benevolence  ; so  that 
there  is  no  promise  of  his  which  is  not  a testimony  of  his  love. 
Nor  does  it  affect  the  -argument,  that  the  impious,  when  they 
are  loaded  with  great  and  continual  benefits  from  the  Divine 
goodness,  render  themselves  obnoxious  to  a heavier  judgment. 
For  since  they  neither  think  nor  acknowledge  that  they  re- 
ceive those  things  from  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  — or  if  ever  they 
acknowledge  it,  yet  they  never  reflect  within  themselves  on 
his  goodness,  — they  cannot  thereby  be  instructed  concerning 
his  mercy,  any  more  than  the  brutes,  who,  according  to  the 
circumstances  of  their  condition,  receive  the  same  effusion  of 
his  liberality,  but  never  perceive  it.  Nor  is  it  any  more  repug- 
nant to  our  argument,  that  by  generally  rejecting  the  promises 
designed  for  them,  they  draw  down  on  themselves  severer 
vengeance.  For  although  the  efficacy  of  the  promises  is  ma- 
nifested only  when  they  have  obtained  credit  with  us,  yet  their 
force  and  propriety  are  never  extinguished  by  our  unbelief  or 
ingratitude.  Therefore,  when  the  Lord  by  his  promises  invites 
a man  not  only  to  receive,  but  also  to  meditate  on  the  effects 
of  his  goodness,  he  at  the  same  time  gives  him  a declaration 
of  his  love.  Whence  we  must  return  to  this  principle,  that 
every  promise  is  an  attestation  of  the  Divine  love  to  us.  But 
it  is  beyond  all  controversy,  that  no  man  is  loved  by  God  but 
in  Christ;  (o)  he  is  the  “beloved  Son,”  in  whom  the  love  of 
the  Father  perpetually  rests,  and  then  from  him  diffuses  itself 
to  us ; as  Paul  says,  that  we  are  “accepted  in  the  beloved.”  {jp) 


{m)  1 Cor.  ii.  2.  (w)  2 Cor.  i.  20. 


(o)  Matt.  iii.  17 ; xvii.  5.  {]))  Eph.  i.  6. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


523 


CHAP.  II.] 

It  must  therefore  be  communicated  to  us  by  his  mediation,  (q) 
Wherefore  the  apostle,  in  another  place,  calls  him  “our 
peace,”  (/’)  and  elsewhere  represents  him  as  the  bond  by  which 
God  is  united  to  us  in  his  paternal  love.  It  follows,  that 
whenever  any  promise  is  presented  to  us,  our  eyes  must  be 
directed  to  him  ; and  that  Paul  is  correct  in  stating,  that  all 
the  promises  of  God  are  confirmed  and  accomplished  in  him.  (s) 
This  is  opposed  by  some  examples.  For  it  is  not  credible  that 
Naaman  the  Syrian,  when  he  inquired  of  the  prophet  respecting 
the  right  method  of  worshipping  God,  (^)  was  instructed  con- 
cerning the  Mediator  ; yet  his  piety  is  commended.  Corne- 
lius, (u)  a Gentile  and  Roman,  could  scarcely  be  acquainted 
with  what  was  not  universally  or  clearly  known  among  the 
Jews  ; yet  his  benefactions  and  prayers  were  acceptable  to 
God  ; and  the  sacrifices  of  Naaman  received  the  approbation  of 
the  prophet,  which  neither  of  these  persons  could  have  ob- 
tained without  faith.  Similar  was  the  case  of  the  eunuch  to 
whom  Philip  was  conducted  ; (tv)  who,  unless  he  had  been 
possessed  of  some  faith,  would  never  have  incurred  the  labour 
and  expense  of  a- long  and  difficult  journey,  for  the  sake  of 
worshipping  at  Jerusalem.  Yet  we  see  how,  on  being  interro- 
gated by  Philip,  he  betrayed  his  ignorance  of  the  Mediator.  I 
confess,  indeed,  that  their  faith  was  in  some  measure  implicit, 
not  only  with  respect  to  the  person  of  Christ,  but  with  respect 
to  the  power  and  office  assigned  him  by  the  Father.  At  the 
same  time  it  is  certain  that  they  had  imbibed  principles  which 
afforded  them  some  notion  of  Christ,  however  slight ; nor 
should  this  be  thought  strange  ; for  the  eunuch  would  not 
have  hastened  from  a remote  country  to  Jerusalem  to  adore  an 
unknown  God ; nor  did  Cornelius  spend  so  much  time,  after 
having  once  embraced  the  Jewish  religion,  without  acquainting 
himself  with  the  rudiments  of  sound  doctrine.  With  regard  to 
Naaman,  it  would  have  been  extremely  absurd  for  Elisha,  who 
directed  him  concerning  the  minutest  particulars,  to  have  been 
silent  on  the  most  important  subject.  Although  their  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  therefore,  was  obscure,  yet  to  suppose  that 
they  had  none  is  unreasonable ; because  they  practised  the 
sacrifices  of  the  law,  which  must  have  been  distinguished  by 
their  end,  that  is,  Christ,  from  the  illegitimate  sacrifices  of  the 
heathen. 

XXXIII.  This  simple  and  external  demonstration  of  the 
Divine  word  ought,  indeed,  to  be  fully  sufficient  for  the  pro- 
duction of  faith,  if  it  were  not  obstructed  by  our  blindness  and 
perverseness.  But  such  is  our  propensity  to  error,  that  our 

(5-)  Eph.  ii.  14.  (s)  Rom.  xv.  8.  (u)  Acts  x.  31. 

(r)  Rom.  viii.  3.  (q  2 Kings  v.  17 — 19.  (to)  Acts  viii.  17,  31. 


524  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

mind  can  never  adhere  to  Divine  truth  ; such  is  our  dulness, 
that  we  can  never  discern  the  light  of  it.  Therefore  nothing 
is  effected  by  the  word,  without  the  illumination  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Whence  it  appears,  that  faith  is  far  superior  to  human 
intelligence.  Nor  is  it  enough  for  the  mind  to  be  illuminated 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  unless  the  heart  also  be  strengthened  and 
supported  by  his  power.  On  this  point,  the  schoolmen  are 
altogether  erroneous,  who,  in  the  discussion  of  faith,  regard  it 
as  a simple  assent  of  the  understanding,  entirely  neglecting  the 
confidence  and  assurance  of  the  heart.  Faith,  therefore,  is  a 
singular  gift  of  God  in  two  respects ; both  as  the  mind  is  en- 
lightened to  understand  the  truth  of  God,  and  as  the  heart  is 
established  in  it.  For  the  Holy  Spirit  not  only  originates 
faith,  but  increases  it  by  degrees,  till  he  conducts  us  by  it  all 
the  way  to  the  heavenly  kingdom.  ‘‘That  good  thing,”  says 
Paul,  “ which  was  committed  unto  thee,  keep,  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  which  dwelleth  in  us.”  {x)  If  it  be  urged,  that  Paul 
declares  the  Spirit  to  be  given  to  us  “ by  the  hearing  of 
faith,”  (y)  this  objection  is  easily  answered.  If  there  were 
only  one  gift  of  the  Spirit,  it  would  be  absurd  to  represent  the 
Spirit  as  the  effect  of  faith,  of  which  he  is  the  author  and 
cause ; but  when  the  apostle  is  treating  of  the  gifts  with 
which  God  adorns  his  Church,  to  lead  it,  by  advancements  in 
faith,  forwards  to  perfection,  we  need  not  wonder  that  he  as- 
cribes those  gifts  to  faith,  which  prepares  us  for  their  reception. 
It  is  accounted  by  the  world  exceedingly  paradoxical,  when  it 
is  affirmed,  that  no  one  can  believe  in  Christ,  but  he  to  whom 
it  is  given.  But  this  is  partly  'for  want  of  considering  the 
depth  and  sublimity  of  heavenly  wisdom,  and  the  extreme 
dulness  of  man  in  apprehending  the  mysteries  of  God,  and 
partly  from  not  regarding  that  firm  and  steadfast  constancy  of 
heart,  which  is  the  principal  branch  of  faith. 

XXXIV.  But  if,  as  Paul  tells  us,  no  one  is  acquainted  with 
the  will  of  a man  but  “ the  spirit  of  a man  which  is  in  him,”  (z) 
how  could  man  be  certain  of  the  will  of  God  ? And  if  we  are 
uncertain  respecting  the  truth  of  God  in  those  things  which 
are  the  subjects  of  our  present  contemplation,  how  should  w^e 
have  a greater  certainty  of  it,  when  the  Lord  promises  such 
things  as  no  eye  sees  and  no  heart  conceives  ? Human  saga- 
city is  here  so  completely  lost,  that  the  first  step  to  improvement, 
in  the  Divine  school,  is  to  forsake  it.  For,  like  an  interposing 
veil,  (a)  it  prevents  us  from  discovering  the  mysteries  of  God, 
which  are  revealed  only  to  babes.  (6)  “For  flesh  and  blood 
liath  not  revealed,”  (c)  and  “the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 

(x)  2 Tim.  i.  14.  (z)  1 Cor.  ii.  11.  (h)  Matt.  xi.  2.5. 

(y)  Gal.  iii.  2.  (a)  2 Cor.  iii.  14.  (c)  Matt.  xvi.  17. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  525 

things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ; for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him  ; 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned.” (d)  The  aids  of  the  Spirit  therefore  are  necessary,  or 
rather  it  is  his  influence  alone  that  is  efficacious  here.  “ Who 
hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord  ? or  who  hath  been  his 
counsellor?”  (e)  but  “the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the 
deep  things  of  God  ;”(/■)  and  through  him,  “we  have  the 
mind  of  Christ.”  (^)  “No  man  can  come  to  me  (says  he) 
except  the  Father,  which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him.  Every 
man  therefore  that  hath  heard  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father, 
cometh  unto  me.  Not  that  any  man  hath  seen  the  Father,  save 
he  which  is  of  God.”  Therefore,  as  we  can  never  come  to 
Christ,  unless  we  are  drawn  by  the  Spirit  of  God,,  so  when  we 
are  drawn,  we  are  raised  both  in  mind  and  in  heart  above  the 
reach  of  our  ov/n  understanding.  For  illuminated  by  him,  the 
soul  receives,  as  it  were,  new  eyes  for  the  contemplation  of 
heavenly  mysteries,  by  the  splendour  of  which  it  was  before 
dazzled.  And  thus  the  human  intellect,  irradiated  by  the 
light  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  begins  to  relish  those  things 
which  pertain  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  for  which  before  it  had 
not  the  smallest  taste.  Wherefore  Christ’s  two  disciples  receive 
no  benefit  from  his  excellent  discourse  to  them  on  the  mysteries 
of  his  kingdom,  (A)  till  he  opens  their  understanding  that  they 
may  understand  the  Scriptures.  Thus,  though  the  apostles 
were  taught  by  his  Divine  mouth,  yet  the  Spirit  of  Truth  must 
be  sent  to  them,  to  instil  into  their  minds  the  doctrine  which 
they  had  heard  Avith  their  ears,  (i)  The  word  of  God  is  like 
the  sun  shining  on  all  to  whom  it  is  preached ; but  without 
any  benefit  to  the  blind.  But  in  this  respect  we  are  all  blind 
by  nature  ; therefore  it  cannot  penetrate  into  our  minds,  unless 
the  internal  teacher,  the  Spirit,  make  way  for  it  by  his  illu- 
mination. 

XXXV.  In  a former  part  of  this  work,  relating  to  the  cor- 
ruption of  nature,  we  have  shown  more  at  large  the  inability 
of  men  to  believe  ; therefore  I shall  not  fatigue  the  reader  by 
a repetition  of  the  same  things.  Let  it  suffice  that  faith  itself, 
Avhich  Ave  possess  not  by  nature,  but  which  is  given  us  by  the 
Spirit,  is  called  by  Paul  “ the  spirit  of  faith.”  (k)  Therefore 
he  prays  “ that  God  Avould  fulfil,”  in  the  Thessalonians,  “ all 
the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness,  and  the  Avork  of  faith  Avith 
power.”  (/)  By  calling  faith  “the  work”  of  God,  and  “ the 
good  pleasure  of  his  goodness,”  he  denies  it  to  be  the  proper 
effect  of  human  exertion  ; and  not  content  Avith  that,  he  adds 
that  it  is  a specimen  of  the  Divine  power.  When  he  says  to 

(d)  1 Cor.  ii.  14.  (/)  1 Cor.  ii.  10.  (h)  Luke  xxiv.  45.  (k)  2 Cor.  iv.  13. 

(e)  Rom.  xi.  34.  (^)  1 Cor.  ii.  16.  (i)  John  xvi.  13.  (1)  2Thess.  i.  11. 


626  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

the  Corinthians,  that  faith  stands  not  in  the  wisdom  of  men, 
bat  in  the  power  of  God,”  (n)  he  speaks  indeed  of  external 
miracles ; but  because  the  reprobate  have  no  eyes  to  behold 
them,  he  comprehends  also  the  inward  seal  which  he  else- 
where mentions.  And  that  he  may  more  illustriously  display 
his  liberality  in  so ’eminent  a gift,  God  deigns  not  to  bestow 
it  promiscuously  on  all,  but  by  a singular  privilege  imparts  it 
to  whom  he  will.  We  have  already  cited  testimonies  to  prove 
this  point.  Augustine,  who  is  a faithful  expositor  of  them, 
says,  “It  was  in  order  to  teach  us  that  the  act  of  believing  is 
owing  to  the  Divine  gift,  not  to  human  merit,  that  our  Saviour 
declared,  ^No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father  which 
hath  sent  me  draw  him  ; (o)  and  except  it  were  given  unto  him 
of  my  Father.’ (^)  It  is  wonderful,  that  two  persons  hear; 
one  despises,  the  other  ascends.  Let  him  who  despises,  impute 
it  to  himself;  let  him  who  ascends,  not  arrogate  it  to  himself.” 
In  another  place  he  says,  “ Wherefore  is  it  given  to  one,  not  to 
another  ? I am  not  ashamed  to  reply,  This  is  a depth  of  the 
cross.  From  I know  not  what  depth  of  the  Divine  judgments, 
which  we  cannot  scrutinize,  proceeds  all  our  ability.  That  I 
can,  I see  ; whence  I can,  I see  not ; unless  that  I see  thus  far, 
that  it  is  of  God.  But  why  one,  and  not  another  ? It  is  too 
much  for  me  ; it  is  an  abyss,  a depth  of  the  cross.  I can  exclaim 
with  admiration,  but  not  demonstrate  itdn  disputation.”  The 
sum  of  the  whole  is  this  — that  Christ,  when  he  illuminates  us 
with  faith  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  at  the  same  time  ingrafts 
us  into  his  body,  that  we  may  become  partakers  of  all  his 
benefits. 

XXXVI.  It  next  remains,  that  what  the  mind  has  imbibed, 
be  transfused  into  the  heart.  For  the  word  of  God  is  not  re- 
ceived by  faith,  if  it  floats  on  the  surface  of  the  brain ; but 
when  it  has  taken  deep  root  in  the  heart,  so  as  to  become  an 
impregnable  fortress  to  sustain  and  repel  all  the  assaults  of 
temptation.  But  if  it  be  true  that  the  right  apprehension  of 
the  mind  proceeds  from  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit,  his 
energy  is  far  more  conspicuous  in  such  a confirmation  of  the 
heart ; the  diffidence  of  the  heart  being  greater  than  the  blind- 
ness of  the  mind  ; and  the  furnishing  of  the  heart  with  assu- 
rance being  more  difficult  than  the  communication  of  know- 
ledge to  the  understanding.  Therefore  the  Spirit  acts  as  a seal, 
to  seal  on  our  hearts  those  very  promises,  the  certainty  of 
which  he  has  previously  impressed  on  our  minds,  and  serves  as 
an  earnest  to  confirm  and  establish  them.  “ After  that  ye 
believed,”  says  the  apostle,  “ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy 
Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance.”  (q) 


(n)  1 Cor.  ii.  5. 


(o)  John  vi.  44.  (p)  John  vi.  65. 


(q)  Eph.  i.  13. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  627 

Do  you  see  how  he  shows  that  the  hearts  of  believers  are 
impressed  by  the  Spirit,  as  by  a seal  ? How,  for  this  reason, 
he  calls  him  the  Spirit  of  promise,”  because  he  ratifies  the 
gospel  to  us  ? So,  to  the  Corinthians,  he  says,  He  which 
hath  anointed  us,  is  God  ; who  hath  also  sealed  us,  and  given 
the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts.”  (r)  And  in  another 
place,  where  he  speaks  of  the  confidence  and  boldness  of  hope, 
he  makes  ‘‘the  earnest  of  the  Spirit”  (s)  the  foundation  of  it. 

XXXVH.  I have  not  forgotten  what  I have  already  ob- 
served, and  the  remembrance  of  which  experience  incessantly 
renews,  that  faith  is  agitated  with  various  doubts  ; so  that  the 
minds  of  the  pious  are  seldom  at  ease,  or  at  best  enjoy  not  a 
state  of  perpetual  tranquillity.  But  whatever  assaults  they  may 
sustain,  they  either  emerge  from  the  very  gulf  of  temptation, 
or  remain  firm  in  their  station.  This  assurance  alone  nourishes 
and  supports  faith,  while  we  are  satisfied  of  what  is  declared 
by  the  Psalmist,  “God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a very 
present  help  in  trouble.  Therefore  will  we  not  fear,  though 
the  earth  be  removed,  and  the  mountains  be  carried  into  the 
midst  of  the  sea.”  (^)  This  most  delightful  repose  is  celebrated 
also  in  another  psalm : “ I laid  me  down  and  slept  ; I awaked  ; 
for  the  Lord  sustained  me.”  (21)  Not  that  David  enjoyed  a 
happy  cheerfulness  of  soul  perpetually  flowing  on  in  one  even 
tenor ; but  having  tasted  the  grace  of  God  according  to  the 
proportion  of  his  faith,  he  glories  in  intrepidly  despising  what- 
ever could  disquiet  the  peace  of  his  mind.  Therefore  the 
Scripture,  intending  to  exhort  us  to  faith,  commands  us  to  “ be 
quiet.”  In  Isaiah,  “ In  quietness  and  in  confidence  shall  be 
your  strength.”  (w)  In  the  Psalms,  “ Rest  in  the  Lord,  and 
wait  patiently  for  him.”  (a:)  With  which  corresponds  the  ob- 
servation of  the  apostle  to  the  Hebrews,  “Ye  have  need  of 
patience.”  (y) 

XXXVHI.  Hence  we  may  judge,  how  pernicious  that  dog- 
ma of  the  schoolmen  is,  that  it  is  impossible  to  decide  concern- 
ing the  favour  of  God  towards  us,  any  otherwise  than  from 
moral  conjecture,  as  every  individual  may  deem  himself  not 
unworthy  of  it.  If  it  must  be  determined  by  our  works  how 
the  Lord  is  affected  towards  us,  I admit  we  cannot  attain  this 
object  even  by  a very  slight  conjecture  ; but  as  faith  ought  to  cor- 
respond to  the  simple  and  gratuitous  promise,  there  remains  no 
room  for  doubting.  For  with  what  confidence,  pray,  shall  we 
be  armed,  if  we  reason  that  God  is  propitious  to  us  on  this  con- 
dition, provided  the  purity  of  our  life  deserve  it  ? But  having 
determined  on  a separate  discussion  of  these  points,  I shall  pur- 

(r)  2 Cor.  i.  21.  (s)  1 Cor.  v.  5.  (t)  Psalm  xlvi.  1,  2.  (u)  Psalm  iii.  5. 

(w)  Isaiah  xxx.  IG.  (x)  Psalm  xxxvii.  7.  (y)  Heb.  x.  36. 


528  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  111. 

sue  them  no  further  at  present  ; especially  since  it  is  manifest 
that  nothing  is  more  opposite  to  faith  than  either  conjecture  or 
any  thing  else  approaching  to  doubt.  And  they  very  mischie- 
vously pervert  to  this  purpose  the  observation  of  the  Preacher, 
which  is  frequently  in  their  mouths:  ‘^No  man  knoweth 
whether  he  is  worthy  of  hatred  or  of  love.”  {z)  For  not  to 
observe  that  this  passage  is  falsely  rendered  in  the  Vulgate 
translation,  yet  the  meaning  of  Solomon,  in  such  expressions, 
must  be  clear  even  to  children ; it  is,  that  if  any  one  wishes, 
from  the  present  state  of  things,  to  judge  who  are  the  objects 
of  Divine  love  or  hatred,  he  labours  in  vain,  and  distresses 
himself  to  no  good  purpose  ,*  since  ‘‘  there  is  one  event  to  the 
righteous  and  to  the  wicked  ; to  him  that  sacrificeth,  and  to  him 
that  sacrificeth  not.”  (a)  Whence  it  follows  that  God  neither 
testifies  his  love  to  those  whom  he  prospers  with  success,  nor 
invariably  discovers  his  hatred  against  those  whom  he  plunges 
into  affliction.  And  this  observation  is  designed  to  reprove  the 
vanity  of  the  human  understanding  ; since  it  is  so  extremely  stu- 
pid respecting  things  most  necessary  to  be  known.  He  had  just 
before  said,  ‘‘  That  which  befalleth  the  sons  of  men,  befalleth 
beasts ; as  the  one  dieth,  so  dieth  the  other ; yea,  they  have 
all  one  breath  ; so  that  a man  hath  no  preeminence  above  a 
beast.”  (d)  If  any  one  would  infer  from  this,  that  the  opinion 
which  we  hold  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul  rests  upon  mere 
conjecture,  would  he  not  be  deservedly  deemed  insane  ? Are 
those  persons,  then,  in  a state  of  sanity,  who  conclude  that  there 
is  no  certainty  of  the  favour  of  God,  because  it  cannot  be  at- 
tained from  the  carnal  contemplation  of  present  things  ? 

XXXIX.  But  they  plead  that  it  is  rash  presumption  in  men 
to  arrogate  to  themselves  an  undoubted  knowledge  of  the  Di- 
vine will.  This,  indeed,  I would  concede  to  them,  if  we  pre- 
tended to  subject  the  incomprehensible  counsel  of  God  to  the 
slenderness  of  our  understanding.  But  when  we  simply  assert 
with  Paul,  that  we  have  received,  not  the  spirit  of  the  world, 
but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God,  that  we  might  know  the 
things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God,”  (c)  what  opposition 
can  they  make  to  us,  without  at  the  same  time  insulting  the 
Spirit  of  God  ? But  if  it  be  a horrible  sacrilege  to  accuse  the 
revelation  which  proceeds  from  him  either  of  falsehood,  or  of 
uncertainty,  or  of  ambiguity,  wherein  do  we  err  in  afflrming 
its  certainty  ? But  they  exclaim,  that  we  betray  great  temerity, 
in  thus  presuming  to  boast  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  Who  could 
believe  the  stupidity  of  men  desirous  of  being  esteemed  teach- 
ers of  the  world,  to  be  so  extreme  as  to  stumble  in  this  shame- 
ful manner  at  the  first  elements  of  religion  ? It  would  certainly 


(z)  Eccl.  ix.  1.  (a)  Eccl.  ix.  2.  (d)  Eccl.  iii.  19. 


(c)  1 Cor.  ii.  12. 


CHAP.  II.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  529 

be  incredible  to  me,  if  it  were  not  proved  by  the  writings 
which  they  have  published.  Paul  pronounces  them  alone  to 
be  the  sons  of  God,  who  are  led  by  his  Spirit : {d)  these  men 
will  have  those  who  are  the  sons  of  God  to  be  led  by  their  own 
spirit,  but  to  be  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  ‘He  teaches, 
that  we  call  God  our  Father  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Spirit, 
who  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God  : ” (e)  these  men,  though- they  forbid  not  all  invocation 
of  God,  yet  deprive  us  of  the  Spirit,  by  whose  influence  alone 
he  can  be  rightly  invoked.  He  denies  them  to  be  the  servants 
of  Christ,  who  are  not  led  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ :(/)  these 
men  invent  a sort  of  Christianity,  to  which  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
is  not  necessary.  He  admits  no  hope  of  a happy  resurrection, 
unless  we  experience  the  Spirit  dwelling  in  us  : (^)  these  men 
fabricate  a hope  unattended  by  such  experience.  But  perhaps 
they  will  answer,  that  they  deny  not  the  necessity  of  our  being 
endued  with  the  Spirit  ,*  but  that  it  is  the  part  of  modesty  and 
humility  not  to  acknowledge  our  possession  of  him.  What, 
then,  is  the  meaning  of  the  apostle  in  this  exhortation  to  the 
Corinthians  — “ Examine  yourselves,  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith  ; 
prove  your  own  selves  ; know  ye  not  yourselves,  how  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye  be  reprobates  ?”  (/i)  But  says 
John,  We  know  that  he  abideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit  which 
he  hath  given  us.”  (^)  And  do  we  not  call  in  question  the 
promises  of  Christ,  when  we  wish  to  be  accounted  Jhe  servants 
of  God  without  the  possession  of  his  Spirit,  whom  he  has  an- 
nounced that  he  will  pour  out  upon  all  his  people  ? (A;)  Do  we 
not  injure  the  Holy  Spirit,  if  we  separate  faith  from  him,  which 
is  his  peculiar  work  ? These  being  the  first  rudiments  of 
piety,  it  is  a proof  of  most  miserable  blindness,  that  Chris- 
tians are  censured  as  arrogant  for  presuming  to  glory  in  the 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  without  which  glorying  Christi- 
anity itself  cannot  exist.  But  they  exemplify  the  truth  of 
Christ’s  assertion,  The  world  knoweth  not  the  Spirit  of  truth  ; 
but  ye  know  him ; for  he  dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in 
you.”  (/) 

XL.  Not  satisfied  with  one  attempt  to  destroy  the  stability 
of  faith,  they  assail  it  again  from  another  quarter ; by  arguing, 
that  although  we  may  form  a judgment  concerning  the  favour 
of  God  from  the  present  state  of  our  righteousness,  yet  the 
knowledge  of  final  perseverance  remains  in  suspense.  Truly 
we  are  left  in  possession  of  an  admirable  confidence  of  salva- 
tion, if  we  can  only  conclude  from  mere  conjecture  that  we 
are  in  the  favour  of  God  at  the  present  instant,  but  are  utterly 

(d)  Rom.  viii.  14.  (/)  Rom.  viii.  9.  (Ji)  2 Cor.  xlii.  5.  (1i)  Isaiah  xliv.  3. 

(c)  Rom.  viii.  16.  {g)  Rom.  viii.  11.  (i)  1 John  iii.  24.  (1)  John  xiv.  7. 

VOL.  I.  67 


530 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[BOOK  III. 


ignorant  what  may  be  our  fate  to-morrow.  The  apostle  ex- 
presses a very  ditferent  opinion:  ‘‘I  am  persuaded  (says  he) 
that  neither  life,  nor  death,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor 
depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.”  (m) 
They  attempt  to  evade  the  force  of  this,  by  a frivolous  pre- 
tence that  the  apostle  had  it  from  a particular  revelation;  but 
they  are  too  closely  pressed  to  avail  themselves  of  this  evasion. 
For  he  is  there  treating  of  the  benefits  resulting  from  faith  to 
all  believers  in  common,  not  of  any  which  were  peculiar  to  his 
own  experience.  But  the  same  apostle,  they  say,  in  another 
place,  excites  fear  in  us,  by  the  mention  of  our  imbecility  and 
inconstancy.  Let  him  (says  he)  that  thinketh  he  standeth, 
take  heed  lest  he  fall.”  {n)  It  is  true ; but  not  a fear  by  which 
we  may  be  thrown  into  consternation,  but  from  which  we  may 
learn  to  humble  ourselves,”  as  Peter  expresses  it,  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God.”  Besides,  how  preposterous  is  it  to  limit 
to  a moment  of  time  the  assurance  of  faith,  whose  nature  it  is 
to  go  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  present  life,  and  reach  forward 
to  a future  immortality  ! Since  believers,  then,  ascribe  it  to 
the  grace  of  God  that  they  are  illuminated  by  his  Spirit,  and 
enjoy  through  faith  a contemplation  of  the  heavenly  life,  such 
a glorying  is  so  remote  from  arrogance,  that,  if  any  one  be 
ashamed  to  confess  it,  he  rather  betrays  extreme  ingratitude  by 
a criminal  suppression  of  the  Divine  goodness,  than  gives  an 
evidence  of  modesty  or  humility. 

XLI.  Because  we  thought  that  the  nature  of  faith  could  not 
be  better  or  more  clearly  expressed  than  by  the  substance  of 
the  promise,  which  is  the  proper  foundation  on  which  it  rests, 
and  the  removal  of  which  would  occasion  its  fall  or  annihila- 
tion, — it  is  from  the  promise,  therefore,  that  we  have  taken  our 
definition,  which,  nevertheless,  is  not  at  all  at  variance  with 
that  definition,  or  rather  description,  of  the  apostle,  which  he 
accommodates  to  his  argument ; where  he  says,  that  faith  is 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not 
seen.”  (o)  For  by  u'Troo'i-ao'jg,  which  is  the  word  he  uses,  and 
which  is  rendered  substance^  he  intends  a prop,  as  it  were,  on 
which  the  pious  mind  rests  and  reclines;  as  though  he  had 
said,  that  faith  is  a certain  and  secure  possession  of  those  things 
which  are  promised  to  us  by  God.  Unless  any  one  would 
rather  understand  uTotfTatfjg  of  confidence,  to  which  I shall  not 
object,  though  I adopt  that  idea  which  is  the  more  generally 
received.  Again  : to  signify  that  even  till  the  last  day,  when 
the  books  shall  be  opened,  these  objects  are  too  sublime  to  be 


(w)  Rom.  viii.  38, 


(n)  1 Cor.  X.  12. 


(o)  Heb.  xi.  1. 


CHAP.  II.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


631 


perceived  by  our  senses,  seen  with  our  eyes,  or  handled  with 
our  hands  ; and  that,  in  the  mean  time,  they  are  enjoyed  by  us 
only  as  we  exceed  the  capacity  of  our  own  understanding, 
extend  our  views  beyond  ail  terrestrial  things,  and  even  rise 
above  ourselves ; he  has  added,  that  this  security  of  possession 
relates  to  things  which  are  the  objects  of  hope,  and  therefore 
invisibJe.  For  ^4iope  that  is  seen  (as  Paul  observes)  is  not 
hope  ; for  what  a man  seeth,  why  doth  he  yet  hope  for  ? ” (p) 
But  when  he  calls  it  an  evidence,  or  proof,  or  (as  Augustine 
has  frequently  rendered  it)  a conviction  of  things  not  seen,  (for 
the  Greek  word  is  is  just  as  though  he  had  called  it 

the  evidence  of  things  not  apparent,  the  vision  of  things  not 
seen,  the  perspicuity  of  things  obscure,  the  presence  of 
things  absent,  the  demonstration  of  things  concealed.  For 
the  mysteries  of  God,  of  which  description  are  the  things  that 
pertain  to  our  salvation,  cannot  be  discerned  in  themselves,  and 
in  their  own  nature ; we  only  discover  them  in  his  word,  of 
whose  veracity  we  ought  to  be  so  firmly  persuaded,  as  to  con- 
sider all  that  he  speaks  as  though  it  were  already  performed 
and  accomplished.  But  how  can  the  mind  elevate  itself  to  re- 
ceive such  a taste  of  the  Divine  goodness,  without  being  all 
inflamed  with,  mutual  love  to  God  ? F or  the  plenitude  of 
happiness,  which  God  has  reserved  for  them  who  fear  him, 
cannot  be  truly  known,  but  it  must  at  the  same  time  excite  a 
vehement  affection.  And  those  whom  it  has  once  affected,  it 
draws  and  elevates  towards  itself.  Therefore  we  need  not 
wonder  if  a perverse  and  malicious  heart  never  feel  this  affec- 
tion, which  conducts  us  to  heaven  itself,  and  introduces  us  to 
the  most  secret  treasures  of  God  and  the  most  sacred  recesses 
of  his  kingdom,  which  must  not  be  profaned  by  the  entrance 
of  an  impure  heart.  For  what  the  schoolmen  {q)  advance  con- 
cerning the  priority  of  charity  to  faith  and  hope,  is  a mere 
reverie  of  a distempered  imagination,  since  it  is  faith  alone 
which  first  produces,  charity  in  us.  How  much  more  accu- 
rately Bernard  speaks  ! I believe,”  says  he,  “ that  the  testi- 
mony of  conscience,  which  Paul  calls  the  rejoicing  of  the  pious, 
consists  in  three  things.  F or  it  is  necessary  to  believe,  first  of 
all,  that  you  cannot  have  remission  of  sins  but  through  the 
mercy  of  God  ; secondly,  that  you  cannot  have  any  good  work, 
unless  he  bestow  this  also  ; lastly,  that  you  cannot  by  any 
works  merit  eternal  life,  unless  that  also  be  freely  given.”  (r) 
Just  after  he  adds,  ‘Dhat  these  things  are  not  sufficient,  but  are 
a beginning  of  faith  ; because  in  believing  that  sins  can  only 
be  forgiven  by  God,  we  ought  at  the  same  time  to  consider 
that  they  are  forgiven  us,  till  we  are  also  persuaded,  by  the  tes- 

(p)  Rom.  viii.  24.  (g)  Lombard,  (r)  Bernard.  Serm.  1.  in  Annunciat. 


532  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  111 

timony  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  salvation  is  laid  up  for  us  : 
because  God  forgives  sins ; he  also  bestows  merits ; he  like- 
wise confers  rewards ; it  is  not  possible  to  remain  in  this  be- 
ginning.” But  these  and  other  things  must  be  treated  in  the 
proper  places ; it  may  suffice,  at  present,  to  ascertain  wherein 
faith  itself  consists. 

XLII.  Now,  wherever  this  living  faith  shall  be  found,  it 
must  necessarily  be  attended  with  the  hope  of  eternal  salvation 
as  its  inseparable  concomitant,  or  rather  must  originate  and 
produce  it ; since  the  want  of  this  hope  would  prove  us  to  be 
utterly  destitute  of  faith,  however  eloquently  and  beautifully 
we  might  discourse  concerning  it.  For  if  faith  be,  as  has  been 
stated,  a certain  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  God,  that  it  can  nei- 
ther lie,  nor  deceive  us,  nor  be  frustrated,  — they  who  have  felt 
this  assurance,  likewise  expect  a period  to  arrive  when  God 
will  accomplish  his  promises,  which,  according  to  their  persua- 
sion, cannot  but  be  true ; so  that,  in  short,  hope  is  no  other 
than  an  expectation  of  those  things  which  faith  has  believed 
to  be  truly  promised  by  God.  Thus  faith  believes  the  vera- 
city of  God,  hope  expects  the  manifestation  of  it  in  due  time  ; 
faith  believes  him  to  be  our  Father,  hope  expects  him  always 
to  act  towards  us  in  this  character ; faith  believes  that  eternal 
life  is  given  to  us,  hope  expects  it  one  day  to  be  revealed  ; 
faith  is  the  foundation  on  which  hope  rests,  hope  nourishes  and 
sustains  faith.  For  as  no  man  can  have  any  expectations  from 
God,  but  he  who  has  first  believed  his  promises,  so  also  the 
imbecility  of  our  faith  must  be  sustained  and  cherished  by  pa- 
tient hope  and  expectation,  lest  it  grow  weary  and  faint.  For 
which  reason,  Paul  rightly  places  our  salvation  in  hope.  (5) 
For  hope,  while  it  is  silently  expecting  the  Lord,  restrains 
faith,  that  it  may  not  be  too  precipitate  ; it  confirms  faith,  that 
it  may  not  waver  in  the  Divine  promises,  or  begin  to  doubt  of 
the  truth  of  them  ; it  refreshes  it,  that  it  may  not  grow  Aveary ; 
it  extends  it  to  the  farthest  goal,  that  it  may  not  fail  in  the 
midst  of  the  course,  or  even  at  the  entrance  of  it.  Finally, 
hope,  by  continually  rencAving  and  restoring  faith,  causes  it 
frequently  to  persevere  Avith  more  vigour  than  hope  itself.  But 
in  hoAV  many  cases  the  assistance  of  hope  is  necessary  to  the 
establishment  of  faith,  Avill  better  appear,  if  Ave  consider  Iioaa^ 
many  species  of  temptations  assail  and  harass  those  Avho  have 
embraced  the  Avord  of  God.  First,  the  Lord,  by  deferring  the 
execution  of  his  promises,  frequently  keeps  our  minds  in  sus- 
pense longer  than  Ave  Avish  ; here  it  is  the  office  of  hope  to  obey 
the  injunction  of  the  prophet — though  it  tarry,  Avait  for  it.”  (f) 
Sometimes  he  not  only  suffers  us  to  languish,  but  openly  mani- 


(s)  Rom.  viii.  24. 


(1)  Heb.  ii.  3. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


533 


CHAP.  II.] 

fests  his  indignation  : in  this  case  it  is  much  more  necessary 
to  have  the  assistance  of  hope,  that,  according  to  the  language 
of  another  prophet,  we  may  wait  upon  the  Lord  that  hideth 
his  face  from  Jacob.”  {u)  Scoffers  also  arise,  as  Peter  says, 
and  inquire,  “ Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming  ? for  since 
the  fathers  fell  asleep,  all  things  continue  as  they  were  from 
the  beginning  of  the  creation.”  {lo)  And  the  flesh  and  the 
world  whisper  the  same  things  into  our  ears.  Here  faith  must 
be  supported  by  the  patience  of  hope,  and  kept  fixed  on  the 
contemplation  of  eternity,  that  it  may  consider  ^‘a  thousand 
years  as  one  day.”  {x) 

XLIII.  On  account  of  this  union  and  affinity,  the  Scrip- 
ture sometimes  uses  the  words  faith  and  hope  without  any 
distinction.  For  when  Peter  says  that  we  “are  kept  by  the 
power  ol  God  through  faith  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be  re- 
vealed,” [y)  he  attributes  to  faith,  what  was  more  applicable  to 
hope  ; and  not  without  reason,  since  we  have  already  shown, 
that  hope  is  no  other  than  the  nourishment  and  strength  of 
faith.  Sometimes  they  are  joined  together,  as  in  a passage  of 
the  same  Epistle  — “that  your  faith  and  hope  might  be  in 
God.”  {z)  But  Paul,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  (a)  de- 
duces expectation  from  hope  ; because  in  patient  hope  we  sus- 
pend our  desires  till  the  arrival  of  God’s  appointed  time.  All 
which  may  be  better  understood  from  the  tenth  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  {h)  which  I have  already  cited.  In 
another  place,  Paul,  though  with  some  impropriety  of  expres- 
sion, conveys  the  very  same  idea  in  these  words  : “We,  through 
the  Spirit,  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteousness  by  faith  ; ” (c) 
because,  having  embraced  the  testimony  of  the  gospel  concern- 
ing his  gratuitous  love,  we  wait  till  God  openly  manifests  what 
is  now  concealed  under  hope.  Now,  it  is  easy  to  see  the  ab- 
surdity of  Peter  Lombard,  in  laying  a twofold  foundation  of  hope  ; 
the  grace  of  God,  and  the  merit  of  works.  Hope  can  have  no 
other  object  than  faith  ; and  the  only  object  of  faith,  we  have 
very  clearly  stated  to  be  the  mercy  of  God  ; to  which  both  its 
eyes,  if  I may  be  allowed  the  expression,  ought  to  be  directed. 
But  it  may  be  proper  to  hear  what  kind  of  a reason  he  ad- 
vances. If,  says  he,  you  venture  to  hope  for  any  thing  with- 
out merits,  it  must  not  be  called  hope,  but  presumption.  Who 
is  there  that  will  not  justly  detest  such  teachers,  who  pro- 
nounce a confidence  in  the  veracity  of  God  to  be  temerity  and 
presumption  ? For  whereas  it  is  the  will  of  the  Lord  that  we 
should  expect  every  thing  from  his  goodness,  they  assert  that 
it  is  presumption  to  depend  and  rely  upon  it.  Such  a master  is 

(w)  Isaiah  viii.  17.  (y)  1 Pet.  i.  5.  Qj)  Heb.  x.  36. 

{w)  2 Pet.  iii.  4.  (z)  1 Pet.  i.  21.  (c)  Gal.  v.  5. 

(x)  Psalm  xc.  4.  2 Pet.  iii.  8.  (a)  Phil.  i.  20. 


534 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

worthy  of  such  disciples  as  he  has  found  in  the  schools  of 
wranglers  ! But,  as  for  us,  since  we  see  that  sinners  are  en 
joined  by  the  oracles  of  God  to  entertain  a hope  of  salvation, 
let  us  joyfully  presume  so  far  on  his  veracity  as  to  reject  all 
confidence  in  our  own  works,  to  depend  solely  on  his  mercy, 
and  venture  to  cherish  a hope  of  happiness.  He  who  said. 
According  .to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you,”  (c?)  will  not  de- 
ceive us. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

ON  REPENTANCE. 

Though  we  have  already  shown,  in  some  respect,  how  faith 
possesses  Christ,  and  how  by  means  of  faith  we  enjoy  his  bene- 
fits, yet  the  subject  would  still  be  involved  in  obscurity,  unless 
we  were  to  add  a description  of  the  effects  which  we  experi- 
ence. The  substance  of  the  gospel  is,  not  without  reason,  said 
to  be  comprised  in  ^A’epentance  and  remission  of  sins.”  There- 
fore, if  these  two  points  be  omitted,  every  controversy  concern- 
ing faith  will  be  jejune  and  incomplete,  and  consequently  of 
little  use.  Now,  since  both  are  conferred  on  us  by  Christ,  and 
we  obtain  both  by  faith,  — that  is,  newness  of  life  and  gratuitous 
reconciliation, — the  regular  method  of  instruction  requires  me, 
in  this  place,  to  enter  on  the  discussion  of  both.  But  our  im- 
mediate transition  will  be  from  faith  to  repentance  ; because, 
when  this  point  is  well  understood,  it  will  better  appear  how 
man  is  justified  by  faith  alone,  and  mere  pardon,  and  yet  that 
real  sanctity  of  life  (so  to  speak)  is  not  separated  from  the  gra- 
tuitous imputation  of  righteousness.  Now,  it  ought  not  to  be 
doubted  that  repentance  not  only  immediately  follows  faith,  but 
is  produced  by  it.  For  since  pardon,  or  remission,  is  offered  by 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  in  order  that  the  sinner,  liberated 
from  the  tyranny  of  Satan,  from  the  yoke  of  sin,  and  the  mise- 
rable servitude  of  his  vices,  may  remove  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,  — no  one  can  embrace  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  but  he  must 
depart  from  the  errors  of  his  former  life,  enter  into  the  right 
way,  and  devote  all  his  attention  to  the  exercise  of  repentance. 
Those  who  imagine  that  repentance  rather  precedes  faith,  than 
is  produced  by  it,  as  fruit  by  a tree,  have  never  been  acquainted 
with  its  power,  and  are  induced  to  adopt  that  sentiment  by  a 
very  insufficient  argument. 


{d)  Matt.  ix.  29. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


535 


CHAP.  III.] 

II.  They  argue  that  Jesus  Christ  and  John  the  Baptist,  in 
their  preaching,  first  exhort  the  people  to  repentance ; and 
afterwards  add,  that  ‘^the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand  ; ” (e) 
that  thus  the  apostles  were  commanded  to  preach,  and  that  this 
(according  to  the  account  of  Luke)  (/)  was  the  method  fol- 
lowed by  Paul.  But  they  superstitiously  attend  to- the  con- 
nection of  the  syllables,  and  disregard  the  sense  and  coherence 
of  the  words.  For  when  Christ  and  John  preach  in  this  man- 
ner, ‘‘Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand,”  (g)  do 
they  not  derive  an  argument  for  repentance  from  grace  itself, 
and  the  promise  of  salvation  ? The  meaning  of  their  language, 
therefore,  is  just  as  though  they  had  said,  Since  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand,  therefore  repent.  For  Matthew,  having 
related  that  John  preached  in  this  manner,  informs  us,  that  in 
him  was  accomplished  the  prediction  of  Isaiah  concerning  “ the 
voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight.”  But,  in  the  prophet,  that 
voice  is  commanded  to  begin  with  consolation  and  glad  ti- 
dings. (A)  Yet,  when  we  speak  of  faith  as  the  origin  of  re- 
pentance, we  dream  not  of  any  sp^ce  of  time  which  it  employs 
in  producing  it ; but  we  intend  to  signify,  that  a man  cannot 
truly  devote  himself  to  repentance,  unless  he  knows  himself  to 
be  of  God.  Now,  no  man  is  truly  persuaded  that  he  is  of  God, 
except  he  has  previously  received  his  grace.  But  these  things 
will  be  more  clearly  discussed  as  we  proceed.  This  circum- 
stance, perhaps,  has  deceived  them  — that  many  are  overcome  or 
led  to  obedience  by  terrors  of  conscience,  before  they  have  im- 
bibed a knowledge  of  grace,  or  have  even  tasted  it.  And  this 
is  the  initial  fear,  which  some  number  among  the  graces,  be- 
cause they  perceive  it  to  be  nearly  connected  with  true  and 
righteous  obedience.  But  we  are  not  inquiring,  at  present,  in 
how  many  ways  Christ  draws  us  to  himself,  or  prepares  us  for 
the  practice  of  piety  : only  I assert,  that  no  rectitude  can  be 
found  but  where  that  Spirit  reigns,  whom  he  has  received  in 
order  to  communicate  him  to  his  members.  In  the  next  place, 
according  to  this  passage  in  the  Psalms,  “ There  is  forgiveness 
with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared,”  (i)  no  man  will  ever 
reverence  God,  but  he  who  confides  in  his  being  propitious  to 
him  : no  man  will  cheerfully  devote  himself  to  the  Observance 
of  his  law,  but  he  who  is  persuaded  that  his  services  are  pleas- 
ing to  him  : and  this  indulgence  in  pardoning  us,  and  bearing 
with  our  faults,  is  an  evidence  of  his  paternal  favour.  The 
same  also  appears  from  this  exhortation  of  Hosea,  “ Come,  and 
let  us  return  unto  the  Lord  ; for  he  hath  torn,  and  he  will  heal 

(/)  Acts  XX.  21.  (g)  Matt.  iii.  2,  3. 

(i)  Psalm  cxxx.  4. 


(c)  Matt.  iii.  2 ; iv.  17. 

(k)  Isaiah  xl.  1,  3. 


536 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

us  ; he  hath  smitten,  and  he  will  bind  us  up ; ” {k)  because  the 
hope  of  pardon  is  added  as  a stimulus,  to  prevent  them  from 
being  stupefied  in  their  sins.  But  there  is  not  the  least  appear- 
ance of  reason  in  the  notion  of  those  who,  in  order  to  begin 
with  repentance,  prescribe  to  their  young  converts  certain  days, 
during  which  they  must  exercise  themselves  in  repentance  ; 
after  the  expiration  of  which,  they  admit  them  to  the  commu- 
nion of  evangelical  grace.  I speak  of  many  of  the  Anabaptists, 
especially  of  those  who  wonderfully  delight  in  being  account- 
ed spiritual';  and  their  companions,  the  Jesuits,  and  other  such 
worthless  men.  Such  are  the  effects  produced  by  that  spirit  of 
fanaticism,  tliat  it  terminates  repentance  within  the  limits  of  a 
few  short  days,  which  a Christian  ought  to  extend  throughout 
his  whole  life. 

III.  But  concerning  repentance,  some  learned  men,  in  times 
very  remote  from  the  present,  desiring  to  express  themselves 
with  simplicity  and  sincerity  according  to  the  rule  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, have  said  that  it  consists  of  two  parts  — mortification  and 
vivification.  Mortification  they  explain  to  be  the  sorrow  of  the 
mind,  and  the  terror  experienced  from  a knowledge  of  sin  and 
a sense  of  the  Divine  judgments.  For  when  any  one  has  been 
brought  to  a true  knowledge  of  sin,  he  then  begins  truly  to 
hate  and  abhor  it ; then  he  is  heartily  displeased  with  himself, 
confesses  himself  to  be  miserable  and  lost,  and  wishes  that  he 
were  another  man.  Moreover,  when  he  is  affected  with  some 
sense  of  the  Divine  judgment,  (for  the  one  immediately  follows 
the  other,)  then,  indeed,  he  is  stricken  with  consternation,  he 
trembles  with  humility  and  dejection,  he  feels  a despondency 
of  mind,  he  falls  into  despair.  This  is  the  first  part  of  repent- 
ance, which  they  have  generally  styled  contrition.  Vivifica- 
tion they  explain  to  be  the  consolation  which  is  produced  by 
faith  ; when  a man,  after  having  been  humbled  with  a con- 
sciousness of  sin,  and  stricken  with  the  fear  of  God,  afterwards 
contemplates  the  goodness  of  God,  and  the  mercy,  grace,  and 
salvation  bestowed,  through  Christ,  rises  from  his  depression, 
feels  himself  re-invigorated,  recovers  his  courage,  and  as  it  were 
returns  from  death  to  life.  These  terms,  provided  they  be 
rightly  understood,  are  sufficiently  adapted  to  express  the  nature 
of  repentance  ; but  when  they  explain  vivification  of  that  joy 
which  the  mind  experiences  after  its  perturbations  and  fears  are 
allayed,  I cannot  coincide  with  them ; since  it  should  father 
signify  an  ardent  desire  and  endeavour  to  live  a holy  and  pious 
life,  as  though  it  were  said,  that  a man  dies  to  himself,  that  he 
may  begin  to  live  to  God. 

IV.  Others,  perceiving  this  word  to  have  various  acceptations 


{k)  IIos.  vi.  1. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  537 

in  Scripture,  have  laid  down  two  kinds  of  repentance ; and,  to 
distinguish  them  by  some  character,  have  called  one  Legal ; in 
which  the  sinner,  wounded  by  the  envenomed  dart  of  sin,  and 
harassed  by  the  fear  of  Divine  wrath,  is  involved  in  deep  dis- 
tress, without  the  power  of  extricating  himself : the  other  they 
style  Evangelical ; in  which  the  sinner  is  grievously  afflicted 
in  himself,  but  rises  above  his  distress,  and  embraces  Christ  as 
the  medicine  for  his  wound,  the  consolation  of  his  terrors,  and 
his  refuge  from  all  misery.  Of  legal  repentance,  they  consider 
Cain,  Saul,  and  Judas,  as  examples  ; (/)  the  scriptural  account 
of  wiiose  repentance  gives  us  to  understand,  that  from  a know- 
ledge of  the  greatness  of  their  sins  they  dreaded  the  Divine 
wrath,  but  that  considering  God  only  as  an  avenger  and  a 
judge,  they  perished  under  that  apprehension.  Their  repent- 
ance, therefore,  was  only,  as  it  were,  the  antechamber  of  hell, 
which  having  already  entered  in  this  life,  they  began  to  siffler 
punishment  from  the  manifestation  of  the  wrath  of  the  Divine 
Majesty.  Evangelical  repentance  we  discover  in  all  who  have 
been  distressed  by  a sense  of  sin  in  themselves,  but  have  been 
raised  from  their  depression,  and  reinvigorated  by  a confidence 
in  the  Divine  mercy,  and  converted  to  the  Lord.  Hezekiah 
was  terrified  when  he  received  the  message  of  death;  (m)  but 
he  wept  and  prayed,  and,  contemplating  the  goodness  of  God, 
recovered  his  former  confidence.  The  Ninevites  were  con- 
founded by  the  terrible  denunciation  of  destruction  ; {n)  but 
they  covered  themselves  with  sackcloth  and  ashes,  and  prayed, 
in  hope  that  the  Lord  might  be  appeased,  and  the  fury  of  his 
wrath  averted.  David  confessed  that  he  had  committed  a 
great  sin  in  numbering  the  people  ; but  added,  O Lord,  take 
away  the  iniquity  of  thy  servant.”  (o)  He  acknowledged  his 
crime  of  adultery  at  the  rebuke  of  Nathan,  and  prostrated  him- 
self before  the  Lord ; but  at  the  same  time  cherished  ari  ex- 
pectation of  pardon,  (p)  ^ Such  was  the  repentance  of  those 
who  felt  compunction  of  heart  at  the  preaching  of  Peter,  but, 
confiding  in  the  goodness  of  God,  exclaimed,  ‘‘Men  and  bre- 
thren, what  shall  we  do  ? ” {q)  Such  also  was  that  of  Peter  him- 
self, who  wept  bitterly,  but  never  lost  his  hope. 

V.  Though  all  these  observations  are  true,  yet  the  term 
repentance^  as  far  as  I can  ascertain  from  the  Scriptures,  must 
have  a different  acceptation.  For  to  include  faith  in  repent- 
ance, is  repugnant  to  what  Paul  says  in  the  Acts  — that  he  tes- 
tified “ both  to  the  Jews,  and  also  to  the  Greeks,  repentance 
toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; ” (r) 
where  he  mentions  faith  and  repentance,  as  two  things  totally 

(/)  Gen.  iv.  13.  1 Sam.  xv.  30.  Matt,  xxvii.  3,  4. 

(m)  2 Kin^s  XX.  2.  Isaiah  xxxviii.  2,  {n)  Jonahiii.5. 

(o)  2 Sam.  xxiv.  10.  (;;)  2 Sam.  xii.  13 — 16.  {(j)  Acts  ii.  37.  (r)  Acts  xx.  21 

VOL.  I.  68 


538  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  IIJ. 

distinct.  What  then?  Can  true  repentance  exist  without 
faith?  Not  at  all.  But  though  they  cannot  be  separated, 
yet  they  ought  to  be  distinguished.  As  faith  exists  not 
without  hope,  and  yet  there  is  a ditference  between  them,  so 
repentance  and  faith,  although  they  are  perpetually  and 
indissolubly  united,  require  "to  be  connected  rather  than  con- 
founded. I am  well  aware,  that  under  the  term  repentance  is 
comprehended  a complete  conversion  to  God-,  of  which  faith  is 
one  of  the  principal  branches ; but  in  what  sense,  will  best  ap- 
pear from  an  explication  of  its  nature  and  properties.  The  He- 
brew word  for  repentance  denotes  conversion  or  return.  The 
Greek  word  signifies  change  of  mind  and  intention.  Repentance 
itself  corresponds  very  well  with  both  etymologies,  for  it 
comprehends  these  two  things  — that,  forsaking  ourselves,  we 
should  turn  to  God,  and  laying  ^ aside  our  old  mind,  shguld  as- 
sume a new  one.  Wherefore  I conceive  it  may  be  justly 
defined  to  be  “ a true  conversion  of  our  life  to  God,  proceeding 
from  a sincere  and  serious  fear  of  God,  and  consisting  in  the 
mortification  of  our  fiesh  and  of  the  old  WMn,  and  in  the  vivifi- 
cation  of  the  Spirit. In  this  sense  we  must  understand  all 
the  addresses,  in  which  either  the  prophets  in  ancient  days,  or 
the  apostles  in  a succeeding  age,  exhorted  their  contemporaries 
to  repentance.  For  the  point  to  which  they  endeavoured  to 
bring  them  was  this  — that  being  confounded  by  their  sins,  and 
penetrated  with  a fear  of  the  Divine  judgment,  they  might 
prostrate  themselves  in  humility  before  him  against  whom  they 
had  offended,  and  with  true  penitence  return  into  his  right 
way.  Therefore  these  expressions,  to  repent  ” (s)  and  “ to  re- 
turn to  the  Lord,^'’  {t)  are  promiscuously  used  by  them  in  the 
same  signification.  Hence  also  the  sacred  history  expresses 
repentance  by  seeking  after  and  folloiving  God,  when  men 
who  have  disregarded  him,  and  indulged  their  criminal  propen- 
sities, begin  to  obey  his  word,  and  are  ready  to  follow  whither- 
soever' he  calls  them.  And  John  and  Paul  have  spoken  of 
bringing  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance,”  to  signify  a life 
which,  in  every  action,  will  discover  and  testify  such  a re- 
pentance. 

VI.  But  before  we  proceed  any  further,  it  will  be  useful  to 
amplify  and  explain  the  definition  we  have  given ; in  which 
there  are  three  points  to  be  particularly  considered.  In  the 
first  place,  when  we  call  repentance  a conversion  of  the  life 
to  God,”  we  require  a transformation,  not  only  in  the  external 
actions,  but  in  the  soul  itself ; which,  after  having  put  off  its 
old  iiature,  should  produce  the  fruits  of  actions  corresponding 
to  its  renovation.  The  prophet,  intending  to  express  this  idea, 


(5)  Matt.  iii.  2. 


(t)  1 Sam.  vii.  3. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


539 


CHAP.  III.] 

commands  those  whom  he  calls  to  repentance,  to  make  them- 
selves a new  heart,  [ii)  Wherefore  Moses,  when  about  to  show 
how  the  Israelites  might  repent  and  be  rightly  converted  to  the 
Lord,  frequently  teaches  them  that  it  must  be  done  with  aL. 
their  heart,  and  with  all  their  soul ; and  by  speaking  of  the 
circumcision  of  the  heart,  he  enters  into  the  inmost  affections 
of  the  mind.  This  mode  of  expression  we  find  often  repeated 
by  the  prophets ; but  there  is  no  passage  from  which  we  may 
obtain  clearer  ideas  of  the  true  nature  of  repentance,  than  from 
the  language  of  God  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  Jeremiah : If 
thou  wilt  return,  O Israel,  saith  the  Lord,  return  unto  me. 
Bre-ak  up  your  fallow  ground,  and  sow  not  among  thorns.  Cir- 
cumcise yourselves  to  the  Lord,  and  take  away  the  foreskins 
of  your  heart.”  {w)  Observe  how  he  denounces  that  they  shall 
labour  in  vain  in  the  pursuit  of  righteousness,  unless  impiety 
be  previously  eradicated  from  the  bottom  of  their  hearts.  And 
in  order  to  make  a deeper  impression  upon  them,  he  apprizes 
them  that  they  have  to  do  with  God,  with  whom  subterfuges 
are  of  no  avail,  because  he  abhors  all  duplicity  of  heart.  For 
this  reason,  Isaiah  ridicules  the  preposterous  endeavours  of  hy- 
pocrites, who  did  indeed  strenuously  attempt  an  external  re- 
pentance by  the  observance  of  ceremonies,  but  at  the  same 
time  were  not  concerned  “ to  loose  the  bands  of  wickedness,”  {x) 
with  which  they  oppressed  the  poor.  In  that  passage  he  also 
beautifully  shows,  in  what  duties  unfeigned  repentance  pro- 
perly consists. 

VII.  In  the  second  place,  we  represented  repentance  as 
proceeding  from  a serious  fear  of  God.  For  before  the 
mind  of  a sinner  can  be  inclined  to  repentance,  it  must  be 
excited  by  a knowledge  of  the  Divine  judgment.  But  when 
this  thought  has  once  been  deeply  impressed,  that  God  will 
one  day  ascend  his  tribunal  to  exact  an  account  of  all  words 
and  actions,  it  will  not  permit  the  miserable  man  to  take 
any  interval  of  rest,  or  to  enjoy  even  a momentary  respite, 
but  perpetually  stimulates  him  to  adopt  a new  course  of  life, 
that  he  may  be  able  to  appear  with  security  at  that  judgment. 
Wherefore  the  Scripture,  when  it  exhorts  to  repentance,  fre- 
quently introduces  a mention  of  the  judgment : as  in  Jeremiah  ; 

Lest  my  fury  come  forth  like  fire,  and  burn  that  none  can 
quench  it,  because  of  the  evil  of  your  doings  : ” (y)  in  the  address 
of  Paul  to  the  Athenians  ; The  times  of  this  ignorance  God 
winked  at ; but  now  commandeth  all  men  every  where  to 
repent ; because  he  hath  appointed  a day  in  which  he  will 
judge  the  world  in  righteousness  : ” {z)  and  in  many  other 

(m)  Ezekiel  xviii.  31.  {w)  Jer.  iv.  1,  3,  4.  (x)  Isaiah  Iviii.  6. 

(?/)  Jer.  iv.  4.  {z)  Acts  xvii.  30,  31 


640  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  HI. 

places.  Sometimes,  by  the  punishments  already  inflicted, 
it  declares  that  God  is  a judge  ; in  order  that  sinners  may 
consider  with  themselves  that  worse  calamities  await  them, 
unless  they  speedily  repent.  We  have  an  example  of  this  in 
the  twenty-ninth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy.  But  since  conver- 
sion • commences  with  a dread  and  hatred  of  sin,  therefore  the 
apostle  makes  godly  sorrow  the  cause  of  repentance,  (a)  He 
calls  it  godly  sorrow  when  we  not  only  dread  punishment, 
but  hate  and  abhor  sin  itself,  from  a knowledge  that  it  is  dis- 
pleasing to  God.  Nor  ought  this  to  be  thought  strange  ; for, 
unless  we  felt  sharp  compunction,  our  carnal  sluggishness  could 
never  be  corrected,  and  even  these  distresses  of  mind  would 
not  be  sufflcient  to  arouse  it  from  its  stupidity  and  indolence, 
if  God,  by  the  infliction  of  his  chastisements,  did  not  make  a 
deeper  impression.  Beside  this,  there  is  a rebellious  obstinacy, 
which  requires  violent  blows,  as  it  were,  to  overcome  it.  The 
severity,  therefore,  which  God  uses  in  his  threatenings,  is  ex- 
torted from  him  by  the  depravity  of  our  minds  ; since  it  would 
be  in  vain  for  him  to  address  kind  and  alluring  invitations  to 
those  who  are  asleep.  I forbear  to  recite  the  testimonies  with 
which  the  Scripture  abounds.  The  fear  of  God  is  called  the 
beginning  of  repentance  also  for  another  reason ; because 
though  a man’s  life  were  ‘perfect  in  every  virtue,  if  it  be 
not  devoted  to  the  worship  of  God,  it  may  indeed  be  com- 
mended by  the  world,  but  in  heaven  it  will  be  only  an 
abomination ; since  the  principal  branch  of  righteousness  con- 
sists in  rendering  to  God  the  honour  due  to  him,  of  which 
he  is  impiously  defrauded,  when  it  is  not  our  end  and  aim 
to  submit  ourselves  to  his  government. 

YIII.  It  remains  for  us,  in  the  third  place,  to  explain 
our  position,  that  repentance  consists  of  two  parts  — the  morti- 
fication of  the  flesh  and  the  vivification  of  the  spirit.  This 
is  clearly  expressed  by  the  prophets,  although  in  a simple 
and  homely  manner,  according  to  the  capacity  of  a carnal 
people,  when  they  say,  Depart  from  evil,  and  do  good.”  (b) 
Again:  Wash  you,  make  you  clean;  put  away  the  evil  of 

your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes ; cease  to  do  e vil ; learn 
to  do  well ; seek  judgment ; relieve  the  oppressed,”  &c.  (c) 
For  when  they  call  men  ’ from  the  paths  of  wickedness, 
they  require  the  total  destruction  of  the  flesh,  which  is  full 
of  wickedness  and  perverseness.  It  is  a thing  truly  difficult 
and  arduous  to  put  off  ourselves,  and  to  depart  from  the  native 
bias  of  our  minds.  Nor  must  the  flesh  be  considered  as 
entirely  dead,  unless  all  that  we  have  of  ourselves  be  de- 
stroyed. But  since  the  universal  disposition  of  the  flesh 


(a)  2 Cor.  vii.  10. 


(b)  Psalm  xxxiv.  14. 


(c)  Isaiah  i.  16,  17. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  541 

is  settled  “ enmity  against  God,”  {d)  the  first  step  to  an  obedi- 
ence of  the  law  is  this  renunciation  of  our  own  nature. 
They  afterwards  designate  the  renovation  by  its  fruits  — right- 
eousness, judgment,  and  mercy.  For  a punctual  performance 
of  these  external  duties  would  not  be  sufficient,  unless  the 
mind  and  heart  had  previously  acquired  a disposition  of 
righteousness,  judgment,  and  mercy.  This  takes  place  when 
the  Spirit  of  God  has  tinctured  our  souls  with  his  holiness, 
and  given  them  such  new  thoughts  and  aflections,  that  they 
may  be  justly  considered  as  new,  [or  altogether  diflerent  from 
what  they  were  before.]  And  certainly,  as  we  have  a natural 
aversion  to  God,  we  shall  never  aim  at  that  which  is  right, 
without  a previous  renunciation  of  ourselves.  Therefore  we 
are  so  frequently  commanded  to  put  off  the  old  man,  to 
renounce  the  world  and  the  flesh,  to  forsake  our  lusts,  and 
to  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  mind.  Besides,  the 
very  word  mortification  reminds  us  how  difficult  it  is  to 
forget  our  former  nature ; for  it  implies  that  we  cannot  be 
formed  to  the  fear  of  God,  and  learn  the  rudiments  of  piety, 
without  being  violently  slain  and  annihilated  by  the  sword 
of  the  Spirit.  As  though  God  had  pronounced  that,  in  order 
our  being  numbered  among  his  children,  there  is  a necessity 
for  the  destruction  of  our  common  nature. 

IX.  Both  these  branches  of  repentance  are  effects  of  our 
participation  of  Christ.  For  if  we  truly  partake  of  his  death, 
our  old  man  is  crucified  by  its  power,  and  the  body  of  sin  ex- 
pires, so  that  the  corruption  of  our  former  nature  loses  all  its 
vigour,  (e)  If  we  are  partakers  of  his  resurrection,  we  are 
raised  by  it  to  a newness  of  life,  which  corresponds  with  the 
righteousness  of  God.  In  one  word  I apprehend  repentance  to 
be  regeneration,  the  end  of  which  is  the  restoration  of  the  Di- 
vine image  within  us ; which  was  defaced,  and  almost  oblite- 
rated, by  the  transgression  of  Adam.  Thus  the  apostle  teaches 
us,  when  he  says,  “ But  we  all,  with  open  face  beholding  as  in 
a glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image 
from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.”  (/) 
Again  : Be  ye  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind ; and  put  on 
the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and 
true  holiness.”  {g)  Again,  in  another  place  : And  ye  have 
put  on  the  new  man,  which  is  renewed  in  knowledge  after  the 
image  of  him  that  created  him.”  {h)  Wherefore,  in  this  re- 
generation, we  are  restored  by  the  grace  of  Christ  to  the  right- 
eousness of  God,  from  which  we  fell  in  Adam  ; in  which  man- 
ner the  Lord  is  pleased  completely  to  restore  all  those  whom 


542  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  111 

he  adopts  to  the  inheritance  of  life.  And  this  restoration  is 
not  accomplished  in  a single  moment,  or  day,  or  year ; but  by 
continual,  and  sometimes  even  tardy  advances,  the  Lord  destroys 
the  carnal  corruptions  of  his  chosen,  purifies  them  from  all  pollu- 
tion, and  consecrates  them  as  temples  to  himself^;  renewing  all 
their  senses  to  real  purity,  that  they  may  employ  their  whole 
life  in  the  exercise  of  repentance,  and  know  that  this  warfare 
will  be  terminated  only  by  death.  And  so  much  the  greater 
is  the  wickedness  of  that  impure  and  quarrelsome  apostate  Sta- 
pliylus,  who  idly  pretends  that  I confound  the  state  of  the 
present  life  with  the  glory  of  heaven,  when  I explain  the 
image  of  God,  according  to  Paul,  to  be  righteousness  and  true 
holiness.  As  if,  indeed,  when  any  thing  is  to  be  defined,  we 
are  not  to  inquire  after  the  completeness  and  perfection  of  it. 
It  is  not  denied  that  there  is  room  for  further  advances ; but  I 
assert,  that  as  far  as  any  man  approaches  to  a resemblance  of 
God,  so  far  the  image  of  God  is  displayed  in  him.  That  be- 
lievers may  attain  to  this,  God  assigns  them  the  race  of  re- 
pentance to  run  during  their  whole  life. 

X.  Thus,  therefore,  the  children  of  God  are  liberated  by 
regeneration  from  the  servitude  of  sin ; not  that  they  have 
already  obtained  the  full  possession  of  liberty,  and  experience 
no  more  trouble  from  the  flesh,  but  there  remains  in  them  a 
perpetual  cause  of  contention  to  exercise  them ; and  not  only 
to  exercise jthem,  but  also  to  make  them  better  acquainted  with 
their  own  infirmity.  And  on  this  subject  all  sound  writers  are 
agreed  — that  there  still  remains  in  a regenerate  man  a foun- 
tain of  evil,  continually  producing  irregular  desires,  which 
allure  and  stimulate  him  to  the  commission  of  sin.  They  ac- 
knowledge, also,  that  saints  are  still  so  afiiicted  with  the  disease 
of  concupiscence,  that  they  cannot  prevent  their  being  fre- 
quently stimulated  and  incited  either  to  lust,  or  to  avarice,  or 
to  ambition,  or  to  other  vices.  There  is  no  need  of  a laborious 
investigation,  to  learn  what  were  the  sentiments  of  the  fathers 
on  this  subject : it  will  be  sufficient  to  consult  Augustine  alone, 
who  with  great  diligence  and  fidelity  has  collected  the  opin- 
ions of  them  all.  From  him,  then,  the  reader  may  receive  all 
the  certainty  he  can  desire  concerning  the  sense  of  antiquity. 
Between  him  and  us,  this  difference  may  be  discovered  — that 
while  he  concedes  that  believers,  as  long  as  they  inhabit  a 
mortal  body,  are  so  bound  by  concupiscence  that  they  cannot 
but  feel  irregular  desires,  yet  he  ventures  not  to  call  this  disease 
by  the  name  of  sin^  but,  content  with  designating  it  by  the  ap- 
pellation of  infirmity,  teaches  that  it  only  becomes  sin  in  cases 
where  either  action  or  consent  is  added  to  the  conception  or 
apprehension  of  the  mind,  that  is,  where  the  will  yields  to  the 
first  impulse  of  appetite.  But  we,  on  the  contrary,  deem  it  to 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


643 


CHAP.  III.] 

be  sin,  whenever  a man  feels  any  evil  desires  contrary  to  the 
Divine  law  ; and  we  also  assert  the  depravity  itself  to  be  sin, 
which  produces  these  desires  in  our  minds.  We  maintain, 
therefore,  that  sin  always  exists  in  the  saints,  till  they  are  di- 
vested of  the  mortal  body ; because  their  flesh  is  the  residence 
of  that  depravity  of  concupiscence,  which  is  repugnant  to  all 
rectitude.  Nevertheless,  he  has  not  always  refrained  from 
using  the  word  sm  in  this  sense ; as  when  he  says,  Paul 
gives  the  appellation  of  sin  to  this,  from  which  all  sins  pro- 
ceed, that  is,  to  carnal  concupiscence.  This,  as  it  respects  the 
saints,  loses  its  kingdom  on  earth,  and  has  no  existence  in 
heaven.”  In  these  words  he  acknowledges  that  believers  are 
guilty  of  sin,  inasmuch  as  they  are  the  subjects  of  carnal  con- 
cupiscence. 

XL  But  when  God  is  said  “ to  cleanse  his  church  ” (i)  from 
all  sin,  to  promise  the  grace  of  deliverance  in  baptism,  and  to 
fulfil  it  in  his  elect,  — we  refer  these  phrases  rather  to  the  guilt 
of  sin,  than  to  the  existence  of  sin.  In  the  regeneration  of 
his  children,  God  does  indeed  destroy  the  kingdom  of  sin  in 
them,  (for  the  Spirit  supplies  them  with  strength,  which  renders 
them  victorious  in  the  conflict ;)  but  though  it  ceases  to  reign,  it 
continues  to  dwell  in  them.  Wherefore  we  say,  that  “ the  old 
man  is  crucified,”  {k)  that  the  law  of  sin  is  abolished  in  the 
children  of  God,  yet  so  that  some  relics  remain ; not  to  pre- 
dominate over  them,  but  to  humble  them  with  a consciousness 
of  their  infirmity.  We  grant,  indeed,  that  they  are  not  impu- 
ted, any  more  than  if  they  did  not  exist ; but  we  likewise  con- 
tend that  it  is  owing  to  the  mercy  of  God  that  the  saints  are 
delivered  from  this  guilt,  who  would  otherwise  be  justly  ac- 
counted sinners  and  guilty  before  him.  Nor  will  it  be  difficult 
for  us  to  confirm  this  opinion,  since  there  are  clear  testimonies 
of  Scripture  to  support  it.  What  can  we  desire  more  explicit 
than  the  declaration  of  Paul  to  the  Romans  ? {1)  In  the  first 
place,  that  he  there  speaks  in  the  character  of  a regenerate 
man,  we  have  already  shown ; and  Augustine  has  evinced  the 
same  by  the  strongest  arguments.  I say  nothing  of  his  using 
the  words  evil  and  sin.  However  those  who  wish  to  oppose 
us  may  cavil  at  those  words,  yet  who  can  deny  that  a resist- 
ance to  the  Divine  law  is  evil  ? who  can  deny  that  an  opposition 
to  righteousness  is  sin  ? finally,  who  will  not  admit  that  there 
is  guilt  wherever  there  is  spiritual  misery  ? But  all  these  things 
are  affirmed  by  Paul  respecting  this  disease.  Besides,  we  have 
a certain  demonstration  from  the  law,  by  which  this  whole 
question  may  be  briefly  decided.  For  we  are  commanded  to 
love  God  with  all  our  heart,  with  all  our  mind,  and  with  all  our 


(t)  Eph.  V.  26. 


(Jc)  Rom.  vi.  6. 


(1)  Rom.  vii. 


544 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

Strength.  Since  all  the  powers  of  our  soul  ought  to  he  thus 
occupied  by  the  love  of  God,  it  is  evident  that  the  precept  is 
not  fulfilled  by  those  who  receive  into  their  hearts  the  least  de- 
sire, or  admit  into  their  minds  any  thought,  which  may  draw 
them  aside  from  the  love  of  God  into  vanity.  What  then  ? Are 
not  these  properties  of  the  soul,  — to  he  affected  with  sudden 
emotions,  to  apprehend  in  the  sensory,  and  to  form  conceptions 
in  the  mind  ? When  these,  therefore,  open  a way  for  the  ad- 
mission of  vain  and  corrupt  thoughts,  do  they  not  show  that 
they  are  so  far  destitute  of  the  love  of  God  ? Whoever,  there- 
fore, refuses  to  acknowledge  that  all  the  inordinate  desires  of 
the  flesh  are  sins,  and  that  that  malady  of  concupiscence,  which 
they  call  an  incentive  to  sin,  is  the  source  of  sin,  must  necessa- 
rily deny  the  transgression  of  the  law  to  be  sin. 

XII.  If  it  be  thought  absurd,  that  all  the  natural  appetites 
of  man  should  be  thus  universally  condemned,  since  they  were 
implanted  by  God,  the  author  of  nature,  — we  reply,  that  we 
by  no  means  condemn  those  desires,  which  God  implanted  so 
deeply  in  the  nature  of  man  at  his  first  creation  that  they  can- 
not be  eradicated  from  it  without  destroying  humanity  itself, 
but  only  those  insolent  and  lawless  appetites  which  resist  the 
commands  of  God.  But  now,  since,  through  the  depravity  of 
nature,  all  its  powers  are  so  vitiated  and  corrupted,  that  disorder 
and  intemperance  are  visible  in  all  our  actions ; because  the  ap- 
petites are  inseparable  from  such  excesses,  therefore  we  maintain 
that  they  are  corrupt.  Or,  if  it  be  wished  to  have  the  substance 
of  our  opinion  in  fewer  words,  we  say,  that  all  the  desires  of 
men  are  evil ; and  we  consider  them  to  be  sinful,  not  as  they  are 
natural,  but  because  they  are  inordinate ; and  we  affirm  they 
are  inordinate,  because  nothing  pure  or  immaculate  can  proceed 
from  a corrupted  and  polluted  nature.  Nor  does  Augustine  de- 
viate from  this  doctrine  so  much  as  he  appears  to  do.  When 
he  is  too  much  afraid  of  the  odium  with  which  the  Pelagians 
endeavoured  to  overwhelm  him,  he  sometimes  refrains  from 
using  the  word  sin:  yet  when  he  says,  ‘^that  the  law  of  sin 
remains  in  the  saints,  and  that  only  the  guilt  is  abolished,”  he 
sufficiently  indicates  that  he  is  not  averse  to  our  opinion. 

XIII.  We  will  adduce  some  other  passages,  from  which  his 
sentiments  will  more  fully  appear.  In  his  second  book  against 
Julian  : This  law  of  sin  is  both  abolished  in  the  spiritual  re- 
generation, and  continues  in  the  mortal  flesh ; abolished,  since 
the  guilt  is  removed  in  the  sacrament,  by  which  believers  are 
regenerated ; but  continues,  because  it  produces  those  desires 
against  which  also  believers  contend.”  Again  : Therefore  the 
law  of  sin,  which  was  in  the  members  even  of  so  great  an  apostle, 
is  abolished  in  baptism,  but  not  finally  destroyed.”  Again  : 
‘‘  The  law  of  sin,  the  remaining  guilt  of  which  is  removed  in 


CHAP.  III.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


546 


baptism,  Ambrose  has  called  iniquity ; because  it  is  iniquitous 
for  the  flesh  to  lust  against  the  spirit.”  Again:  “ Sin  is  dead  in 
that  guilt  in  which  it  held  us  ; and,  although  dead,  it  will  rebel 
till  it  is  cured  by  the  perfection  of  burial.”  In  the  fifth  book, 
he  is  still  more  explicit : As  blindness  of  heart  is  both  a sin, 
which  consists  in  a man’s  not  believing  in  God ; and  a punish- 
ment for  sin,  by  which  a proud  heart  is  deservedly  punished  ; 
and  also  a cause  of  sin,  when  any  is  committed  through  the  error 
of  a blind  heart ; so  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh,  against  which 
the  good  spirit  lusteth,  is  both  a sin,  because  it  is  a disobedience 
against  the  gownment  of  fhe  mind  ; and  a punishment  for  sin, 
because  it  is  iimicted  for  the  demerits  of  the  disobedient ; and 
also  a cause  of  sin,  consenting  by  defection,  or  produced  from  con- 
tagion.” Here  he  styles  it  sm,  without  any  ambiguity  ; because, 
having  overthrown  error  and  confirmed  the  truth,  he  is  not  so 
much  afraid  of  calumnies  ; as  also  in  the  forty-first  homily  on 
John,  where  he  undoubtedly  speaks  the  real  sentiments  of  his 
mind  : If  in  the  flesh  you  serve  the  law  of  sin,  do  what  the  apos- 
tle himself  says  — ‘ Let  not  sin  reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye 
should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof.’  {m)  He  says  not,  let  it  not 
exist ; but,  let  it  not  reign.  As  long  as  you  live,  sin  must  neces- 
sarily exist  in  your  members  ,*  let  it  at  least  be  divested  of  its 
kingdom,  so  that  its  commands  may  not  be  fulfilled.”  Those 
who  contend  that  concupiscence  is  not  sin,  commonly  object 
this  passage  of  James  — When  lust  hath  conceived,  it  bringeth 
forth  sin.”  (n)  But  this  objection  is  easily  repelled ; for,  unless 
we  understand  him  there  to  speak  of  evil  works  exclusively,  or 
of  actual  sins,  even  an  evil  volition  cannot  be  accounted  sin. 
But  from  his  calling  flagitious  and  criminal  actions  the  offspring 
of  lust,  and  attributing  to  them  the  name  of  sin,  it  does  not 
necessarily  follow  that  concupiscence  is  not  an  evil  thing,  and 
deserving  of  condemnation  in  the  sight  of  God.. 

XIY.  Some  Anabaptists,  in  the  present  age,  imagine  I know 
not  what  frantic  intemperance,  instead  of  spiritual  regenera- 
tion — that  the  children  of  God,  being  restored  to  a state  of 
innocence,  are  no  longer  obliged  to  be  solicitous  to  restrain  the 
licentiousness  of  the  flesh,  but  that  they  ought  to  > follow  the 
leadings  of  the  Spirit,  under  whose  direction  it  is  impossible 
ever  to  err.  It  would  be  incredible  that  the  mind  of  man  should 
fall  into  such  madness,  did  they  not  publicly  and  haughtily  dis- 
seminate this  opinion.  It  is  indeed  truly  prodigious ; but  it  is 
just  and  reasonable,  that  those  who  have  persuaded  themselves 
to  pervert  the  truth  of  God  into  a falsehood,  should  suffer  such 
punishment  for  their  sacrilegious  presumption.  Must  all  dis- 
tinction, then,  of  honour  and  turpitude,  justice  and  injustice,  good 


VOL.  I. 


{m)  Rom.  vi.  12. 

69 


(ra)  James  i.  15. 


546  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III 

and  evil,  virtue  and  vice,  be  annihilated  ? This  difference,  they 
say,  proceeds  from  the  malediction  of  the  old  Adam,  from 
which  we  are  delivered  by  Christ.  Then  there  will  be  no  dif- 
ference now  between  chastity  and  fornication,  sincerity  and 
knavery,  truth  and  falsehood,  equity  and  rapine.  Dismiss  (they 
say)  all  vain  fear ; the  Spirit  will  command  you  nothing  that  is 
evil,  provided  you  securely  and  intrepidly  resign  yourself  to  his 
direction.  Who  is  not  astonished  at  these  monstrous  notions  ? 
Yet  this  is  a popular  philosophy  among  those,  who,  blinded  by  the 
violence  of  their  appetites,  have  discarded  cormnon  sense.  But 
what  kind  of  a Christ,  and  what  kind  of  a Spii^,  have  they  fa- 
bricated for  us  ? For  we  acknowledge  one  Christ  and  his  Spirit 
alone ; whom  the  prophets  have  celebrated,  whom  the  gospel 
proclaims  as  revealed,  but  of  whom  it  gives  us  no  such  account 
as  this.  That  Spirit  is  not  the  patron  of  murder,  fornication, 
drunkenness,  pride,  contention,  avarice,  or  fraud  ; but  the  author 
of  love,  chastity,  sobriety,  modesty,  peace,  moderation,  and 
truth.  He  is  not  a Spirit  of  fanaticism,  rushing  precipitately, 
without  any  consideration,  through  right  and  wrong  ; but  is  full 
of  wisdom  and  understanding,  rightly  to  discern  between  jus- 
tice and  injustice.  He  never  instigates  to  dissolute  and  unre- 
strained licentiousness ; but,  discriminating  between  what  is 
lawful  and  what  is  unlawful,  inculcates  temperance  and  mo- 
deration. But  why  should  we  spend,  any  more  labour  in  refu- 
ting this  monstrous  frenzy  ? To  Christians  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  is  not  a turbulent  phantom,  which  they  have  either 
spawned  themselves  in  a dream,  or  received  from  the  invention 
of  others  ,*  but  they  religiously  seek  the  knowledge  of  him  in 
the  Scriptures,  where  these  two  things  are  delivered  concerning 
him  — first,  that  he  is  given  to  us  in  order  to  our  sanctification, 
to  purify  us  from  all  our  pollutions,  and  lead  us  to  obey  the 
Divine  righteousness ; which  obedience  cannot  exist  without 
the  subjugation  of  the  appetites,  to  which  these  men  would 
allow  an  unlimited  license  : in  the  next  place,  that  we  are 
so  purified  by  his  sanctification,  that  we  are  nevertheless  still 
encompassed  with  numerous  vices  and  great  infirmity,  as  long 
as  we  are  burdened  with  the  body.  Wherefore,  being  at  a 
great  distance  from  perfection,  it  behoves  us  to  make  continual 
advances  ; and  being  entangled  in  vices,  we  have  need  to  strive 
against  them  every  day.  Hence,  also,  it  follows  that  we  ought 
to  shake  off  all  slothful  security,  and  exert  the  most  vigilant 
attention,  lest,  without  caution,  we  should  be  surprised  and 
overcome  by  the  snares  of  our  flesh ; unless  we  are  well  as- 
sured that  we  have  made  a greater  progress  than  the  apostle ; 
who,  nevertheless,  was  buffeted  by  the  ^‘messenger  of  Satan,”  (o) 


(o)  2 Cor.  xii.  7,  9. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


547 


CHAP.  III.] 

that  his  Strength  might  be  ‘^made  perfect  in  weakness ;”  (^) 
and  who  faithfully  represented  the  conflict  between  the  flesh 
and  the  Spirit,  which  he  experienced  in  his  own  person. 

XV.  When  the  apostle,  in  a description  of  repentance,  enu- 
merates seven  things,  which  are  either  causes  producing  it,  or 
effects  proceeding  from  it,  or  members  and  parts  of  it,  he  does 
it  for  a very  good  reason.  These  things  are,  carefulness,  ex- 
cuse, indignation,  fear,  vehement  desire,  zeal,  revenge,  (q)  Nor 
ought  it  to  be  thought  strange  that  I venture  not  to  determine 
whether  they  should  be  considered  as  causes  or  effects;  for 
arguments  may  be  adduced  in  support  of  both.  They  may 
also  be  styled  affections  connected  with  repentance  ; but  as  we 
may  discover  the  meaning  of  Paul  without  discussing  these 
questions,  we  shall  be  content  with  a simple  exposition  of  them. 
He  says,  then,  that  godly  sorrow  produces  solicitude.  For  a 
person  who  is  affected  with  a serious  sense  of  displeasure  be- 
cause he  has  sinned  against  his  God,  is  at  the  same  time  sti- 
mulated to  diligence  and  attention,  that  he  may  completely 
extricate  himself  from  the  snares  of  the  devil,  and  be  more 
cautious  of  his  insidious  attacks,  that  he  may  not  in  future 
disobey  the  government  of  the  Spirit,  or  be  overcome  with  a 
careless  security.  The  next  thing  is  self-excuse,  which  in  this 
place  signifies  not  a defence  by  which  a sinner  tries  to  escape 
the  judgment  of  God,  either  by  denying  his  transgressions  or 
extenuating  his  guilt,  but  a kind  of  excuse,  consisting  rather 
in  deprecation  of  punishment  than  in  confidence  of  his  cause. 
Just  as  children,  who  are  not  absolutely  lost  to  all  sense  of  duty, 
while  they  acknowledge  and  confess  their  faults,  at  the  same 
time  deprecate  punishment,  and,  in  order  to  succeed,  testify  by 
every  possible  method  that  they  have  not  cast  off  that  reverence 
which  is  due  to  their  parents ; in  a word,  they  excuse  them- 
selves in  such  a manner,  not  to  prove  themselves  righteous  and 
innocent,  but  only  to  obtain  pardon.  This  is  followed  by  in- 
dignation,  in  which  the  sinner  laments  within  himself,  expos- 
tulates with  himself,  and  is  angry  with  himself,  while  he  re- 
collects his  perverseness  and  ingratitude  to  God.  The  word 
fear  denotes  that  trepidation  with  which  our  minds  are  pe- 
netrated, whenever  we  reflect  upon  our  demerits,  and  on  the 
terrible  severity  of  the  Divine  wrath  against  sinners.  For  we 
cannot  but  be  agitated  with  an  amazing  inquietude,  which 
teaches  us  humility,  and  renders  us  more  cautious  for  the 
future.  Now,  if  the  solicitude  before  mentioned  be  the  oftspring 
of  fear,  we  see  the  connection  and  coherence  between  them. 
He  appears  to  me  to  have  used  the  word  desire  to  denote 
diligence  in  duty  and  alacrity  of  obedience,  to  which  the 


(p)  Rom.  vii. 


{q)  2 Cor.  vii.  11. 


548  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III 

knowledge  of  our  faults  ought  to  be  a most  powerful  stimulus. 
Similar  to  this  is  the  meaning  of  zeal^  which  he  immediately 
subjoins  ; for  it  signifies  the  ardour  with  which  we  are  in- 
flamed, when  we  are  roused  with  such  thoughts  as  these : 

What  have  I done  ? Whither  had  I precipitated  myself,  if  I 
had  not  been  succoured  by  the  mercy  of  God  ? ” The  last 
thing  is  revenge^  or  punishment ; for  the  greater  our  severity  is 
towards  ourselves,  and  the  stricter  inquisition  we  make  con- 
cerning our  sins,  so  much  the  stronger  hope  ought  we  to 
entertain  that  God  will  be  propitious  and  merciful.  And,  in- 
deed, it  is  impossible  but  that  a soul,  impressed  with  a dread  of 
the  Divine  judgment,  must  inflict  some  punishment  on  itself. 
Truly  pious  persons  experience  what  punishments  are  con- 
tained in  shame,  confusion,  lamentation,  displeasure  with  them- 
selves, and  the  other  affections  which  arise  from  a serious 
acknowledgment  of  their  transgressions.  But  let  us  remember 
that  some  limit  must  be  observed,  that  we  may  hot  be  over- 
whelmed in  sorrow ; for  to  nothing  are  terrified  consciences 
more  liable  than  to  fall  into  despair.  And  with  this  artifice, 
also,  whomsoever  Satan  perceives  to  be  dejected  by  a fear  of 
God,  he  plunges  them  further  and  further  into  the  deep  gulf  of 
sorrow,  that  they  may  never  arise  again.  That  fear,  indeed, 
cannot  be  excessive,  which  terminates  in  humility,  and  departs 
not  from  the  hope  of  pardon.  Nevertheless,  the  sinner  should 
always  be  on  his  guard,  according  to  the  direction  of  the  apos- 
tle, (r)  lest  while  he  excites  his  heart  to  be  displeased  with 
himself,  he  he  wearied  with  excessive  dread,  and  faint  in  his 
mind;  for  this  would  drive  us  away  from  God,  who  calls  us  to 
himself  by  repentance.  On  this  subject,  Bernard  also  gives  a 
very  useful  admonition : “ Sorrow  for  sin  is  necessary,  if  it  be 
not  perpetual.  I advise  you  sometimes  to  quit  the  anxious 
and  painful  recollection  of  your  own  ways,  and  to  arise  to  an 
agreeable  and  serene'  remembrance  of  the  Divine  blessings. 
Let  us  mingle  honey  with  wormwood,  that  its  salutary  bitter- 
ness may  restore  our  health,  when  it  shall  be  drunk  tempered 
with  a mixture  of  sweetness ; and  if  you  reflect  on  your  own 
meanness,  reflect  also  on  the  goodness  of  the  Lord.” 

XVI.  Now,  it  may  also  be  understood  what  are  the  fruits 
of  repentance.  They  are,  the  duties  of  piety  towards  God, 
and  of  charity  tow'ards  men,  with  sanctity  and  purity  in  our 
whole  life.  In  a word,  the  more  diligently  any  one  examines 
his  life  by  the  rule  of  the  Divine  law,  so  much  the  more  certain 
evidences  he  discovers  of  his  repentance.  The  Spirit,  there- 
fore, in  frequently  exhorting  us  to  repentance,  calls  our  atten- 
tion, sometimes  to  all  the  precepts  of  the  law,  sometimes  to  the 


(r)  Heb.  xii.  3. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  549 

duties  of  the  second  table  ; though  in  other  places,  after  having 
condemned  impurity  in  the  very  fountain  of  the  heart,  he  pro- 
ceeds to  those  external  testimonies  which  evidence  a sincere 
repentance  ; a view  of  which  I will  soon  exhibit  to  the  reader, 
in  a description  of  the  Christian  life.  I shall  not  collect  testi- 
monies from  the  prophets,  in  which  they  partly  ridicule  the 
follies  of  those  who  attempt  to  appease  God  by  ceremonies, 
and  demonstrate  them  to  be  mere  mockeries  ; and  partly  in- 
culcate, that  external  integrity  of  life  is  not  the  principal  branch 
of  ‘’epentance,  because  God  looks  at  the  heart.  He  that  is 
but  ordinarily  acquainted  with  the  Scripture,  will  discover  of 
himself,  without  being  informed  by  any  one,  that  in  our  con- 
cerns with  God,  we  adv^ance  not  a single  step  unless  we  begin 
with  the  internal  affection  of  the  heart.  And  this  passage  of 
Joel  will  afford  us  no  small  assistance  in  the  interpretation  of 
others  : “ Rend  your  heart,  and  not  your  garments.”  (s)  Both 
these  ideas  are  briefly  expressed  in  these  words  of  James  — 
“ Cleanse  your  hands,  ye  sinners ; and  purify  your  hearts,  ye 
double  minded  ; ” (^)  where  there  is  indeed  an  addition  made 
to  the  first  clause ; but  the  fountain,  or  original,  is  next  dis- 
covered, showing  the  necessity  of  cleansing  the  secret,  pollu- 
tion, that  an  altar  may  be  erected  to  God  even  in  the  heart. 
There  are  likewise  some  external  exercises  which  we  use,  in 
private,  as  remedies  either  to  humble  ourselves,  or  to  subdue 
our  carnality  ; and  in  public,  to  testify  our  repentance.  They 
proceed  from  the  revenge  mentioned  by  Paul  \[u)  for  it  is  na- 
tural to  an  afflicted  mind  to  continue  in  a squalid  condition, 
groaning  and  weeping,  to  avoid  every  kind  of  splendour  and 
pomp,  and  to  forsake  all  pleasures.  He  who  experiences  the 
great  evil  of  the  rebellion  of  the  flesh,  seeks  every  remedy  to 
restrain  it.  He  who  properly  considers  what  a grievous  thing 
it  is  to  have  offended  the  justice  of  God,  can  enjoy  no  repose 
till  he  has  glorified  God  by  his  humility.  Such  exercises  are 
frequently  mentioned  by  the  old  writers,  when  they  speak  of 
the  fruits  of  repentance.  And  though  they  by  no  means  make 
repentance  wholly  to  consist  in  them,  yet  the  reader  will 
pardon  me  if  I deliver  my  opinion,  that  they  appear  to  me  to 
insist  upon  them  more  than  they  ought.  And  I hope  every 
one,  on  a sober  examination,  will  agree  with  me,  that  they 
have  gone  beyond  all  due  bounds  in  two  respects.  For  when 
they  so  strongly  urged  and  so  extravagantly  recommended  that 
corporeal  discipline,  the  consequence  was  indeed  that  the  com- 
mon people  adopted  it  with  great  ardour;  but  they  also  ob- 
scured that  which  ought  to  be  esteemed  of  infinitely  greater 
importance.  Secondly,  in  the  infliction  of  castigations,  the}^ 

{s)  Joel  ii.  13.  (I)  James  iv.  8.  (u)  2 Cor.  vii.  11. 


550 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

used  rather  more  rigour  than  was  consistent  with  ecclesiastical 
gentleness.  But  we  shall  have  to  treat  of  this  in  another  place. 

XVII.  But  as  some  persons,  when  they  find  weeping,  fast- 
ing, and  ashes  mentioned,  not  only  in  many  other  passages  of 
Scripture,  but  particularly  in  Joel,  {v)  consider  fasting  and 
weeping  as  the  principal  part  of  repentance,  their  mistake  re- 
quires to  be  rectified.  What  is  there  said  of  the  conversion  of 
the  whole  heart  to  the  Lord,  and  of  rending  not  the  garments, 
but  the  heart,  properly  belongs  to  repentance ; but  weeping 
and  fasting  are  not  added  as  perpetual  or  necessary  effects  of  it, 
but  as  circumstances  belonging  to  a particular  case.  Having 
prophesied  that  a most  grievous  destruction  was  impending 
over  the  Jews,  he  persuades  them  to  prevent  the  Divine  wrath, 
not  only  by  repentance,  but  also  by  exhibiting  external  de- 
monstrations of  sorrow.  For  as  it  was  customary,  in  ancient 
times,  for  an  accused  person  to  present  himself  in  a suppliant 
posture,  with  a long  beard,  dishevelled  hair,  and  mourning  ap- 
parel, in  order  to  conciliate  the  compassion  of  the  judge,  so  it 
became  those  who  stood  as  criminals  before  the  tribunal  of 
God,  to  deprecate  his  severity  in  a condition  calculated  to  ex- 
cite commiseration.  Though  sackcloth  and  ashes  were  perhaps 
more  suitable  to  those  times,  yet  it  is  evident  that  the  practice 
of  weeping  and  fasting  would  be  very  seasonable  among  us, 
whenever  the  Lord  appears  to  threaten  us  with  any  afiliction 
or  calamity.  For  when  he  causes  danger  to  appear,  he,  as  it 
were,  denounces  that  he  is  prepared  and  armed  for  the  exercise 
of  vengeance.  The  prophet,  therefore,  was  right  in  exhorting 
his  countrymen  to  weeping  and  fasting ; that  is,  to  the  sadness 
of  persons  under  accusation,  into  whose  offences  he  had  just 
before  said  that  an  examination  was  instituted.  Neither  would 
the  pastors  of  the  church  act  improperly  in  the  present  age,  if, 
when  they  perceived  calamity  impending  over  the  heads  of 
their  people,  they  called  them  to  immediate  weeping  and  fast- 
ing ; provided  they  always  insisted  with  the  greatest  fervour 
and  diligence  on  the  principal  point,  which  is,  that  they  must 
rend  their  hearts,  and  not  their  garments.  It  is  certain,  that 
fasting  is  not  always  the  concomitant  of  repentance,  but  is  ap- 
pointed for  times  of  peculiar  calamity  ; wherefore  Christ  con- 
nects it  with  mourning,  when  he  frees  the  apostles  from  any 
obligation  to  it,  till  they  should  be  affected  with  grief  at  the 
loss  of  his  presence,  (w)  I speak  of  solemn  fasting.  For  the 
life  of  the  pious  ought  at  all  times  to  be  regulated  by  frugality 
and  sobriety,  that  through  its  whole  progress  it  may  appear  to 
be  a kind  of  perpetual  fast.  But  as  the  whole  of  this  subject 
must  be  discussed  again,  when  we  come  to  treat  of  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Discipline,  I touch  the  more  slightly  upon  it  at  present. 

(^’)  Joel  ii.  12.  (ic)  Matt.  ix.  15. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  551 

XVIII.  I will  again  remark,  however,  that  when  the  word 
repentance  is  transferred  to  this  external  profession,  it  is  im- 
properly changed  from  the  genuine  signification  which  I have 
stated.  For  this  external  profession  is  not  so  much  a conver- 
sion to  God,  as  a confession  of  sin,  with  a deprecation  of  punish- 
ment and  guilt.  Thus  to  “repent  in  sackcloth  and  ashes,”  (:r) 
is  only  a declaration  of  our  displeasure  against  ourselves,  when 
God  is  angry  with  us  on  account  of  our  grievous  offences. 
And  this  is  a public  species  of  confession,  by  which  condemn- 
ing ourselves  before  angels  and  men,  we  prevent  the  judgment 
of  God.  For  Paul  rebukes  the  sluggishness  of  those  who  in- 
dulge their  sins,  saying,  “ If  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we 
should  not  be  judged.”  {y)  It  is  not  necessary,  in  all  cases, 
publicly  to  make  men  witnesses  of  our  repentance  ; but  a 
private  confession  to  God  is  a branch  of  true  penitence  which 
cannot  be  omitted.  For  nothing  is  more  unreasonable  than 
that  God  should  pardon  sins,  in  which  we  encourage  ourselves, 
and  which,  lest  he  should  bring  them  to  light,  we  conceal 
under  the  garb  of  hypocrisy.  And  it  is  not  only  necessary  to 
confess  the  sins  which  we  commit  from  day  to  day ; more 
grievous  falls  ought  to  lead  us  further,  and  to  recall  to  our  re- 
membrance those  which  appear  to  have  been  long  buried  in 
oblivion.  We  learn  this  from  the  example  of  David  ; {z)  for, 
being  ashamed  of  a recent  and  flagitious  crime,  he  examines 
himself  back  to  the  time  of  his  conception,  and  acknowledges 
that  even  then  he  was  corrupted  and  contaminated  with  carnal 
impurity  ; and  this  not  to  extenuate  his  guilt,  as  many  conceal 
themselves  in  a multitude,  and  endeavour  to  escape  with  im- 
punity by  implicating  others  with  themselves.  Very  different 
was  the  conduct  of  David,  who  ingenuously  aggravated  his 
guilt,  by  confessing  that  he  was  corrupted  from  his  earliest  in- 
fancy, and  had  never  ceased  to  accumulate  crimes  upon  crimes. 
In  another  place,  also,  he  enters  on  such  an  examination  of  his 
past  life,  that  he  implores  the  Divine  mercy  to  pardon  the  sins 
of  his  youth,  (a)  And  certainly  we  shall  never  give  proof  that 
we  have  shaken  off  our  lethargy,  till,  groaning  under  the  bur- 
den, and  bewailing  our  misery,  we  pray  to  God  for  relief.  It  is 
further  to  be  remarked,  that  the  repentance  which  we  are  com- 
manded constantly  to  practise,  differs  from  that  which  arouses, 
as  it  were,  from  death  those  who  have  either  fallen  into  some 
great  enormity,  or  abandoned  themselves  to  a course  of  sin  with 
unrestrained  license,  or  by  any  rebellion  shaken  off  the  Divine 
yoke.  For  when  the  Scripture  exhorts  to  repentance,  it  fre- 
cpiently  signifies  a kind  of  transition  and  resurrection  from 
death  to  life  ; and  when  it  states  that  the  people  repented,  it 

(z)  Matt.  xi.  21.  {y)  1 Cor.  xi.  31.  (z)  Psalm  li.  5.  (a)  Psalm  xxv.  7 


552  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

means  that  they  departed  from  idolatry  and  other  gross  enormi- 
ties ; in  which  sense  Paul  declares  his  grief  for  sinners,  who 

have  not  repented  of  their  uncleanness,  and  fornication,  and 
lasciviousness.”  (b)  This  difference  should  be  carefully  ob- 
served, lest,  when  we  hear  that  few  are  called  to  repentance, 
we  fall  into  a supine  security,  as  though  we  had  no  more  to  do 
with  the  mortification  of  the  flesh,  from  which  the  depraved 
appetites  that  perpetually  disturb  us,  and  the  vices  that  often 
arise  in  us,  will  never  permit  us  to  relax.  The  special  repent- 
ance, therefore,  which  is  only  recphred  of  some  whom  the 
devil  has  seduced  from  the  fear  of  God,  and  entangled  in  his 
fatal  snares,  supersedes  not  that  ordinary  repentance,  Avhich  the 
corruption  of  nature  obliges  us  to  practise  during  the  whole 
course  of  our  lives. 

XIX.  Now,  if  it  be  true,  as  it  certainly  is,  that  the  whole 
substance  of  the  gospel  is  comprised  in  these  two  points,  re- 
pentance and  remission  of  sins,  — do  not  we  perceive  that  the 
Lord  freely  justifies  his  children,  that  he  may  also  restore  them 
to  true  righteousness  by  the  sanctification  of  his  Spirit  ? John, 
the  “messenger  sent  before  the  face  ” of  Christ  to  “prepare  his 
way  before  him,”  (c)  preached,  “Repent  ye,  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand.”  {d)  By  calling  men  to  repentance,  he 
taught  them  to  acknowledge  themselves  to  be  sinners,  and 
every  thing  belonging  to  them  to  be  condemned  before  God, 
that  they  might  earnestly  desire  and  pray  for  a mortification  of 
the  flesh,  and  new  regeneration  in  the  Spirit.  By  announcing 
the  kingdom  of  God,  he  called  them  to  exercise  faith  ; for  by 
“ the  kingdom  of  God,”  the  approach  of  which  he  proclaimed, 
he  intended  remission  of  sins,  salvation,  life,  and  in  general  all 
the  benefits  that  we  obtain  in  Christ.  Wherefore,  in  the  other 
evangelists,  it  is  said,  that  “ John  came,  preaching  the  baptism 
of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins.”  (e)  What  was  in- 
tended by  this,  but  that,  oppressed  and  wearied  with  the  bur- 
den of  sins,  men  should  turn  themselves  to  the  Lord,  and 
entertain  a hope  of  remission  and  salvation  ? Thus,  also, 
Christ  commenced  his  public  ministrations.  “ The  kingdom 
of  God  is  at  hand:  repent  ye,  and  believe  the  gospel.”  (/) 
First,  he  declares  that  the  treasures  of  mercy  are  opened  in 
himself ; then  he  requires  repentance  ; and  lastly,  a reliance  on 
the  Divine  promises.  Therefore,  when  he  would  give  a brief 
summary  of  the  whole  gospel,  he  said,  that  “ it  behoved  him 
to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  ; and  that  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his  name.”  (g)  The 
apostles  also,  after  his  resurrection,  preached  that  he  was  exalted 

(b)  2 Cor.  xii.  21.  (d)  Matt.  iii.  2.  (/)  Mark  i.  J5. 

(c)  Matt.  .xi.  10.  (c)  Luke  iii.  3.  Mark  i.  4.  (^j  Luke  .x.xiv.  46,  47. 


CHAP.  III.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  55S 

by  God,  “ to  give  repentance  to  Israel  and  remission  of  sins.”  (A) 
Repentance  is  preached  in  the  name  of  Christ,  when  men  are 
informed,  by  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  that  all  their  thoughts, 
their  affections,  and  their  pursuits,  are  corrupt  and  vicious ; and 
that  therefore  it  is  necessary  for  them  to  be  born  again,  if  they 
wish  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  God.  Remission  of  sins  is 
preached,  when  men  are  taught  that  Christ  is  made  unto  them 
wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemp- 
tion ; ” (i)  in  whose  name  they  are  gratuitously  accounted 
righteous  and  innocent  in  the  sight  of  God.  Both  these  bless- 
ings of  grace,  as  we  have  already  shown,  are  apprehended  by 
faith  ; yet  since  the  goodness  of  God  in  the  remission  of  sins  is 
the  peculiar  object  of  faith,  it  was  necessary  that  it  should  be 
carefully  distinguished  from  repentance. 

XX.  Now,  as  a hatred  of  sin,  which  is  the  commencement 
of  repentance,  is  our  first  introduction  to  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  who  reveals  himself  to  none  but  miserable  and  dis- 
tressed sinners,  who  mourn,  and  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden  ; 
who  hunger  and  thirst,  and  are  pining  away  with  grief  and 
misery;  (k)  so  it  is  necessary  for  us,  if  we  desire  to  abide  in 
Christ,  to  strive  for  this  repentance,  to  devote  our  Avhole  lives 
to  it,  and  to  pursue  it  to  the  last.  For  he  came  to  call  sin- 
ners,” but  it  was  to  call  them  “to  repentance.”  (Z)  He  was 
“sent  to  bless”  the  unworthy;  but  it  was  “in  turning  away 
every  one  from  his  iniquities.”  (?n)  The  Scripture  is  full  of 
such  expressions.  Wherefore,  when  God  offers  remission  of 
sins,  he  generally  requires  repentance  on  the  part  of  the  sinner ; 
implying  that  his  mercy  ought  to  furnish  a motive  to  excite  us 
to  repentance.  “ Keep  yff  judgment,  and  do  justice  ; for  my 
salvation  is  near.”  {n)  Again  : “ The  Redeemer  shall  come  to 
Zion,  and  unto  them  that  turn  from  transgression  in  Jacob.”  (o) 
Again : “ Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye 
upon  him  while  he  is  near  : let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way, 
and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts  ; and  let  him  return  unto 
the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him.”  (^)  Again: 
“ Repent,  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted 
out.”  (q)  Here  it  must  be  remarked,  however,  that  this  con- 
dition is  not  annexed  in  such  a manner,  as  though  our  repent- 
ance were  the  fundamental  and  meritorious  cause  of  pardon  ; 
but  rather,  because  the  Lord  has  determined  to  have  mercy 
upon  men,  in  order  that  they  may  repent,  he  informs  them 
what  course  they  must  take  if  they  wish  to  obtain  his  favour. 
Therefore,  as  long  as  we  inhabit  the  prison  of  our  body,  Ave 
shall  have  to  maintain  an  incessant  conflict  with  the  vices  of 

(h)  Acts  V.  31.  (i)  1 Cor.  i.  30.  (k)  Isaiah  Ixi.  1.  Matt  xi.  5.  Luke  iv.  18. 

(/)  Matt.  ix.  13.  (to)  Acts  iii.  26.  (n)  Isaiah  Ivi.  1. 

(o)  Isaiah  lix.  20.  (p)  Isaiah  Iv.  G,  7.  (y)  Acts  iii.  19. 

VOL.  1.  70 


654  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

oiir  corrupt  nature,  and  even  with  our  natural  soul.  Plato 
sometimes  says,  that  the  life  of  a philosopher  is  a meditation 
of  death.  We  may  assert  with  more  truth,  that  the  life  of  a 
Christian  is  perpetually  employed  in  the  mortification  of  the 
flesh,  till  it  is  utterly  destroyed,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  obtains 
the  sole  empire  within  us.  Wherefore  I think  that  he  has 
made  a very  considerable  proficiency,  Avho  has  learned  to  be 
exceedingly  displeased  with  himself : not  that  he  should  remain 
in  this  distress,  and  advance  no  further,  but  rather  hasten  and 
aspire  towards  God  ; that  being  ingrafted  into  the  death  and 
life  of  Christ,  he  may  make  repentance  the  object  of  his  con- 
stant meditation  and  pursuit.  And  this  cannot  but  be  the  con- 
duct of  those  who  feel  a genuine  hatred  of  sin  ; for  no  man 
ever  hated  sin,  without  having  been  previously  captivated  with 
the  love  of  righteousness.  This  doctrine,  as  it  is  the  most 
simple  of  all,  so  also  it  appears  to  me  to  be  most  consistent  with 
the  truth  of  the  Scripture. 

XXL  That  repentance  is  a peculiar  gift  of  God,  must,  I 
think,  be  so  evident  from  the  doctrine  just  stated,  as  to  preclude 
the  necessity  of  a long  discourse  to  prove  it.  Therefore  the 
Church  praises  and  admires  the  goodness  of  God,  that  he 
“hath  granted  to  the  Gentiles  repentance  unto  life  ; ” (r)  and 
Paul,  when  he  enjoins  Timothy  to  be  patient  and  gentle  to- 
wards unbelievers,  says,  “ If  God,  peradventure,  will  give  them 
repentance,  that  they  may  recover  themselves  out  of  the  snare 
of  the  devil.”  (s)  God  affirms,  indeed,  that  he  wills  the  con- 
version of  alt  men,  and  directs  his  exhortations  promiscuously 
to  all ; but  the  efficacy  of  these  exhortations  depends  on  the 
Spirit  of  regeneration.  For  it  were  more  easy  to  make  ourselves 
men,  than  by  our  own  power  to  endue  ourselves  with  a more 
excellent  nature.  Therefore,  in  the  whole  course  of  regenera- 
tion, we  are  justly  styled  God’s  “ workmanship,  created  unto 
good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should 
walk  in  them.”  (t)  Whomsoever  God  chooses  to  rescue  from 
destruction,  them  he  vivifies  by  the  Spirit  of  regeneration  : not 
that  repentance  is  properly  the  cause  of  salvation,  but  because,  as 
we  have  already  seen,  it  is  inseparable  from  faith  and  the  mercy 
of  God ; since,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Isaiah,  “ the  Re- 
deemer shall  come  to  Zion,  and  unto  them  that  turn  from  trans- 
gression in  Jacob.”  (u)  It  remains  an  unshaken  truth,  that 
wherever  the  fear  of  God  prevails  in  the  heart,  the  Spirit  has 
operated  to  the  salvation  of  that  individual.  Therefore,  in 
Isaiah,  where  believers  are  bewailing  and  deploring  their  being 
deserted  by  God,  they  mention  this  as  a sign  of  reprobation, 
that  their  hearts  are  hardened  by  him.  (zv)  The  apostle  also, 

(r)  Acts  xi.  18.  (s)  2 Tim.  ii.  25,  26.  (t)  Eph.  ii.  10. 

(u)  Isaiah  lix.  20  (w)  Isaiah  Ixiii.  17. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


555 


CHAP.  III.] 

intending  to  exclude  apostates  from  all  hope  of  salvation,  as- 
serts, as  a reason,  that  “ it  is  impossible  to  renew  them  again 
unto  repentance  ; ” (a;)  because  God,  in  the  renewal  of  those 
whom  he  will  not  sutfer  to  perish,  discovers  an  evidence  of  his 
paternal  favour,  and  attracts  them  to  himself  with  the  radiance 
of  his  serene  and  joyful  countenance  ; whilst,  on  the  contrary, 
he  displays  his  wrath  in  hardening  the  reprobate,  whose  im- 
piety is  never  to  be  forgiven,  (y)  This  kind  of  vengeance  the 
apostle  denounces  against  wilful  apostates,  who,  when  they  de- 
part from  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  deride  God,  contumeliously 
reject  his  grace,  profane  and  trample  on  the  blood  of  Christ, 
and  do  all  in  their  power  to  crucify  him  again.  For  he  does 
not,  as  is  pretended  by  some  preposterously  severe  persons,  pre- 
clude all  voluntary  sinners  from  a hope  of  pardon.  His  design 
is  to  show  that  apostasy  is  unworthy  of  every  excuse,  and 
therefore  it  is  not  strange  that  God  punishes  such  a sacrilegious 
contempt  of  himself  with  inexorable  rigour.  ‘‘  For  it  is  im- 
possible (he  tells  us)  for  those  who  were  once  enlightened,  and 
ha’^e  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and 
the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to 
renew  them  again  unto  repentance  ; seeing  they  crucify  to 
themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open 
shame.”  (z)  Again  : If  we  sin  wilfully  after  that  we  have 
received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more 
sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a certain  fearful  looking-for  of  judg- 
ment.” (a)  • These  are  the  passages,  from  a misinterpretation 
of  which  the  Novatians  formerly  derived  a pretence  for  their 
extravagant  opinions  ; and  the  apparent  harshness  of  which  has 
offended  some  good  men,  and  induced  them  to  believe  that  this 
Epistle  is  supposititious,  though  every  part  of  it  contains  une- 
quivocal evidences  of  the  apostolic  spirit.  But  as  we  are  con- 
tending only  with  those  who  receive  it,  it  is  easy  to  show  that 
these  passages  afford  not  the  least  countenance  to  their  error. 
In  the  first  place,  the  apostle  must  necessarily  be  in  unison  with 
his  Master,  who  affirms  that  “ all  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  for- 
given unto  men,but  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost, which 
shall  not  be  forgiven,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world 
to  come.”  (^)  The  apostle,  I say,  must  certainly  have  been 
content  with  this  exception,  unless  we  wish  to  make  him  an 
enemy  to  the  grace  of  Christ.  Whence  it  follows,  that  pardon 
is  denied  to  no  particular  sins,  except  one,  which  proceeds  from 
desperate  fury,  and  cannot  be  attributed  to  infirmity,  but  clearly 
proves  a man  to  be  possessed  by  the  devil. 

(z)  Heb.  vi.  4.  (y)  Heb.  x.  29.  (z)  Heb.  vi.  4 — G. 

(a)  Heb.  x.  26,  27.  (If)  Matt.  xii.  31,  32.  Mark  iii.  28,  29.  Luke  xii.  10. 


556 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 


XXII.  But,  for  the  further  elucidation  of  this  subject,  it  is 
necessary  to  inquire  into  the  nature  of  that  dreadful  crime 
which  will  obtain  no  forgiveness.  Augustine  somewhere  de- 
fines it  to  be  an  obstinate  perverseness,  attended  with  a despair 
of  pardon,  and  continued  till  death ; but  this  is  not  consistent 
with  the  language  of  Christ,  that  “ it  shall  not  be  forgiven  in 
this  world.”  For  either  this  is  a vain  assertion,  or  the  sin  may 
be  committed  in  this  life.  But  if  the  definition  of  Augustine 
be  right,  it  is  never  committed  unless  it  continue  till  death. 
Others  say,  that  a man  sins  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  en- 
vies the  grace  bestowed  on  his  brother.  I know  no  foundation 
for  this  notion.  But  we  will  adduce  the  true  definition  ; which 
when  it  shall  have  been  proved  by  strong  testimonies,  will  of 
itself  easily  overturn  all  others.  I say,  then,  that  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost  is  committed  by  those  who,  though 
they  are  so  overpowered  with  the  splendour  of  Divine  truth 
that  they  cannot  pretend  ignorance,  nevertheless  resist  it  with 
determined  malice,  merely  for  the  sake  of  resisting  it.  For 
Christ,  in  explanation  of  what  he  had  asserted,  immediately 
subjoins,  Whosoever  speaketh  a word  against  the  Son  of 
man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him ; but  Avhosoever  speaketh 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him.”  (c) 
And  Matthew,  instead  of  ‘‘blasphemy  against  the  Spirit,” 
says,  “ blasphemy  of  the  Spirit.”  * How  can  any  one 
cast  a reproach  on  the  Son,  that  is  not  also  directed  against 
the  Spirit  ? Those  who  unadvisedly  offend  against  the 
truth  of  God,  which  they  know  not,  and  who  ignorantly 
revile  Christ,  but  at  the  same  time  have  such  a disposition 
that  they  would  not  extinguish  the  Divine  truth  if  revealed 
to  them,  or  utter  one  injurious  word  against  him  whom  they 
knew  to  be  the  Lord’s  Christ,  — they  sin  against  the  Father  and 
the  Son.  Thus  there  are  many,  in  the  present  day,  who  most 
inveterately  execrate  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  which  if  they 
knew  to  be  the  evangelical  doctrine,"  they  would  be  ready  to 
venerate  with  their  whole  heart.  But  those  who  are  convinced 
ill  their  conscience,  that  it  is  the  word  of  God  which  they  re- 
ject and  oppose,  and  yet  continue  their  opposition,  — they  are 
said  to  blaspheme  against  the  Spirit,  because  they  strive  against 
the  illumination  which  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Sucli 
were  some  among  the  Jews,  who,  when  they  were  not  able  to 
resist  the  Spirit  {d)  that  spake  by  Stephen,  yet  obstinately 
strove  to  resist.  Many  of  them  were  undoubtedly  urged  to  this 
conduct  by  a zeal  for  the  law  ; but  it  appears  that  there  were 
others,  who  were  infuriated  by  a malignant  impiety  against 


(c)  Matt.  xii.  32. 


(J)  Acts  vi.  10, 


CHAP.  III.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


557 


God  himself,  that  is,  against  the  doctrine  which  they  knew  to 
be  from  God.  Such  also  were  the  Pharisees,  whom  the  Lord 
rebuked ; who,  in  order  to  counteract  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  slanderously  ascribed  it  to  the  power  of  Beelzebub,  (e) 
This,  then,  is  ‘‘  blasphemy  of  the  Spirit,”  where  the  presumption 
of  man  deliberately  strives  to  annihilate  the  glory  of  God. 
This  is  implied  in  the  observation  of  Paul,  that  he  “ obtained 
mercy,  because  ” he  had ‘Ggnorantly  in  unbelief”  committed 
those  crimes,  the  demerits  of  which  would  otherwise  have  ex- 
cluded him  from  the  grace  of  the  Lord.  (/)  If  the  union  of 
ignorance  and  unbelief  was  the  reason  of  his  obtaining  pardon, 
it  follows  that  there  is  no  room  for  pardon  where  unbelief  has 
been  attended  with  knowledge. 

XXIII.  But,  on  a careful  observation,  you  will  perceive  that 
the  apostle  speaks  not  of  one  or  more  particular  falls,  but  of  the 
univer^^al  defection,  by  which  the  reprobate  exclude  themselves 
from  saivation.  We  need  not  wonder  that  those  whom  John, 
in  his  canonical  Epistle,  afflrms  not  to  have  been  of  the  numbei 
of  the  elect  from  whom  they  departed,  experience  God  to  be 
implacable  towards  them,  {g)  For  he  directs  his  discourse 
against  those  who  imagined  that  they  might  return  to  the 
Christian  religion,  although  they  had  once  apostatized  from  it ; 
to  whom  he  contradicts  this  false  and  pernicious  notion,  declar- 
ing, what  is  absolutely  true,  that  it  is  impossible  for  persons  to 
return  to  the  communion  of  Christ,  who  have  knowingly  and 
wilfully  rejected  it.  And  it  is  rejected,  not  by  those  who  sim- 
ply transgress  the  word  of  the  Lord  by  a dissolute  and  licen- 
tious life,  but  by  those  who  professedly  renounce  all  his  doc- 
trines. Therefore  the  fallacy  lies  in  the  terms  falling  away 
and  sinning ; for  the  Novatians  explain  falling  away  to  take 
place,  when  any  one,  after  having  been  instructed  by  the  law 
of  the  Lord  that  theft  and  fornication  ought  not  to  be  com- 
mitted, yet  abstains  not  from  either  of  these  sins.  But,  on  the 
contrary,  I affirm  that  there  is  a tacit  antithesis  understood,  which 
ought  to  contain  a repetition  of  all  the  opposites  of  the  things 
which  had  been  previously  mentioned  ; so  that  this  passage  ex- 
presses not  any  particular  vice,  but  a universal  defection  from 
God,  and  if  I may  use  the  expression,  an  apostasy  of  the  whole 
man.  When  he  speaks,  therefore,  of  some  who  fell  away,  “ after 
they  were  once  enlightened,  and  had  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift, 
and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  powers  of 
the  world  to  come,”  (fi)  it  must  be  understood  of  persons  who, 
with  deliberate  impiety,  have  smothered  the  light  of  the  Spirit, 
rejected  the  taste  of  the  heavenly  gift,  alienated  themselves  from 
the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  trampled  on  the  word  of  God 


(e)  Matt.  ix.  34  ; xii.  24. 
(/)  1 Tim.  i.  13. 


{g)  1 John  ii.  19, 
{k)  Heb.  vi.  4 — 6. 


558 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come.  And  the  more  fully  to 
express  that  decided  determination  of  impiety,  he  afterwards, 
in  another  place,  adds  the  word  icilfully.  For  when  he  says, 
that  ‘‘if  we  sin  wilfully  after  that  we  have  received  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice,”  {i)  he 
denies  not  that  Christ  is  a perpetual  sacrifice  to  expiate  the  ini- 
quities of  the  saints,  which  almost  the  whole  Epistle  expressly 
proclaims  in  describing  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  but  intends 
that  there  remains  no  other  where  that  is  rejected.  But 
it  is  rejected,  when  the  truth  of  the  gospel  is  avowedly  re- 
nounced. 

XXIY.  The  objection  of  some,  who  conceive  it  to  be  severe 
and  inconsistent  with  the  Divine  clemency,  that  pardon  should 
be  refused  to  any  who  flee  to  the  Lord  imploring  his  mercy,  is 
easily  answered.  For  he  affirms  not  that  pardon  is  denied  to 
them  if  they  turn  themselves  to  the  Lord ; but  he  absolutely 
denies  the  possibility  of  their  attaining  to  repentance,  because 
they  are  stricken  with  eternal  blindness  by  the  righteous  judg- 
ment of  God,  on  account  of  their  ingratitude.  Nor  is  it  any 
objection  that  the  same  apostle  afterwards  accommodates  to 
this  subject  the  example  of  Esau,  who  vainly  endeavoured 
with  weeping  and  lamentation  to  recover  his  lost  rights  of 
primogeniture.  Nor  that  the  prophet  utters  this  denunciation  : 
“ though  they  shall  cry  unto  me,  I will  not  hearken  unto 
them.”  {k)  For  such  forms  of  expression  signify  neither  true 
conversion  nor  invocation  of  God,  but  the  anxiety  felt  by  the 
impious  in  extreme  calamity,  which  constrains  them  to  con- 
sider, what  before  they  carelessly  disregarded,  that  nothing 
can  do  them  any  good  but  the  assistance  of  the  Lord.  And 
this  they  do  not  so  much  implore,  as  bewail  its  being 
withheld  from  them.  Therefore  the  prophet  intends  by 
crying^  and  the  apostle  by  weepings  only  that  dreadful  torment 
which  excruciates  the  impious  with  the  agonies  of  despair. 
This  requires  to  be  carefully  observed,  because  otherwise  this 
procedure  of  God  would  contradict  his  proclamation  by  the 
mouth  of  the  prophet,  that  as  soon  as  the  sinner  shall  have 
turned,  he  will  be  propitious  to  him.  (/)  And,  as  I have 
already  remarked,  it'  is  certain  that  the  human  mind  is  not 
changed  for  the  better,  except  by  the  previous  influence  of  his 
grace.  Nor  will  his  promise  respecting  those  who  call  upon 
him,  ever  deceive  ; but  it  is  improper  to  apply  the  terms  con- 
version and  prayer  to  that  blind  torment  by  which  the 
reprobate  are  distracted,  when  they  see  that  it  is  necessary  for 
them  to  seek  God  in  order  to  find  a remedy  for  their  miseries, 
while  at  the  same  time  they  continue  to  flee  from  his  approach. 


ii)  Heb.  X.  2G. 


(Jc)  Jer.  xi.  11. 


(Z)  Ezek.  xviii.  21. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


559 


CHAP.  III.] 

XXV.  But  it  is  inquired,  since  the  apostle  denies  that  God 
is  appeased  by  a hypocritical  repentance,  how  Ahab  obtained 
pardon,  and  averted  the  punishment  with  which  he  had  been 
threatened,  though  he  appears,  from  the  subsequent  tenor  of 
his  life,  to  have  been  only  terrified  by  a sudden  consternation. 
He  clothed  himself  with  sackcloth,  sprinkled  ashes  upon  his 
head,  lay  on  the  ground,  and,  as  it  is  declared  concerning  him, 
‘•humbled  himself  before  God  ; ” (m)  but  it  was  nothing  to 
rend  his  garments,  while  his  heart  remained  perverse  and  in- 
flated with  wickedness.  Yet  we  see  how  God  is  inclined  to 
clemency.  I reply,  that  sometimes  hypocrites  are  thus  spared 
for  a season,  yet  that  the  wrath  of  God  always  abides  upon 
them,  and  that  this  is  done  not  so  much  for  their  sakes,  as  for  a 
public  example.  For  what  benefit  did  Ahab  receive  from  the 
mitigation  of  the  threatened  punishment,  but  a respite  from  it 
during  his  continuance  in  this  world?  The  malediction  of 
God,  therefore,  although  concealed,  fixed  itself  in  his  family, 
and  he  himself  went  forward  to  eternal  perdition.  The  same 
may  be  observed  in  the  case  of  Esau ; for  though  he  suffered  a 
repulse,  yet  a temporal  benediction  was  granted  to  his  tears,  (n) 
But  since  the  spiritual  inheritance,  according  to  the  oracle  of 
God,  could  remain  only  with  one  of  the  brothers,  when  Jacob 
was  chosen  and  Esau  rejected,  that  preterition  shut  out  the 
Divine  mercy  ; yet  this  consolation  was  left  to  him  as  to  a man 
on  a level  with  the  brutes,  that  he  should  be  enriched  with 
“the  fatness  of  the  earth  and  the  dew  of  heaven.”  This  is 
what  I have  just  observed  ought  to  be  considered  as  an  exam- 
ple to  others,  that  we  may  learn  to  devote  our  minds  and  our 
exertions  with  more  alacrity  to  sincere  repentance ; because  it 
is  not  to  be  doubted  that  those  who  are  tfuly  and  cordially 
converted  will  find  God  readily  disposed  to  forgiveness,  whose 
clemency  extends  itself  even  to  the  unworthy,  as  long  as  they 
manifest  any  appearance  of  contrition.  At  the  same  time,  also, 
we  are  taught  what  dreadful  vengeance  awaits  all  the  obstinate, 
who,  with  impudent  countenances  and  hardened  hearts,  de- 
spise, disregard,  and  ridicule  the  Divine  threatenings.  Thus  he 
frequently  extended  his  hand  to  the  children  of  Israel,  to  alle- 
viate their  distresses,  notwithstanding  their  supplications  were 
hypocritical,  and  their  hearts  full  of  duplicity  and  perfidy ; as 
he  complains  in  one  of  the  Psalms,  (o)  that  they  immediately 
after  returned  to  their  former  courses.  He  designed  by  his 
merciful  kindness,  either  to  bring  them  to  a serious  conversion, 
or  to  render  them  inexcusable.  Yet,  by  the  temporary  remis- 
sion of  punishments,  he  imposes  on  himself  no  perpetual  law, 
but  sometimes  arises  against  hypocrites  with  the  greater  seve- 


(m)  1 Kings  xxi.  27,  &c.  (re)  Gen.  xxvii.  38,  39.  (o)  Psalm  Ixxviii.  36,  37. 


560  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

rity,  and  enhances  their  punishments,  to  manifest  his  extreme 
displeasure  against  hypocrisy.  But  he  exhibits,  as  1 have 
observed,  some  examples  of  his  readiness  to  pardon,  in  order  to 
animate  the  pious  to  a correction  of  their  lives,  and  the  more 
severely  to  condemn  the  pride  of  those  who  obstinately  kick 
against  the  goads. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

THE  SOPHISTRY  AND  JARGON  OF  THE  SCHOOLS  CONCERNING  RE- 
PENTANCE, VERY  REMOTE  FROM  THE  PURITY  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

ON  CONFESSION  AND  SATISFACTION. 

I COME  now  to  the  discussion  of  those  things  which  have 
been  advanced  by  the  sophists  of  the  schools  concerning  Re- 
pentance, which  I shall  run  over  as  briefly  as  possible  ; for  it  is 
not  my  design  to  pursue  the  subject  at  large,  lest  this  book, 
which  I am  endeavouring  to  make  a compendium  of  doctrine, 
should  be  drawn  out  to  an  immoderate  extent.  They  have 
involved  a subject,  otherwise  not  very  intricate,  in  so  many 
perplexities,  that  those  who  have  entered  but  a little  way  into 
their  labyrinths  will  not  find  it  easy  to  extricate  themselves. 
In  the  first  place,  the  definition  they  have  given  of  repentance, 
clearly  shows  that  they  never  understood  what  it  was ; for  they 
catch  at  some  passages  in  the  writings  of  the  fathers,  which  by  no 
means  express  the  nature  of  repentance  ; as,  “ that  to  repent  is 
to  weep  for  sins  previously  committed,  and  not  to  commit  sins  to 
be  wept  for.”  Again  : that  it  is  to  lament  evils  that  are  past,  and 
not  to  commit  new  ones  to  be  lamented.”  Again  : “ that  it  is  a 
kind  of  mournful  vengeance,  punishing  in  ourselves  what  we 
bewail  having  committed.”  Again : that  it  is  a sorrow  of 
heart  and  bitterness  of  soul  on  account  of  the  evils  which  a 
man  has  committed,  or  to  which  he  has  consented.”  But 
though  we  concede  that  these  expressions  were  properly  used 
by  the  fathers,  which,  however,  a contentious  man  would  find 
no  difficulty  in  denying,  yet  they  were  used  not  with  a view 
to  describe  repentance,  but  only  to  exhort  their  readers  to  avoid 
relapsing  into  those  crimes  from  which  they  had  been  delivered. 
But  if  we  are  disposed  to  convert  all  observations  of  this  kind 
into  definitions,  others  may  be  added  with  equal  propriety.  As 
this  of  Chrysostom,  Repentance  is  a medicine  which  destroys 
sin,  a gift  bestowed  from  heaven,  an  admirable  virtue,  a grace 
exceeding  the  power  of  laws.”  Moreover,  the  doctrine  which 
they  afterwards  advance  is  still  worse  than  these  definitions ; 


CHAP.  IV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  561 

for  they  are  so  obstinately  riveted  to  external  exercises,  that 
one  can  collect  nothing  else  from  immense  volumes,  but  that 
repentance  is  an  austere  discipline,  which  serves  partly  to  sub- 
due the  flesh,  partly  to  chastise  and  punish  vices ; but  concern- 
ing the  internal  renovation  of  the  mind,  which  is  attended  with 
a real  reformation  of  the  life,  they  observe  a wonderful  silence. 
Of  contrition  and  attritio7i,  indeed,  they  treat  largely  ; they  tor- 
ment souls  with  a multitude  of  scruples,  and  drive  them  to 
extreme  trouble  and  anxiety ; but  when  they  appear  to  have 
thoroughly  wo-unded  the  heart,  they  heal  all  the  bitterness  by 
a slight  sprinkling  of  ceremonies.  Having  thus  quaintly  de- 
fined repentance,  they  divide  it  into  contrition  of  heart,  confes- 
sion of  mouth,  and  satisfaction  of  work — a division  which  is 
no  more  agreeable  to  the  rules  of  logic  than  their  definition, 
though  they  would  be  thought  to  have  spent  their  whole  lives 
in  composing  syllogisms.  But  should  any  one  reason  from  the 
definition,  (which  is  a kind  of  argumentation  common  among 
logicians,)  that  a man  may  weep  for  sins  previously  committed, 
and  commit  no  more  to  be  wept  for ; may  lament  evils  that  are 
past,  and  commit  no  more  to  be  lamented : may  punish  what 
he  mourns  that  he  has  committed,  &c.,  although  he  makes  no 
confession  with  his  mouth;  how  will  they  defend  their  di- 
vision? For  if  he  who  confesses  not,  be  nevertheless  truly 
penitent,  repentance  may  exist  where  there  is  no  confession. 
But  if  they  reply  that  this  division  refers  to  repentance  as  a 
sacrament,  or  is  to  be  understood  of  the  complete  perfection  of 
repentance,  which  they  comprehend  not  in  their  definition, 
they  have  no  reason  to  accuse  me ; let  them  impute  the  blame 
to  themselves,  for  not  giving  definitions  with  more  correctness 
and  perspicuity.  For  myself,  indeed,  according  to  my  dull 
capacity,  in  all  controversies  I refer  every  thing  to  the  defini- 
tion, which  is  the  hinge  and  foundation  of  the  whole  argument. 
But,  admitting  this  to  be  their  magisterial  license,  we  proceed 
to  an  attentive  examination  of  the  parts  themselves  in  order. 
When  I neglect,  and  pass  over  as  frivolous,  things  which,  with 
supercilious  gravity,  they  represent  as  mysteries,  1 never  do  it 
without  design ; not  that  I should  find  it  very  laborious  to  can- 
vass the  arguments  in  which  they  conceive  themselves  to  have 
discovered  most  shrewdness  and  subtilty  ; but  I could  not  con- 
scientiously fatigue  my  readers  with  such  impertinences  to  no 
good  purpose.  From  the  questions  which  they  raise  and  agi- 
tate, and  with  which  they  miserably  embarrass  themselves,  it 
is  easy  to  see,  that  they  talk  of  subjects  of  which  they  are 
utterly  ignorant ; such  as  this : Whether  repentance  for  one 
sin  be  pleasing  to  God  during  an  obstinate  continuance  in 
others.  Again:  Whether  punishments  inflicted  by  God  be 
available  for  satisfaction.  Again  : Whether  repentance  may  be 
VOL.  I.  71 


562  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOR  IIL 

frequently  repeated  for  mortal  sins.  On  this  point  they  shame- 
fully and  impiously  determine,  that  repentance  is  daily  prac- 
tised only  for  venial  sins.  They  also  torment  themselves 
much  with  a gross  error,  in  an  expression  of  Jerome,  That 
repentance  is  a second  plank  after  a shipwreck  ; ” thus  giving 
proof,  that  they  have  never  been  awakened  from  their  brutish 
stupidity,  so  as  to  have  even  the  most  distant  view  of  the  thou- 
sandth part  of  their  sins. 

II.  I wish  the  reader  to  consider,  that  this  is  not  a conten- 
tion about  an  insignificant  trifle,  but  a question  respecting  the 
most  serious  of  all  subjects  — remission  of  sins.  For  by  requir- 
ing, in  repentance,  compunction  of  heart,  confession  of  mouth, 
and  satisfaction  of  work,  they  maintain,  that  these  three  things 
are  necessary  to  procure  the  remission  of  sins.  But  if  it  be  im- 
portant for  us  to  know  any  thing  in  the  whole  science  of  reli- 
gion, it  is  certainly  of  the  greatest  importance  to  apprehend, 
and  fully  to  understand,  by  Avhat  means,  by  what  law,  on  what 
condition,  and  with  what  facility  or  difficulty,  remission  of  sins 
may  be  obtained.  Unless  this  knowledge  be  clear  and  certain, 
the  conscience  can  have  no  rest,  no  peace  with  God,  no  confi- 
dence or  security  ; but  is  the  subject  of  perpetual  trepidations 
and  fluctuations,  is  disturbed,  tormented,  and  harassed,  and 
dreads,  hates,  and  avoids  the  presence  of  God.  But  if  remis- 
sion of  sins  depend  on  those  conditions  to  which  they  confine 
it,  we  are  in  a most  miserable  and  deplorable  situation.  They 
make  contrition  the  first  step  towards  obtaining  pardon,  and  re- 
quire such  as  is  due  from  us,  that  is,  such  as  is  just  and  perfect ; 
but  they  have  not  determined,  when  a man  may  be  assured 
that  he  has  arrived  at  this  degree  of  perfect  contrition.  I grant, 
indeed,  that  every  man  ought  to  be  sedulously  and  earnestly 
urged,  that  by  bitterly  mourning  for  his  sins,  he  may  continu- 
ally augment  his  displeasure  and  hatred  against  them.  For 
this  sorrow  worketh  repentance  to  salvation,  not  to  be  re- 
pented of.”  (y>)  But  when  such  an  anguish  of  sorrow  is  re- 
quired as  may  correspond  to  the  magnitude  of  the  guilt,  and 
may  be  weighed  in  the  balance  with  confidence  of  pardon, 
then  the  wretched  conscience  is  wonderfully  tormented  and 
agitated,  when  it  sees  a due  contrition  for  sins  imposed  on  it, 
and  understands  not  the  extent  of  the  debt  so  as  to  be  able  to 
decide  with  itself  that  it  has  discharged  what  was  due  from  it. 
If  they  say  that  we  must  do  what  we  can,  we  still  return  to 
the  same  point ; for  when  will  any  man  presume  to  flatter 
liimself  that  he  has  exerted  all  his  power  in  bewailing  his  sins  ? 
Consciences,  therefore,  that  have  been  long  striving  with  them- 
selves, and  exercised  in  tedious  conflicts,  but  without  finding 


{p)  2 Cor.  vii.  10. 


CHAP.  IV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  663 

at  length  any  place  of  rest,  endeavour  to  procure  some  small 
alleviation,  extorting  from  themselves  some  sorrow,  and  forcing 
out  some  tears  to  complete  their  contrition. 

III.  If  they  charge  me  with  calumny,  let  them  come  forth 
and  produce  a single  individual,  who  has  not,  by  this  doctrine 
of  contrition,  either  been  driven  into  despair,  or  endeavoured 
to  avert  the  Divine  judgment  by  a pretended  sorrow  instead 
of  real  compunction.  We  have  said  ourselves,  that  forgiveness 
of  sins  is  never  enjoyed  without  repentance,  because  none  but 
those  who  are  afflicted  and  wounded  with  a consciousness  of 
sins,  can  sincerely  implore  the  mercy  of  God ; but  we  have 
likewise  added,  that  repentance  is  not  the  cause  of  remission 
of  sins.  But  those  torments  of  soul,  which  they  say  are  duties 
to  be  performed,  we  have  put  aside.  We  have  taught  the  sin- 
ner not  to  look  on  his  compunction  or  on  his  tears,  but  to  fix 
both  his  eyes  solely  on  the  mercy  of  God.  We  have  only  de- 
clared, that  Christ  called  the  labouring  and  heavy-laden,  when 
he  was  sent  “ to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor,  to  heal  the 
broken-hearted,  to  preach  deliverance  to  the  captives,  and 
the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound,  and  to  com- 
fort all  that  mourn.”  [q)  This  would  exclude  the  Pharisees, 
who,  satisfied  with  their  own  righteousness,  acknowledge  not 
their  poverty  ; and  despisers,  who,  careless  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
seek  no  remedy  for  their  disease ; for  such  neither  labour,  nor 
are  heavy-laden ; they  are  not  broken-hearted,  or  in  bondage, 
or  in  captivity.  But  there  is  a considerable  difference,  whether 
a man  be  taught  to  merit  remission  of  sins  by  a true  and  perfect 
contrition,  (which  no  sinner  can  ever  perform,)  or  be  instructed 
to  hunger  and  thirst  for  the  Divine  mercy,  that  by  the  know- 
ledge of  his  misery,  by  his  disquietude,  fatigue,  and  captivity, 
he  may  be  shown  where  he  ought  to  seek  for  consolation,  rest, 
and  liberty,  and  may  learn  to  glorify  God  by  his  humility. 

IV.  Concerning  confession,  there  has  always  been  a great 
controversy  between  the  canonists  and  the  scholastic  divines  ; 
the  latter  contending,  that  confession  is  commanded  by  the 
word  of  God  ; the  other,  on  the  contrary,  maintaining  that  it 
is  enjoined  only  by  the  ecclesiastical  constitutions.  But  this 
controversy  has  discovered  the  singular  impudence  of  the' the- 
ologians, who  have  corrupted  and  violently  distorted  all  the 
passages  of  Scripture  which  they  have  cited  in  favour  of  their 
argument.  And  when  they  perceived  that  they  could  not  even 
thus  obtain  what  they  desired,  those  who  would  appear  more 
shrewd  than  others,  resorted  to  this  subterfuge,  that  confession, 
as  to  the  substance  of  it,  came  from,  the  Divine  law,  but  after- 
wards derived  its  form  from  a positive  law.  In  a similar  man- 

(y)  Matt.  xi.  28.  Luke  iv.  18.  Isaiah  Ixi.  1,  &>c 


564  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  HI. 

ner  the  most  foolish  lawyers  pretend,  that  citations  originated 
from  the  Divine  law,  because  it  is  said,  ‘‘Adam,  where  art 
thou?  ” (r)  and  exceptions  also,  because  Adam  answered,  as  if 
by  way  of  exception,  “ The  woman  whom  thou  gavest  to  be 
with  me,”  &c. ; but  that  both  received  their  form  from  the 
civil  code.  But  let  us  examine  by  what  arguments  they  prove 
this  confession,  either  formal  or  informal,  to  have  been  com- 
manded by  God.  The  Lord,  say  they,  sent  leprous  persons  to 
the  priests.  What  then  ? Did  he  send  them  to  confession  ? 
Who  ever  heard  that  the  Levitical  priests  were  appointed  to 
hear  confessions  ? Therefore  they  resort  to  allegories  : it  was 
enacted  by  the  Mosaic  law,  that  the  priests  should  distinguish 
between  leprosy  and  leprosy ; sin  is  a spiritual  leprosy,  con- 
cerning which  it  is  the  office  of  the  priests  to  decide.  Before 
I reply  to  this,  1 would  inquire,  by  the  way,  if  this  passage 
constitutes  them  judges  of  the  spiritual  leprosy,  why  do  they 
arrogate  to  themselves  the  cognizance  of  the  natural  and  cor- 
poreal leprosy  ? Is  not  this  trifling  with  the  Scriptures  ? 
The  law  commits  to  the  Levitical  priests  the  cognizance  of 
the  leprosy ; let  us  usurp  this  to  ourselves.  Sin  is  a spiritual 
leprosy ; let,  us  also  take  cognizance  of  sin.  Now,  I reply, 
“ The  priesthood  being  changed,  there  is  made,  of  necessity, 
a change  also  of  the  law.”  (s)  All  the  priestly  functions 
have  been  transferred  to  Christ ; in  him.  they  are  fulfilled 
and  finished ; therefore  every  privilege  and  honour  of  the  sa- 
cerdotal office  has  been  transferred  to  him  alone.  If  they  are 
so  extremely  fond  of  pursuing  allegories,  let  them  propose 
Christ  to  themselves  as  the  only  priest,  and  accumulate  on  his 
tribunal  the  unlimited  jurisdiction  over  all  things ; this  we 
shall  easily  admit.  Besides,  this  allegory  of  theirs  is  very  ab- 
surd, since  it  places  among  the  ceremonies  a law  that  was 
merely  political.  Why,  then,  does  Christ  send  leprous  persons 
to  the  priests  ? To  preclude  the  priests  from  calumniating  him 
with  a violation  of  the  law,  which  commanded  him  that  was 
cured  of  the  leprosy  to  show  himself  to  the  priest,  and  to  be 
purged  by  the  oblation  of  a sacrifice.  “ Go  (said  he)  show  thy- 
self to  the  priest,  and  offer  the  gift  that  Moses  commanded,  for 
a testimony  unto  them.”  {t)  And  truly  this  miracle  was  to  be 
a testimony  to  them ; for  they  had  pronounced  him  leprous, 
now  they  pronounce  him  healed.  Are  they  not,  whether  will- 
ingly or  reluctantly,  constrained  to  become  witnesses  of  the 
miracles  of  Christ  ? Christ  gives  them  his  miracle  for  their 
examination  ; they  cannot  deny  it ; but  because  they  still  cavil, 
this  work  is  a testimony  to  them.  Thus  it  is  said,  “ This 
gospel  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world,  for  a witness  unto 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


565 


CHAP.  IV.] 

all  nations.”  (u)  Again  : Ye  shall  be  brought  before  govern- 
ors and  kings,  for  a testimony  against  them.”  (iv)  That  is, 
that  they  may  be  more  powerfully  convicted  at  the  judgment 
of  God.  But  if  they  would  rather  coincide  with  Chrysostom, 
he  also  teaches,  that  Christ  did  this  on  account  of  the  Jews, 
that  he  might  not  be  deemed  a transgressor  of  the  law. 
Though  on  a point  so  clear  I am  ashamed  to  adduce  the  suf- 
frage of  any  man  ; when  Christ  declares  that  he  leaves  the 
legal  rights  entirely  to  the  priests,  as  the  professed  enemies  of 
the  gospel,  who  were  always  ready  to  cavil,  if  their  mouths 
were  not  stopped.  Wherefore  the  Popish  priests,  in  order  to 
retain  this  possession,  should  publicly  espouse  the  party  of 
those  whom  it  is  necessary  to  restrain  by  force  from  uttering 
their  curses  against  Christ.  For  with  this  his  true  ministers 
have  no  concern. 

V.  Their  second  argument  they  derive  from  the  same 
source,  that  is,  from  allegory ; as  though  allegories  were  suffi- 
cient for  the  confirmation  of  any  dogma.  Let  them  be  admitted 
as  sufficient,  if  I do  not  prove  that  those  very  allegories  may 
be  urged  by  me  with  more  plausibility  than  they  possibly  can 
by  them.  They  plead,  therefore,  that  the  Lord  commanded 
his  disciples  to  loose  Lazarus  from  his  bandages,  when  he  was 
raised  from  the  grave,  (x)  Here,  in  the  first  place,  they  are 
guilty  of  falsehood ; for  it  is  nowhere  recorded,  that  the  Lord 
said  this  to  his  disciples  ; and  it  is  much  more  probable  that  he 
said  it  to  the  Jews  who  were  standing  near  him,  that  the  mira- 
cle might  be  rendered  more  evident,  beyond  all  suspicion  of 
fraud,  and  that  his  power  might  appear  the  greater,  from  his 
raising  the  dead  to  life  without  the  least  touch,  solely  by  the 
call  of  his  voice.  For  I apprehend,  that  the  Lord,  in  order  to 
remove  from  the  minds  of  the  Jews  every  unfavourable  suspi- 
cion, chose  that  they  should  roll  back  the  stone,  should  per- 
ceive the  fetid  odour,  should  see  the  certain  tokens  of  death, 
should  behold  him  rising  by  the  sole  energy  of  a word,  and  be 
the  first  to  touch  him  on  his  restoration  to  life.  And  this  is 
the  opinion  of  Chrysostom.  But  admitting  this  to  have  been 
addressed  to  the  disciples,  what  will  they  gain  by  it  ? That 
the  Lord  gave  his  apostles  the  power  of  loosing ; but  with  how 
much  more  aptitude  and  skill  might  these  words  be  handled  in 
an  allegorical  sense,  if  we  should  say,  that  God  intended  by 
this  emblem  to  instruct  believers,  that  they  ought  to  loose 
those  whom  he  has  raised  to  life  ; that  is,  that  they  should  not 
recall  to  remembrance  the  sins  which  he  had  forgotten ; that 
they  should  not  condemn  as  sinners  those  whom  he  had  ab- 
solved ; that  they  should  not  continue  to  upbraid  with  offences 


(u)  Matt.  xxiv.  14. 


(?o)  Matt.  X.  18. 


(z)  John  xi.  44. 


566 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

which  he  had  forgiven  ; that  where  he  is  merciful  and  ready  to 
spare,  they  should  not  be  severe  and  rigorous  to  punish ! No- 
thing, surely,  ought  to  be  a stronger  motive  to  the  exercise  of 
forgiveness  by  us,  than  the  example  of  that  judge,  who  threat- 
ens to  be  implacable  towards  them  who  are  too  rigorous  and 
cruel.  Let  them  go  now  and  boast  of  their  allegories. 

VI.  They  come  to  a closer  contest,  when  they  oppose  us 
with  what  they  apprehend  to  be  plain  passages.  Those  who 
came  to  the  baptism  of  John  confessed  their  sins ; {y)  and 
James  directs  us  to  confess  our  sins  one  to  another,  {z)-  It  is 
no  wonder,  if  those  who  desired  to  be  baptized  confessed  their 
sins,  for  it  is  said,  that  John  ‘^preached  the  baptism  of  repent- 
ance,” and  baptized  with  water  unto  repentance.”  Whom, 
then,  should  he  baptize,  but  such  as  confessed  themselves  sin- 
ners ? Baptism  is  an  emblem  of  remission  of  sins ; and  who 
should  be  admitted  to  this  emblem  but  sinners,  and  those  who 
acknowledged  themselves  to  be  such?  They  confessed  their 
sins,  therefore,  in  order  to  be  baptized.  Nor  is  it  Avithout  rea- 
son that  James  directs  us  to  confess  one  to  another.  But  if 
they  would  observe  what  immediately  follows,  they  would 
perceive,  that  this  also  affords  them  very  little  support.  Con- 
fess (says  he)  your  faults  one  to  another,  and  pray  for  one 
another.”  He  connects  mutual  confession  and  mutual  prayer. 
If  our  confessions  must  be  made  only  to  priests,  then  our 
prayers  ought  to  be  offered  up  for  them  alone.  But  would  it 
not  follow  from  the  language  - of  James,  that  priests  alone 
might  make  confessions  ? For  when  he  enjoins  mutual  con- 
fession, he  addresses  such  only  as  have  a right  to  hear  the 
confessions  of  others.  AXkr\koi  implies  mutually,  by  turns, 
successively,  or  reciprocally.  But  none  can  reciprocally  con- 
fess, but  those  who  are  qualified  to  hear  confessions.  And 
since  they  dignify  the  priests  exclusiv^ely  Avith  this  preroga- 
tive, Ave  also  relinquish  to  them  alone  the  task  of  making  con- 
fession. Then  let  us  dismiss  such  impertinences,  and  attend 
to  the  real  meaning  of  the  apostle,  Avhich  is  simple  and 
clear  ; it  is,  that  Ave  should  reciprocally  communicate  our  in- 
firmities to  each  other,  to  receive  from  one  another  mutual 
advice,  mutual  compassion,  and  mutual  consolation ; and,  also, 
that  being  mutually  conscious  of  the  infirmities  of  our  bre- 
thren, Ave  should  pray  to  the  Lord  on  their  behalf.  Why,  then, 
do  they  quote  James  in  opposition  to  us,  Avhen  Ave  so  strongly 
urge  a confession  of  the  Divine  mercy  ? But  no  man  can  confess 
the  mercy  of  God,  if  he  has  not  previously  confessed  his  own 
misery.  Indeed,  Ave  rather  pronounce  an  anathema  against  him 
Avho  has  not  confessed  himself  a sinner  before  God,  before  his 


{y)  Matt.  iii.  6. 


(z)  James  v.  16. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


567 


CHAP.  IV.] 

angels,  before  the  Church,  and,  in  a word,  before  all  mankind. 
‘‘For  the  Scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin  — that  every 
mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty 
before  God  j ” (a)  and  that  he  alone  may  be  justified  and 
exalted. 

VII.  But  I wonder  with  what  face  they  can  presume  to 
contend,  that  the  confession  of  which  they  speak  is  of  Divine 
appointment.  The  practice  we  admit  to  be  very  ancient,  but 
we  can  easily  prove,  that  Christians  were  formerly  quite  at 
liberty  as  to  the  use  of  it.  That  there  was  no  fixed  law  or 
constitution  respecting  it  till  the  time  of  Innocent  III.,  is 
certain  from  the  testimony  of  their  own  histories.  Sure- 
ly, if  there  had  been  a more  ancient  law,  they  would  rather 
have  cited  it,  than,  by  being  content  with  a decree  of  the 
Council  of  Lateral!,  have  rendered  themselves  ridiculous  even 
in  the  eyes  of  children.  They  hesitate  not  in  other  cases  to 
fabricate  fictitious  decrees,  which  they  ascribe  to  the  most  an- 
cient councils,  that  they  may  dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  simple  by 
a veneration  for  antiquity.  In  this  instance  they  never  thought 
of  obtruding  such  a forgery.  Therefore,  according  to  their 
own  testimony,  three  hundred  years  have  not  yet  elapsed,  since 
Innocent  III.  introduced  the  snare,  and  imposed  the  necessi- 
ty of  confession.  But,  to  say  nothing  respecting  the  time, 
the  barbarism  of  the  diction, is,  of  itself,  sufficient  to  deprive 
that  law  of  all  credit.  For  the  good  fathers  enjoin,  that  eve- 
ry person,  of  both  sexes,  shall,  once  in  every  year,  make  a 
particular  confession  of  all  sins  to  the  proper  priest ; but  some 
wits  facetiously  object,  that  this  precept  binds  none  but  her- 
maphrodites, and  relates  to  no  one  who  is  either  a male  or  a fe- 
male. Moreover,  their  disciples  have  betrayed  still  greater 
folly,  in  their  inability  to  explain  what  is  meant  by  the  proper 
priest,  c Whatever  may  be  clamorously  pretended  by  all  the 
Pope’s  mercenary  disputants,  we  are  certain,  that  Christ  was 
not  the  author  of  this  law,  which  compels  men  to  enumerate 
their  sins,  and  that  twelve  centuries  passed  away  after  the  re- 
surrection of  Christ,  before  any  such  law  was  promulgated ; so 
that  this  tyranny  was  not  introduced  till  after  the  extinction  of 
piety  and  learning,  when  masques,  occupying  the  place  of  pas- 
tors, had  assumed  an  unlimited  license  of  doing  whatever  they 
pleased.  There  are  also  plain  testimonies,  in  histories  and 
other  ancient  writings,  which  inform  us,  that  this  was  a politi- 
cal discipline  instituted  by  bishops,  not  a law  given  by  Christ 
or  his  apostles.  Of  a great  number,  I shall  produce  only  one, 
which  will  be  a clear  proof  of  this  assertion.  Sozomen,  in  his 
Ecclesiastical  History,  relates,  that  this  ordinance  of  the  bishops 


(a)  Gal.  ill.  22.  Rom.  iii.  9,  19. 


568  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

was  diligently  observed  in  all  the  Western  Churches,  and  espe- 
cially at  Rome.  He  fully  implies  that  it  was  not  the  universal 
custom  of  all  the  churches,  and  says,  that  one  of  the  Presbyters 
was  peculiarly  appointed  to  this  office.  In  this,  he  abundantly 
confutes  the  false  pretensions  of  these  men,  that  the  keys  were 
given  promiscuously,  for  this  use,  to  the  whole  sacerdotal  or- 
der, since  it  was  not  the  common  function  of  all  priests,  but 
the  peculiar  department  of  one  who  was  chosen  to  it  by  the 
bishop.  This  is  the  same,  who,  in  the  present  day,  in  every 
cathedral  church  is  called  the  Penitentiary,  who  takes  cognizance 
of  crimes  of  peculiar  enormity,  and  such  as  are  censured  for 
the  sake  of  example.  The  historian  immediately  adds,  that  this 
was  the  custom  also  at  Constantinople,  till  a certain  matron,  pre- 
tending to  go  to  confession,  was  discovered  to  have  concealed, 
under  this  specious  pretext,  a criminal  connection  with  the  dea- 
con of  that  church.  On  account  of  this  crime,  Nectarius,  the 
bishop  of  the  church,  (a  man  eminent  for  sanctity  and  erudition,) 
abolished  the  ceremony  of  confession.  Here  let  them  erect 
their  asinine  ears.  If  auricular  confession  had  been  a law  of 
God,  how  could  Nectarius  have  presumed  to  reverse  and  disan- 
nul it  ? Will  they  accuse  Nectarius  of  heresy  and  schism,  who 
is  acknowledged  by  all  the  fathers  to  have  been  a holy  man 
of  God  ? But  the  same  sentence  would  condemn  the  Constan- 
tinopolitan  church,  in  which  Sozomen  affirms  the  custom  of 
confession  not  only  to  have  been  discontinued  for  a season,  but 
to  have  been  altogether  disused  down  to  his  time.  And  they 
would  accuse  of  apostasy,  not  only  the  church  of  Constantino- 
ple, but  all  the  Oriental  churches,  who  neglected  a law  which 
they  maintain  to  be  inviolable  and  obligatory  on  all  Christians. 

VHI.  But  this  abrogation  is  plainly  attested  by  Chrysostom, 
who  was  himself  also  a bishop  of  the  church  of  Constantinople,  in 
so  many  places,  that  it  is  surprising  how  they  dare  to  open  their 
mouths  in  contradiction  of  it.  ‘‘Confess  your  sins,  (says  he,) 
that  you  may  obliterate  them.  If  you  are  ashamed  to  tell  any 
one  what  sins  you  have  committed,  confess  them  daily  in  your 
soul.  I say  not,  that  you  should  confess  them  to  your  fellow- 
servant,  who  may  reproach  you ; confess  them  to  God,  who 
cures  them.  Confess  your  sins  on  your  bed,  that  there  your 
conscience  may  daily  recognize  its  crimes.”  Again : “ But, 
now,  it  is  not  necessary  to  confess  in  the  presence  of  witnesses  ; 
let  an  incphsition  into  your  transgressions  be  the  work  of  your 
own  thoughts ; let  there  be  no  witness  of  this  judgment ; let 
God  alone  see  you  confessing.”  Again:  “I  conduct  you  not 
into  the  public  view  of  your  fellow-servants ; I do  not  oblige 
you  to  reveal  your  sins  to  men  ; lay  open  your  conscience  in 
the  presence  of  God.  Show  your  wounds  to  the  Lord,  who  is 
the  best  physician,  and  implore  a remedy  from  him ; show 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


569 


CHAP.  IV.] 

them  to  him,  who  upbraideth  not,  but  most  mercifully  heals.” 
Again:  ‘‘You  certainly  should  not  tell  it  to  a man,  lest  he  re- 
proach you ; nor  is  confession  to  be  made  to  a fellow-servant, 
who  may  publish  it ; but  show  your  wounds  to  the  Lord,  who 
exercises  his  care  over  you,  and  is  a most  merciful  physician.” 
He  afterwards  introduces  God,  speaking  thus  : “ I constrain 
you  not  to  come  forth  into  the  midst  of  a theatre,  and  assemble 
a multitude  of  witnesses ; declare  your  sin  privately  to  me 
alone,  that  I may  heal  your  wound.”  Shall  we  say,  that  Chry- 
sostom proceeded  to  such  a degree  of  temerity,  when  he  wrote 
those  and  similar  passages,  as  to  liberate  the  consciences  of 
men  from  obligations  imposed  on  them  by  the  Divine  law  ? 
Certainly  not.  But  he  dares  not  to  require  as  necessary  what 
he  knows  is  never  prescribed  in  the  word  of  God. 

IX.  But  to  place  the  whole  subject  in  a more  plain  and  fa- 
miliar light,  we  will  first  faithfully  state  what  kind  of  confes- 
sion is  taught  in  the  word  of  God ; and  then  Ave  will  subjoin 
an  account  of  those  inventions  of  the  Papists,  not  indeed  of  all, 
(for  who  could  exhaust  that  immense  ocean?)  but  only  of 
those  which  comprise  the  substance  of  their  doctrine  respecting 
secret  confession.  Here  it  grieves  me  to  mention,  how  fre- 
quently the  old  translator  has  translated  confess  instead  of 
praise ; which  is  Avell  known  eA^en  to  the  most  unlearned  j 
only  it  is  necessary  to  expose  their  audacity,  in  transferring  to 
their  own  tyrannical  edict  what  Avas  Avritten  Avith  reference  to 
the  praises  of  God.  To  prove  the  virtue  of  confession  to  exhi- 
larate the  mind,  they  produce  this  passage  from  the  Psalmist: 
“ With  the  voice  of  exultation  and  confession.”  (6)  But  if 
such  a metamorphosis  of  the  passage  be  admitted,  we  shall  be 
able  to  infer  any  thing  from  any  thing.  But  since  they  are  thus 
lost  to  all  sense  of  shame,  let  the  pious  reader  remember,  that  they 
have  been  consigned  over  to  a reprobate  mind  by  the  righteous 
vengeance  of  God,  to  render  their  presumption  the  more  detesta- 
ble. If  Ave  are  satisfied  with  the  simple  doctrine  of  the  Scripture, 
Ave  shall  be  in  no  danger  of  being  deluded  by  such  fallacies  ; 
for  there  one  method  of  confession  is  prescribed  ; which  is,  that 
since  it  is  the  Lord  who  forgives,  forgets,  and  obliterates  sins, 
Ave  should  confess  our  sins  to  him,  that  we  may  obtain  par- 
don. He  is  a physician ; to  him,  then,  let  us  discover  our 
Avounds.  He  is  injured  and  offended  ; let  us  pray  to  him 
for  peace.  He  is  the  searcher  of  hearts,  and  privy  to  all 
thoughts;  let  us  hasten  to  pour  out  our  hearts' before  him. 
Finally,  it  is  he  Avho  calls  sinners  ; let  us  not  delay  to  ap- 
proach him.  David  says,  “ I acknowledge  my  sin  unto  thee^ 
and  mine  iniquity  have  I not  hid.  I said,  I will  confess  my 


VOL.  I. 


72 


{b)  Psalm  xlii.  4. 


570 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

transgressions  unto  the  Lord  ; and  thou  forgavest  the  iniquity 
of  my  sin.”  (c)  Similar  to  this  is  another  confession  of  David . 

Have  mercy  upon  me,  O God,  according  unto  the  multitude 
of  thy  tender  mercies.”  {d)  Such,  also,  is  the  confession  of 
Daniel : We  have  sinned,  and  have  committed  iniquity,  and 

have  done  wickedly,  and  have  rebelled,  even  by  departing  from 
thy  precepts.”  (e)  And  such  are  the  other  confessions,  which 
frequently  occur  in  the  Scriptures,  the  recital  of  which  would 
almost  fill  a volume.  John  says,  “If  we  confess  our  sins,  God 
is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins.”(/)  To  whom 
must  we  confess  ? To  him,  certainly  ; and  this  we  do,  if  we 
prostrate  ourselves  before  him  with  a distressed  and  humbled 
heart ; if  we  sincerely  accuse  and  condemn  ourselves  in  his 
presence,  and  pray  to  be  pardoned  by  his  goodness  and  mercy. 

X.  Whoever  from  the  heart  makes  this  confession  before 
God,  will  also,  without  doubt,  have  a tongue  prepared  for  con- 
fession, as  often  as  it  shall  be  necessary  to  proclaim  the  Divine 
mercy  among  men  ; and  not  only  to  whisper  the  secret  of  his 
mind  once  into  the  ear  of  an  individual,  but  frequently  and 
publicly,  and  in  the  hearing  of  the  whole  world,  ingenuously 
to  declare,  both  his  own  ignominy,  and  the  magnificence  and 
glory  of  God.  In  this  manner,  when  David  was  reproved  by 
Nathan,  he  felt  compunction  of  conscience,  and  confessed  his 
sill' both  to  God  and  to  men  : “ I have  sinned  (said  he)  against 
the  Lord ; ” {g)  that  is,  I now  make  no  excuse,  nor  use  the 
least  subterfuge  to  prevent  all  men  from  condemning  me  as  a 
sinner,  and  what  I wished  to  conceal  from  the  Lord,  from  be- 
ing revealed  also  to  men.  The  secret  confession,  therefore, 
which  is  made  to  God,  is  followed  by  a voluntary  confession 
before  men,  whenever  it  contributes  either  to  the  Divine  glory 
or  to  our  humiliation.  For  this  reason,  the  Lord  anciently  en- 
joined upon  the  Israelites,  that  all  the  people  should  confess 
their  iniquities  publicly  in  the  temple,  by  the  mouth  of 
the  priest,  {h)  For  he  foresaw  this  assistance  to  be  necessary 
for  them,  to  bring  every  person  to  a proper  view  of  himself. 
And  it  is  reasonable,  that,  by  the  confession  of  our  misery,  we 
should  glorify  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God,  both  among 
ourselves  and  before  the  whole  world. 

XI.  This  kind  of  confession  ought  to  be  both  ordinary,  m 
the  Church  ; and  extraordinary,  to  be  practised  in  a particular 
manner  whenever  the  people  at  large  are  chargeable  with  the 
guilt  of  any  common  crime.  We  have  an  example  of  the  .lat- 
ter in  that  solemn  confession  which  was  made  by  all  the 
people  under  the  auspices  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  For  as 

(r)  Psalm  xxxii.  5.  (c)  Dan.  ix.  5.  (g)  2 Sam.  xii.  13. 

{d)  Psalm  li.  1.  (/)  1 John  i.  9.  (h)  Lev.  xvi.  21 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


571 


CHAP.  IV.] 

their  long  exile,  the  destruction  of  their  city  and  temple,  and 
the  subversion  of  their  religion,  were  punishments  of  the  com- 
mon defection  of  all,  they  could  not  properly  acknowledge  the 
blessing  of  deliverance,  unless  they  had  first  confessed  their 
guilt.  Nor  is  it  of  any  importance  if,  in  a congregation,  there 
be  sometimes  a few  innocent  persons ; for  as  they  are  members 
of  a languid  and  diseased  body,  they  ought  not  to  boast  of 
health.  Nor  is  it  possible,  indeed,  but  they  must  contract  some 
of  the  pollution,  and  sustain  part  of  the  guilt.  Therefore, 
whenever  we  are  afllicted  with  pestilence,  or  war,  or  sterility, 
or  any  other  calamity,  if  it  be  our  duty  to  resort  to  mourning, 
to  fasting,  and  other  expressions  of  guilt, — confession  itself,  on 
which  all  these  other  things  depend,  ought  by  no  means  to  be 
neglected.  The  ordinary  confession  is  not  only  recommended 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  but  no  judicious  man,  who  has 
considered  its  usefulness,  will  venture  to  condemn  it.  For 
since,  in  every  religious  assembly,  we  introduce  ourselves  into 
the  presence  of  God  and  angels,  how  shall  we  commence  our  ser- 
vices, except  by  an  acknowledgment  of  our  unworthiness  ? But 
this,  you  will  say,  is  done  in  every  prayer;  for  whenever  we 
pray  for  pardon,  we  make  a confession  of  our  sins.  This  I ac- 
knowledge. But,  if  you  consider  our  extreme  carelessness,  or 
drowsiness,  or  stupidity,  you.  will  admit  to  me,  that  it  would  be 
a salutary  regulation,  if  the  generality  of  Christians  were  accus- 
tomed to  humble  themselves  by  some  solemn  act  of  confession. 
For  though  the  ceremony,  which  the  Lord  enjoined  on  the  Is- 
raelites, was  apart'of  the  tutelage  of  the  law,  yet  the  thing  itself, 
in  some  measure,  belongs  also  to  us.  And,  indeed,  we  see  that 
in  all  well-regulated  churches  this  custom  is  advantageously 
observed  ; that  on  every  Lord’s  day  the  minister  makes  a for- 
mal confession,  in  which  he  represents  all  as  guilty  of  sin,  and 
supplicates  pardon  from  the  Lord  on  behalf  of  all.  Finally,  by 
this  key  the  gate  of  prayer  is  opened,  both  to  individuals  in 
private,  and  in  public  to  all  the  congregation. 

XII.  Moreover,  the  Scripture  sanctions  two  kinds  of  private 
confession  ; one  to  be  made  for  our  own  sake,  which  is  referred 
to  in  the  direction  of  James,  that  we  should  ^‘confess  our  faults 
one  to  another ; ” (i)  for  he  means,  that,  revealing  our  infirmi- 
ties to  one  another,  we  should  assist  each  other  with  mutual 
advice  and  consolation ; another,  which  is  to  be  made  for  the 
sake  of  our  neighbour,  to  pacify  and  reconcile  him  to  us,  if  we 
have  done  him  any  injury.  In  the  former  species  of  confession, 
though  James,  by  not  expressly  appointing  any  one  into  whose 
bosom  we  should  disburden  ourselves,  leaves  us  quite  at  liberty 
to  confess  to  any  member  of  the  church  who  shall  appear  most 


(i)  James  v.  16. 


o72 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

suitable ; yet,  since  the  pastors  must  generally  be  considered 
more  proper  than  others,  we  ought  chiefly  to  make  choice  of 
them.  I say  that  they  are  more  suitable  than  others,  since,  in 
their  very  vocation  to  the  ministry,  they  are  designated  by  the 
Lord,  to  instruct  us  to  subdue  and  correct  our  sins,  and  to  con- 
sole us  with  a confidence  of  pardon.  For  though  the  office  of 
mutual  admonition  and  reproof  is  committed  to  all,  yet  it  is 
especially  confided  to  ministers.  And  so,  while  we  all  ought 
mutually  to  console  and  confirm  each  other  in  a confidence  of 
the  Divine  mercy,  yet  we  see,  that  ministers  are  constituted  wit- 
nesses and  sureties  of  it,  that  they  may  afford  our  consciences 
a stronger  assurance  of  the  remission  of  sins ; insomuch  that 
they  themselves  are  said  to  remit  sins  and  to  loose  souls.  (^*) 
When  you  find  this  attributed  to  them,  consider  that  it  is  for 
your  benefit.  Therefore,  let  every  believer  remember  that  it 
is  his  duty,  if  he  feels  such  secret  anguish  or  affliction  from  a 
sense  of  his  sins,  that  he  cannot  extricate  himself  without 
some  exterior  aid,  not  to  neglect  the  remedy  offered  him  by 
the  Lord ; which  is,  that  in  order  to  alleviate  his  distress,  he 
should  use  private  confession  with  his  pastor,  and,  to  obtain 
consolation,  should  privately  implore  his  assistance,  whose 
office  it  is,  both  publicly  and  privately,  to  comfort  the  people 
of  God  with  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel.  But  we  should 
always  observe  such  a degree  of  moderation,  as  to  lay  no  yoke 
on  the  conscience,  where  God  has  given  no  positive  command. 
Hence  it  follows,  that  such  confession  ought  to  be  free,  so  as 
not  to  be  required  of  all,  but  only  to  be  recommended  to  those 
who  conceive  themselves  to  need  it.  It  follows  also,  that  they 
who  practise  it  on  account  of  their  need  of  it,  should  neither  be 
compelled  by  any  precept,  nor  be  induced  by  any  artifice,  to 
enumerate  all  their  sins ; but  only  so  far  as  they  shall  think 
beneficial  to  themselves,  that  they  may  receive  solid  consola- 
tion. Faithful  pastors  ought  not  only  to  leave  the  churches  in 
possession  of  this  liberty,  but  also  to  defend  and  vindicate  it 
with  all  their  power,  if  they  wish  to  preserve  their  ministry 
from  tyranny,  and  the  people  from  superstition. 

XIII.  Concerning  the  other  species  of  confession,  Christ 
says,  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  “ If  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the 
altar,  and  there  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  ought 
against  thee,  leave  there  thy  gift  before  the  altar,  and  go  thy 
way ; first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  come  and 
offer  thy  gift.”  (/)  Thus  is  that  charity,  which  has  been  bro- 
ken by  our  offence,  to  be  repaired  by  acknowledging  the  fault 
we  have  committed,  and  imploring  forgiveness.  In  this  kind 
IS  comprehended  the  confession  of  those  who  have  sinned  to 

(li)  Matt.  xvi.  19;  xviii.  18.  John  xx.  23.  (1)  Matt.  v.  23,  24. 


CHAP.  IV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  573 

the  offence  of  the  whole  Church.  For,  if  Christ  esteems  the 
private  offence  of  one  man  of  such  importance,  as  to  prohibit 
from  the  sacred  ordinances  all  those  who  have  sinned  against 
their  brethren  till  they  have  been  restored  to  favour  by  an 
adequate  satisfaction, — how  much  stronger  is  the  reason,  that 
he  who,  by  any  evil  example,  has  injured  the  whole  Churclq 
should  reconcile  it  to  himself  by  an  acknowledgment  of  his 
guilt ! Thus  was  the  Corinthian  readmitted  to  the  communion, 
after  having  submitted  to  reproof,  (m)  This  mode  of  con- 
fession is  stated  by  Cyprian  to  have  been  practised  in  the  an- 
cient Church.  “They  repent  (says  he)  in  due  time;  and 
afterwards  they  come  to  confession ; and  by  the  imposition  of 
the  hands  of  the  bishop  and  clergy,  they  receive  a right  to 
communion.”  The  Scripture  knows  nothing  of  any  other 
method  or  form  of  confession ; and  it  is  not  our  province  to 
impose  new  chains  on  men’s  consciences,  which  Christ  most 
strictly  forbids  to  reduce  under  the  yoke  of  bondage.  But 
that  the  sheep  should  present  themselves  to  their  pastor,  when- 
ever they  desire  to  partake  of  the  sacred  supper,  I am  so  far 
from  opposing,  that  I earnestly  wish  it  were  universally  ob- 
served. For  those  who  experience  distress  of  conscience  may 
receive  singular  benefit  from  such  an  interview  ; and  those  who 
require  to  be  admonished,  will  thus  afford  an  opportunity  for 
admonitions ; provided  that  care  be  always  taken  to  guard 
against  tyranny  and  superstition. 

XIV.  The  power  of  the  keys  is  exercised  in  these  three 
kinds  of  confession : either  when  the  whole  church  implores 
pardon  by  a solemn  acknowledgment  of  its  transgressions ; or 
when  an  individual,  who,  by  any  remarkable  crime,  has  occa- 
sioned a common  offence,  declares  his  repentance  ; or  when  he 
who  needs  the  assistance  of  the  minister  on  account  of  the  dis- 
quietude of  his  conscience,  discloses  his  infirmity  to  him.  The 
removal  of  an  offence  proceeds  on  a different  principle  ; because, 
though  it  is  also  designed  to  produce  peace  of  conscience,  yet 
the  principal  end  is,  that  animosity  may  be  destroyed,  and  the 
minds  of  men  united  in  the  bonds  of  peace.  But  this  advan- 
tage, which  I have  mentioned,  is  by  no  means  to  be  despised, 
that  we  may  confess  our  sins  with  the  greater  readiness.  For, 
when  the  whole  church  stands,  as  it  were,  before  the  tribunal 
of  God,  when  they  confess  themselves  guilty,  and  have  no 
refuge  but  in  the  Divine  mercy,  — it  is  no  mean  or  trivial  con- 
solation to  have  Christ’s  ambassador  present,  furnished  with 
the  mandate  of  reconciliation,  by  whom  they  may  have  their 
absolution  pronounced.  Here  the  usefulness  of  the  keys  is 
deservedly  celebrated,  when  this  embassy  is  rightly  performed, 


(m)  2 Cor.  ii.  6. 


574  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  HI. 

with  becoming  order  and  reverence.  So,  when  he  who  had, 
in  some  measure,  alienated  himself  from  the  Church,  is  par- 
doned and  restored  to  the  unity  of  the  brethren,  how  great  a 
blessing  does  he  experience  in  knowing  himself  to  be  forgiven 
by  them,  to  whom  Christ  has  said,  Whose  soever  sins  ye  shall 
remit  on  earth,  they  shall  be  remitted  in  heaven!”  (n)  Nor 
is  private  absolution  less  efficacious  or  beneficial,  when  it  is 
requested  by  those  who  need  a particular  remedy  for  the  relief 
of  their  infirmities.  For  it  frequently  happens,  that  he  who 
hears  the  general  promises,  which  are  addressed  to  the  whole 
congregation  of  believers,  nevertheless  remains  in  some  sus- 
pense, and  his  mind  is  still  disquieted  with  doubts  of  the  for- 
giveness of  his  sins.  The  same  person,  if  he  discloses  to  his 
pastor  the  secret  distress  of  his  mind,  and  hears  this  language 
of  the  gospel  particularly  directed  to  him,  “ Be  of  good  cheer  ; 
thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,”  (o)  will  encourage  his  mind  to  an 
assurance,  and  will  be  liberated  from  that  trepidation  with 
which  he  was  before  disturbed.  But  when  we  are  treating  of 
the  keys,  we  must  always  be  cautious  not  to  dream  of  any 
power  distinct  from  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  This  subject 
will  again  be  discussed  more  fully  in  another  place,  where  we 
shall  have  to  treat  of  the  government  of  the  Church  ; and  there 
we  shall  see,  that  all  the  power  of  binding  and  loosing,  which 
Christ  has  conferred  on  the  Church,  is  inseparable  from  the 
word.  But  this  is  chiefly  applicable  to  the  ministry  of  the 
keys,  the  whole  force  and  meaning  of  which  consist  in  this, 
that  the  grace  of  the  gospel  should  be  confirmed  and  sealed,  as 
it  were,  to  the  minds  of  the  faithful,  in  public  as  well  as  private, 
by  those  whom  the  Lord  has  ordained  to  this  office ; which 
cannot  be  done  but  by  preaching  alone. 

XY.  But  what  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Romish  divines  ? 
They  maintain,  that  all  persons,  of  both  sexes,  as  soon  as  they 
shall  have  arrived  at  years  of  discretion,  should,  once  at  least  in 
every  year,  confess  all  their  sins  to  their  own  priest;  that  there 
is  no  remission  of  sin,  unless  they  have  firmly  resolved  to  con- 
fess it ; that  unless  they  fulfil  this  resolution,  when  opportunity 
olfers,  there  is  no  admittance  for  them  into  Paradise ; and, 
moreover,  that  the  priest  has  the  power  of  the  keys,  with  which 
he  may  loose  the  sinner  or  bind  him ; because  Christ  has  not 
said  in  vain,  Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be 
bound  in  heaven.”  {p)  But  concerning  this  power,  they  have 
obstinate  contentions  among  themselves.  Some  say,  that  there 
is  essentially  but  one  key,  namely,  the  power  of  binding  and 
loosing ; that  knowledge  is  required,  indeed,  for  the  good  use 
of  it,  but  that  it  is  only  like  an  accessary,  not  an  essential  con- 


(n)  Matt,  xviii.  18.  John  xx.  23. 


(o)  Matt.  IX.  2. 


(p)  Matt,  xviii.  18. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


bib 


CHAP.  IV.] 

comitant.  Others,  perceiving  this  to  be  too  unlimited  a license, 
have  mentioned  two  keys,  discretion  and  power.  Others,  again, 
observing  that  the  wickedness  of  the  priests  was  restrained  by 
such  moderation,  have  invented  other  keys,  an  authority  of 
discerning  which  they  might  use  in  pronouncing  decisions ; 
and  a power,  which  they  might  exert  in  executing  their  sen- 
tences ; with  knowledge,  to  assist  as  a counsellor.  But  they 
venture  not  to  explain  this  binding  and  loosing  simply  to  mean, 
forgiving  and  obliterating  sins  ; because  they  hear  the  Lord 
proclaiming  by  the  prophet,  am  the  Lord,  and  beside  me 
there  is  no  Saviour.  I,  even  I,  am  he  which  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions.”  {q)  But  they  say,  that  it  belongs  to  the  priest 
to  pronounce  who  are  bound  or  loosed,  and  to  declare  whose 
sins  are  remitted  or  retained ; and  that  he  declares  it,  either  by 
confession,  when  he  absolves  and  retains  sins ; or  by  his  sen- 
tence, when  he  excommunicates,  and  when  he  receives  to  the 
communion  of  the  sacraments.  Lastly,  when  they  perceive 
that  they  are  not  yet  extricated  from  this  difficulty,  but  that  it 
may  always  be  objected,  that  their  priests  frequently  bind  and 
loose  improper  persons, Who  are  not  therefore  bound  or  loosed 
in  heaven, — as  their  last  resource,  they  reply,  that  the  commis- 
sion of  the  keys  must  be  understood  with  some  limitation, 
Christ  having  promised,  that  the  sentence  of  the  priest,  which 
has  been  justly  delivered,  according  to  the  merits  of  the  per- 
sons bound  or  loosed,  shall  be  confirmed  at  his  tribunal.  They 
add  also,  that  these  keys  were  given  by  Christ  to  all  priests, 
who  receive  them  from  the  bishops  on  their  promotion  to  the 
sacerdotal  office  ; but  that  the  free  use  of  them  belongs  only 
to  those  who  exercise  ecclesiastical  functions  ; that  the  keys 
themselves  remain,  indeed,  with  the  excommunicated  or  sus- 
pended ones,  but  that  they  are  rusty  and  disused.  And  those 
who  advance  these  things  may  justly  be  considered  modest 
and  sober,  in  comparison  with  others,  who,  on  a new  anvil, 
have  fabricated  new  keys,  with  which  they  tell  us  the  trea- 
sure of  the  Church  is  locked  up ; which  we  shall  examine  in 
the  proper  place. 

XVI.  I shall  briefly  reply  to  each  of  these  things ; though 
without  noticing,  at  present,  the  justice  or  injustice  with 
which  they  bind  the  souls  of  the  faithful  by  their  laws  ; as 
that  will  be  considered  in  due  order.  But  when  they  impose 
a law  respecting  the  enumeration  of  all  sins ; when  they  deny 
that  sin  is  forgiven,  but  on  condition  that  a firm  resolution  has 
been  formed  to  confess  it ; when  they  say  that  there  remains 
no  entrance  into  Paradise,  if  the  opportunity  of  confession  has 
been  neglected,  — this  is  altogether  intolerable.  Must  all  sins 


{q)  Isaiah  xliii.  11,  25. 


576  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  111, 

be  enumerated  ? David,  who  (I  suppose)  had  often  meditated 
the  confession  of  his  sins,  nevertheless  exclaimed,  Who  can 
understand  his  errors  ? cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults.  ” (r) 
And  in  another  place  : Mine  iniquities  are  gone  over  mine 
head  ; as  a heavy  burden  they  are  too  heavy  for  me.”  (s)  He  had 
just  apprehensions  of  the  vast  abyss  of  our  sins,  of  the  numerous 
species  of  our  crimes,  of  the  many  heads  this  monster  bore,  and 
the  long  tail  it  drew  after  it.  Therefore  he  attempted  not  to  de- 
tail his  transgressions,  but  from  the  abyss  of  his  distresses  cried 
to  the  Lord,  I am  afflicted  and  ready  to  die  ; my  spirit  is  over- 
whelmed within  me  ; I dwell  in  darkness,  as  those  that  have 
been  long  dead  ; ” {t)  the  sorrows  of  death  compassed  me,  and 
the  pains  of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me ; ” (v)  ‘‘  I sink  in  deep 
mire  ; deliver  me  out  of  the  mire,  and  let  me  not  sink.”  (w) 
Who  can  now  think  of  recounting  his  sins,  when  he  sees  that 
David  was  unable  to  enter  on  an  enumeration  of  his  ? 

XVII.  The  souls  of  those  who  have  been  affected  with  any 
discoveries  of  God,  have  been  most  cruelly  tormented  by  this 
fatal  delusion.  First,  they  called  themselves  to  an  account ; 
they  divided  sins  into  boughs,  branches,  twigs,  and  leaves, 
according  to  the  distinctions  of  these  confessors  : then  they  ex- 
amined the  qualities,  quantities,  and  circumstances ; and  the 
business  made  some  little  progress.  But,  when  they  had  ad- 
vanced further,  they  were  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  sea 
and  the  sky,  no  port,  no  haven  in  prospect ; the  more  they  had 
passed  over,  the  greater  mass  was  always  accumulating  on  their 
view  ; they  beheld,  as  it  were,  lofty  mountains  rising  before 
them,  and  no  time  or  labour  seemed  to  encourage  the  least 
hope  of  escaping.  Thus  they  remained  in  extreme  distress, 
and  after  all,  found  it  terminate  in  nothing  but  despair.  Then 
the  remedy  applied  by  those  cruel  murderers,  to  alleviate  the 
wounds  which  they  had  made,  was,  that  every  one  should  do 
to  the  uttermost  of  his  ability.  But  new  cares  again  disturbed, 
and  new  agonies  again  excruciated,  these  miserable  souls  : I 
have  not  devoted  sufficient  time ; I have  not  applied  with  pro- 
per diligence  ; I have  omitted  many  things  through  negligence, 
and  the  forgetfulness  which  arises  from  negligence  is  inexcusa- 
ble. To  assuage  such  pains,  other  remedies . were  now  added : 
Repent  of  your  negligence ; if  it  be  not  too  great,  it  will  be 
forgiven.  But  all  these  things  cannot  heal  the  wound ; nor  do 
they  act  as  alleviations  of  the  malady,  but  rather  as  poisons 
concealed  in  honey,  that  they  may  not  by  their  harshness  of- 
fend at  the  first  taste,  but  may  penetrate  into  the  inmost  parts 
before  they  are  perceived.  This  terrible  injunction,  therefore, 
is  always  pursuing  them  and  resounding  in  their  ears  : “Confess 

(r)  Psalm  xix.  12.  (5)  Psalm  Ixxxviii.  15,  {t)  Psalm  cxliii.  3,  4. 

(v)  Psalm  cxvi.  3,  {to)  Psalm  Ixix.  2,  14. 


CHAP.  IV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  bll 

all  your  sins ; ” nor  can  that  terror  be  appeased  but  by  some 
certain  consolation.  Here  let  the  reader  consider  the  possibi- 
lity of  taking  an  account  of  the  actions  of  a whole  year,  and 
selecting  the  sins  of  every  day ; since  experience  convinces 
every  man  that,  when  at  evening  he  comes  to  examine  the  de- 
linquencies of  only  one  day,  his  memory  is  confounded  by 
their  great  multitude  and  variety.  I speak  not  of  stupid  hy- 
pocrites, who,  if  they  have  noticed  three  or  four  gross  sins, 
imagine  they  have  discharged  their  duty  ; but  of  the  true  wor- 
shippers of  God,  who,  when  they  find  themselves  overwhelmed 
with  the  examination  they  have  made,  conclude,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  John,  If  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than 
our  heart.”  {x)  They  tremble,  therefore,  before  that  Judge, 
whose  knowledge  far  exceeds  our  apprehension. 

XVIII.  The  acquiescence  of  a great  part  of  the  world  in 
such  soothing  arts,  employed  to  temper  this  mortal  poison, 
was  not  indulged  from  a belief  that  God  was  satisfied,  or  be- 
cause they  were  altogether  satisfied  themselves ; but  that,  like 
mariners,  having  cast  anchor  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  they 
might  enjoy  a short  respite  from  the  toils  of  navigation,  or  like 
a fatigued  and  fainting  traveller,  might  lie  down  in  the  road. 
I shall  not  take  much  trouble  to  establish  this  point  ’ for  every 
man  may  be  his  own  witness  of  it.  I will  briefly  state  the 
nature  of  this  law.  First,  it  is  absolutely  impracticable  ; there- 
fore it  can  only  destroy,  condemn,  confound,  and  precipitate 
into  ruin  and  despair.  In  the  next  place,  it  diverts  sinners 
from  a true  sense  of  their  sins,  and  makes  them  hypocrites, 
ignorant  both  of  God  and  themselves.  For  while  they  are 
wholly  employed  in  enumerating  their  sins,  they  forget,  in  the 
mean  time,  that  latent  source  of  vices,  their  secret  iniquities 
and  inward  pollutions,  a knowledge  of  which  is  above  all  things 
necessary  to  a consideration  of  their  misery.  But  the  most 
certain  rule  of  confession  is  to  acknowledge  and  confess  the 
abyss  of  our  guilt  to  be  vast  beyond  all  our  comprehension. 
The  publican’s  confession  appears  to  have  been  composed  ac- 
cording to'  this  rule  — God  be  merciful  to  me  a sinner.”  (y) 
As  though  he  had  said,  All  that  I am  is  utterly  sinful ; I can- 
not reach  the  magnitude  of  my  sins,  either  with  my  tongue  or 
with  my  mind  ; let  the  abyss  of  thy  mercy  swallow  up  this 
abyss  of  sin.”  But  you  will  say.  Are  not  particular  sins,  then, 
to  be  confessed  ? Is  no  confession  accepted  by  God  unless  it  be 
comprised  in  these  precise  words,  I am  a sinner  ? ” I reply, 
that  we  should  rather  endeavour,  as  far  as  we  possibly  can,  to 
pour  out  our  whole  heart  before  the  Lord ; and  not  only  con- 
fess ourselves  sinners  in  a single  expression,  but  truly  and 

(x)  1 John  iii.  20. 

VOL.  I.  73 


(y)  Luke  xviii.  13. 


578  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

cordially  acknowledge  ourselves  such ; and  consider  in  all  our 
reflections,  how  great  and  various  is  the  pollution  of  sin  ; not 
only  that  we  are  unclean,  hut  the  nature  and  extent  of  our 
impurity ; not  only  that  we  are  debtors,  but  the  magnitude  and 
number  of  the  debts  with  which  we  are  burdened  ; not  only 
that  we  are  wounded,  but  what  a multitude  of  mortal  wounds 
we  have  received.  Yet  when  the  sinner  has  wholly  un- 
bosomed himself  before  God  in  this  acknowledgment,  let  him 
seriously  and  sincerely  reflect,  that  more  sins  still  remain,  and 
that  the  secret  recesses  of  his  guilt  are  too  deep  to  be  entirely 
disclosed.  And  therefore  let  him  exclaim  with  David,  Who 
can  understand  his  errors  ? Cleanse  thou  me  from  secret 
faults.”  {id)  Now.  when  they  affirm,  that  sins  are  not  forgiven 
without  a strong  resolution  having  been  formed  to  confess 
them,  and  that  the  gate  of  Paradise  is  shut  against  him  who 
has  neglected  an  opportunity  afforded  him  of  confessing, — .far 
be  it  from  us  to  make  them  such  a concession.  For  there  is 
no  other  remission  of  sins  now  than  there  always  has  been. 
Among  all  those  who  are  said  to  have  obtained  remission  of 
sins  from  Christ,  none  are  said  to  have  made  a confession  in 
the  ear  of  any  priest.  Nor,  indeed,  was  it  possible  for  them 
thus  to  confess,  when  there  were  no  confessionary  priests,  and 
confession  itself  was  altogether  unknown.  And  this  confession 
was  unheard  of  for  many  ages  after,  during  which  sins  were 
forgiven  without  this  condition.  But,  not  to  debate  any 
longer  as  respecting  a doubtful  point,  the  word  of  God  which 
abideth  for  ever,”  {x)  is  perfectly  clear : If  the  wicked  will 
turn  from  all  his  sins,  all  his  transgressions  that  he  hath  com- 
mitted, they  shall  not  be  mentioned  unto  him.”  {y)  He  who 
presumes  to  make  any  addition  to  this  declaration,  does  not  bind 
sins,  but  limits  the  mercy  of  God.  When  they  contend  that 
judgment  cannot  be  given  without  a trial  of  the  cause,  we 
are  prepared  with  an  answer  — that  they  are  guilty  of  arrogant 
presumption  in  creating  themselves  judges.  And  it  is  surpri- 
sing that  they  so  securely  fabricate  principles  for  themselves, 
which  no  man  of  sound  understanding  will  admit.  They 
boast  that  the  office  of  binding  and  loosing  is  committed  to 
them,  as  though  it  were  a kind  of  jurisdiction  annexed  to  ex- 
amination. That  the  apostles  were  strangers  to  this  authority, 
their  whole  doctrine  proclaims ; and  to  know  certainly  whether 
the  sinner  be  loosed,  belongs  not  to  the  priest,  but  to  Him  of 
whom  absolution  is  implored ; since  the  priest  who  hears  the 
confession,  can  never  know  whether  the  enumeration  of  sins 
be  true  and  perfect.  Thus  there  would  be  no  absolution,  but 
what  must  be  restricted  to  the  words  of  the  person  to  be 


{w)  Psalm  xix.  12. 


(i)  1 Peter  i.  23. 


(y)  Ezek.  xviii.  21,  22. 


CHAP.  IV.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  579 

judged.  Besides,  the  loosing  of  sins  depends  entirely  on  faith 
and  repentance  ; which  both  elude  the  knowledge  of  man, 
when  sentence  is  to  be  given  respecting  another.  It  follows, 
therefore,  that  the  certainty  of  binding  and  loosing  is  not  sub- 
ject to  the  decision  of  an  earthly  judge;  because  a minister,  in 
the  legitimate  execution  of  his  office,  can  pronounce  only  a 
conditional  absolution  ; but  that  the  declaration,  Whose  soever 
sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted,’’^  is  spoken  for  the  sake  of 
sinners,  to  preclude  every  doubt  that  the  pardon,  which  is 
promised  according  to  the  command  and  word  of  God,  will  be 
ratified  in  heaven. 

XIX.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  therefore,  if  we  condemn 
and  desire  the  total  removal  of  this  auricular  confession  — a 
thing  so  pestilent,  and  in  so  many  respects  injurious  to  the 
Church.  Even  if  it  were  a thing  abstractedly  indifferent,  yet, 
since  it  is  of  no  use  or  benefit,  but  has  occasioned  so  much 
impiety,  sacrilege,  and  error,  — who  can  refuse  to  admit,  that  it 
ought  to  be  immediately  abolished  ? They  mention,  indeed, 
some  uses,  which  they  boast  of  as  very  beneficial ; but  these 
are  mere  fictions,  or  productive  of  no  advantage  whatever.  One 
circumstance  they  state  as  a peculiar  recommendation,  that 
the  shame  of  the  person  who  confesses  is  a grievous  punish- 
ment, by  which  the  sinner  is  rendered  more  cautious  in  future, 
and  prevents  the  vengeance  of  God  by  punishing  himself.  As 
though  we  humble  not  a man  with  a sufficient  degree  of 
shame,  when  we  summon  him  to  the  supreme  tribunal  of  hea- 
ven — to  the  cognizance  of  God  ! , It  is  a wonderful  advantage, 
indeed,  if  we  cease  to  sin  through  a shame  of  one  man,  but  are 
never  ashamed  of  having  God  for  a witness  of  our  evil  con- 
science ! Though  this  very  notion  is  utterly  false ; for  it  is 
universally  observable,  that  nothing  produces  a greater  confi- 
dence or  licentiousness  in  sinning,  than  the  idea  entertained  by 
some  men,  after  they  have  made  their  confession  to  a priest,  that 
they  may  ‘‘  wipe  their  mouth  and  say,  I have  done  no  wicked- 
ness.” [z)  And  they  not  only  become  more  presumptuous  in 
their  sins  throughout  the  year,  but,  having  no  concern  about 
confession  for  the  rest  of  the  year,  they  never  as^e  after  God, 
they  never  retire  into  themselves,  but  accumulate  sins  upon  sins, 
till  they  disembogue  them,  as  they  imagine,  all  at  once.  But 
when  they  have  done  this,  they  conceive  themselves  to  be  exone- 
rated of  their  burden,  and  to  have  transferred  from  God  the  judg- 
ment they  have  conferred  on  the  priest ; and  that  they  have  de- 
prived God  of  remembrance,  by  the  information  they  have  com- 
municated to  the  priest.  Besides,  who  rejoices  to  see  the  day 
of  confession  approaching  ? Who  goes  to  confess  with  alacrity 
of  heart ; and  does  not  rather  come  with  unwillingness  and  re- 

(2)  Prov.  XXX.  20. 


580 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  Hi, 

luctance,  as  though  he  were  forcibly  dragged  to  a prison  ; ex- 
cept perhaps  the  priests,  who  pleasantly  entertain  themselves 
with  mutual  narrations  of  their  exploits,  as  with  humorous  anec- 
dotes ? I will  not  soil  much  paper  by  relating  the  monstrous 
abominations  with  which  auricular  confession  abounds.  I 
only  remark,  if  that  holy  man  was  not  guilty  of  indiscretion, 
who,  on  account  of  one  rumour  of  fornication,  banished  con- 
fession from  his  church,  or  rather  from  the  memory  of  his 
people, — we  are  thus  reminded  of  what  ought  to  be  done  in 
the  present  day,  when  rapes,  adulteries,  incests,  and  seductions 
exceed  all  enumeration. 

XX.  As  the  advocates  of  confession  plead  the  power  of  the 
keys,  and  rest  upon  it  all  the  merits  of  their  cause,  we  must 
examine  the  weight  that  is  due  to  this  argument.  Are  the 
keys,  then,  (say  they,)  given  without  any  reason  ? Is  it  with- 
out any  cause  that  it  is  said,  “ Whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on 
earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven?”  (a)  Do  we,  then,  frustrate 
the  declaration  of  Christ?  I reply,  that  there  was  an  important 
reason  why  the  keys  should  be  given  ; as  I have  already  stated, 
and  shall  again  more  explicitly  show,  when  I come  to  treat  of 
excommunication.  But  what  if  I refute  the  whole  of  their  pre- 
tensions with  one  argument,  that  their  priests  are  not  vicars,  or 
successors  of  the  apostles  ? But  this,  also,  will  be  discussed  in 
another  place.  Now,  they  set  up,  as  their  principal  defence,  an 
engine  by  which  their  whole  structure  may  be  completely  demo- 
lished. For  Christ  never  conferred  on  his  apostles  the  power  of 
binding  and  loosing,  till  after  he  had  given  them  the  Holy  Ghost. 
I deny,  therefore,  that  the  power  of  the  keys  belongs  to  any, 
who  have  not  previously  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  I deny 
that  any  one  can  use  the  keys,  unless  the  Spirit  guide  and 
instruct  him,  and  direct  him  how  he  ought  to  act.  They  im- 
pertinently pretend,  that  they  have  the  Holy  Ghost ; but  in 
reality  they  deny  it ; unless  perhaps  they  imagine,  as  they 
certainly  do,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a useless  and  worthless 
thing  ; but  they  will  not  be  believed.  By  this  weapon  they  are 
completely  vanquished.  Of  whatever  door  they  pretend  to 
have  the  ke^  they  should  always  be  asked,  whether  they  have 
the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  the  arbiter  and  governor  of  the  keys. 
If  they  reply  in  the  affirmative,  they  must  be  questioned  again, 
whether  it  be  possible  for  the  Holy  Ghost  to  err.  This  they 
will  not  dare  expressly  to  avow,  though  they  obliquely  insi- 
nuate it  in  their  doctrine.  We  may  justly  infer,  therefore,  that 
no  priests  have  the  power  of  the  keys,  who,  without  discrimi- 
nation, frequently  loose  what  the  Lord  had  designed  to  be 
hound,  and  bind  what  he  had  commanded  to  be  loosed. 

XXL  When  they  find  themselves  convinced,  by  evident 


(a)  Matt,  xviii.  18. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


581 


CHAP.  IV.] 

experience,  that  they  promiscuously  loose  and  bind  the  worthy 
and  the  unworthy,  they  arrogate  to  themselves  the  power 
without  knowledge.  And  though  they  dare  not  deny  that 
knowledge  is  requisite  to  a good  use  of  it,  yet  they  tell  us, 
that  the  power  itself  is  committed  to  improper  dispensers  of  it. 
But  this  is  the  power  — Whatsoever  thou  kindest  or  loosest  on 
earth,  shall  be  bound  or  loosed  in  heaven.”  Either  the  promise 
of  Christ  must  be  false,  or  the  binding  and  loosing  is  rightly 
performed  by  those  who  are  endued  with  this  power.  Nor  is 
there  any  room  for  them  to  quibble,  that  the  declaration  of 
Christ  is  limited  according  to  the  merits  of  the  person  that  is 
bound  or  loosed.  We  also  acknowledge,  that  none  can  be 
bound  or  loosed,  but  such  as  are  worthy  to  be  bound  or  loosed. 
But  the  preachers  of  the  gospel,  and  the  Church,  have  the 
word  as  the  standard  of  this  worthiness.  In  this  word,  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel  may  promise  to  all  remission  of  sins  in 
Christ  through  faith  ; they  may  denounce  damnation  againgt 
all  and  upon  all  who  receive  not  Christ.  In  this  word,  tire 
Church  pronounces,  that  fornicators,  adulterers,  thieves,  mur- 
derers, misers,  and  extortioners,  have  no  part  in  the  kingdom 
of  God  ; and  binds  such  with  the  firmest  bonds.  In  the  same 
word,  the  Church  looses  and  comforts  those  who  repent,  (b) 
But  what  kind  of  power  will  it  be,  not  to  know  what  ought  to 
be  bound  or  loosed  ? and  not  to  be  able  to  bind  or  loose  with- 
out this  knowledge  ? Why,  then,  do  they  say,  that  they 
absolve  by  the  authority  committed  to  them,  when  their  abso- 
lution is  uncertain  ? Why  should  we  concern  ourselves  about 
this  imaginary  power,  if  it  be  quite  useless  ? But  I have  al- 
ready ascertained,  either  that  it  has  no  existence,  or  that  it  is 
too  uncertain  to  be  considered  of  any  value.  For,  as  they  con- 
fess that  there  are  many  of  the  priests  who  make  no  right  use 
of  the  keys,  and  that  the  power  has  no  efficacy  without  a legi- 
timate use  of  it,  who  will  assure  me,  that  he  by  whom  I am 
loosed  is  a good  dispenser  of  the  keys  ? But  if  he  be  a bad 
one,  what  else  does  he  possess  but  this  frivolous  dispensation 
of  them  : What  ought  to  be  bound  or  loosed  in  you,  I know- 
riot,  since  I am  destitute  of  the  proper  use  of  the  keys;  but  if 
you  deserve  it,  I absolve  you  ? ” But  as  much  as  this  might  be 
done,  I will  not  say  by  a layman,  (since  they  could  not  hear 
that  with  any  patience,)  but  by  a Turk  or  a devil.  For  it  is 
equivalent  to  saying,  I have  not  the  word  of  God,  which  is 
the  certain  rule  of  loosing ; but  I am  invested  with  authority 
to  absolve  you,  on  condition  that  your  merits  deserve  it.”  We 
see,  then,  what  they  intended,  when  they  defined  the  keys  to 
be  an  authority  of  discerning,  and  a power  of  executing,  at- 
tended with  knowledge  as  a counsellor,  to  promote  the  good 


(b)  1 Cor.  vi.  9 — 11. 


582  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III> 

use.  The  truth  is,  that  they  wished  to  reign  according  to 
their  own  licentious  inclinations,  independently  of  God  and  his 
word. 

XXII.  If  it  be  objected,  that  the  legitimate  ministers  of 
Christ  will  be  equally  perplexed  in  their  office,  since  the  ab- 
solution, which  depends  on  faith,  will  ever  be  doubtful,  and 
that  therefore  sinners  will  have  but  a slight  consolation,  or 
none  at  all,  since  the  minister  himself,  who  is  not  a competent 
judge  of  their  faith,  is  not  certain  of  their  absolution,  — we  are 
prepared  with  an  answer.  They  say,  that  no  sins  are  remitted 
by  the  priest,  but  those  which  fall  under  his  cognizance  ; thus, 
according  to  them,  remission  depends  on  the  judgment  of  the 
priest ; and  unless  he  sagaciously  discerns  who  are  worthy  of 
pardon,  the  whole  transaction  is  frivolous  and  useless.  In 
short,  the  power  of  which  they  speak  is  a jurisdiction  annexed 
to  examination,  to  which  pardon  and  absolution  are  restricted. 
l,|i  this  statement,  we  find  no  firm  footing,  but  rather  a bottom- 
fess  abyss ; for  where  the  confession  is  deficient,  the  hope  of 
pardon  is  also  imperfect ; in  the  next  place,  the  priest  himself 
must  necessarily  remain  in  suspense,  while  he  is  ignorant 
whether  the  sinner  faithfully  enumerates  all  his  crimes;  lastly, 
such  is  the  ignorance  and  inexperience  of  priests,  that  the 
majority  of  them  are  no  more  qualified  for  the  exercise  of  this 
office,  than  a shoemaker  for  cultivating  the  ground ; and 
almost  all  the  rest  ought  justly  to  be  suspicious  of  themselves. 
Hence,  then,  the  perplexity  and  doubtfulness  of  the  Papal  abso- 
lution, because  they  maintain  it  to  be  founded  on  the  person 
of  the  priest ; and  not  only  so,  but  on  his  knowledge,  so  that 
he  can  only  judge  of  what  he  hears,  examines,  and  ascertains. 
Now,  should  any  one  inquire  of  these  good  doctors,  whether  a 
sinner  be  reconciled  to  God  on  the  remission  of  part  of  his  sins, 
I know  not  wdiat  answer  they  can  give,  without  being  con- 
strained to  acknowledge  the  inefficacy  of  whatever  the  priest 
may  pronounce  concerning  the  remission  of  sins  which  he  has 
heard  enumerated,  as  long  as  the  guilt  of  others  still  remains. 
What  a pernicious  anxiety  must  oppress  the  conscience  of  the 
person  that  confesses,  appears  from  this  consideration,  that  while 
he  relies  on  the  discretion  of  the  priest,  (as  they  express  them- 
selves,) he  decides  nothing  by  the  word  of  God.  The  doc- 
trine maintained  by  us,  is  perfectly  free  from  all  these  absurdi- 
ties. For  absolution  is  conditional,  in  such  a way,  that  the 
sinner  may  be  confident  that  God  is  propitious  to  him,  provided 
he  sincerely  seeks  an  atonement  in  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and 
relies  upon  the  grace  offered  to  him.  Thus  it  is  impossible  for 
him  to  err,  who,  according  to  his  duty  as  a preacher,  promul- 
gates what  he  has  been  taught  by  the  Divine  word ; and  the 
sinner  may  receive  a certain  and  clear  absolution,  simply  on 


CHAP,  IV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  583 

condition  of  embracing  the  grace  of  Christ,  according  to  that 
general  rule  of  our  Lord  himself,  which  has  been  impiously 
despised  among  the  Papists  — According  to  your  faith  be  it 
unto  you.”  (c) 

XXIII.  Their  absurd  confusion  of  the  clear  representations 
of  the  Scripture  concerning  the  power  of  the  keys,  I have 
promised  to  expose  in  another  place  ; and  a more  suitable  op- 
portunity will  present  itself,  in  discussing  the  government  of 
the  Church.  But  let  the  reader  remember,  that  they  prepos- 
terously pervert  to  auricular  and  secret  confession,  passages 
which  are  spoken  by  Christ,  partly  of  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  partly  of  excommunication.  Wherefore,  when  they 
object  that  the  power  of  loosing  was  committed  to  the  apostles, 
which  is  now  exercised  by  the  priests  in  remitting  the  sins  con- 
fessed to  them,  it  is  evidently  an  assumption  of  a false  and  frivo- 
lous principle  ; for  the  absolution  consequent  on  faith,  is  nothing 
but  a declaration  of  pardon  taken  from  the  gracious  promise 
of  the  gospel ; but  the  other  absolution,  which  depends  on  ec- 
clesiastical discipline,  relates  not  to  secret  sins,  but  is  rather  for 
the  sake  of  example,  that  the  public  offence  of  the  Church 
may  be  removed.  They  rake  together  testimonies  from  every 
quarter,  to  prove,  that  it  is  not  sufficient  to  make  a confession 
of  sins  to  God,  or  to  laymen,  unless  they  are  likewise  submitted 
to  the  cognizance  of  a priest ; but  they  ought  to  be  ashamed 
of  such  a disgusting  employment.  For,  if  the  ancient  fathers 
sometimes  persuade  sinners  to  disburden  themselves  to  their  own 
pastor,  it  cannot  be  understood  of  a particular  enumeration  of 
sins,  which  was  not  then  practised.  Moreover,  Lombard  and 
others  of  the  same  class  have  been  so  unfair,  that  they  appear  to 
have  designedly  consulted  spurious  books,  in  order  to  use  them 
as  a pretext  to  deceive  the  unwary.  They  do,  indeed,  proper- 
ly acknowledge,  that  since  loosing  always  accompanies  repent- 
ance, there  really  remains  no  bond  where  any  one  has  experi- 
enced repentance,  although  he  may  not  yet  have  made  a con- 
fession ; and,  therefore,  that  then  the  priest  does  not  so  much 
remit  sins,  as  pronounce  and  declare  them  to  be  remitted. 
Though  in  the  word  declare  they  insinuate  a gross  error,  sub- 
stituting a ceremony  in  the  place  of  instruction  ; but  by  adding, 
that  he  who  had  already  obtained  pardon  before  God,  is  ab- 
solved in  the  view  of  the  Church,  they  unseasonably  apply  to 
the  particular  use  of  every  individual,  what  we  have  already 
asserted  to  have  been  appointed  as  a part  of  the  common  disci- 
pline of  the  Church,  when  the  olfence  of , some  great  and 
notorious  crime  requires  to  be  removed.  But  they  presently 
corrupt  and  destroy  all  the  moderation  they  had  observed,  by 
adding  another  mode  of  remission,  that  is,  with  an  injunction 

(c)  Matt.  ix.  29. 


584  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

of  punishment  and  satisfaction  ; by  which  they  arrogantly  as- 
cribe to  their  priests  the  power  of  dividing  into  two  parts  what 
God  has  every  where  promised  as  complete.  For,  as  he  simply 
requires  repentance  and  faith,  this  partition  or  exception  is  an 
evident  sacrilege.  For  it  is  just  as  if  the  priest,  sustaining  the 
character  of  a tribune,  should  interpose  his  veto^  and  not  suffer 
God  of  his  mere  goodness  to  receive  any  one  into  favour,  un- 
less he  had  lain  prostrate  before  the  tribunitial  seat,  and  there 
been  punished. 

XXIV.  The  whole  argument  comes  to  this — ^ that  if  they 
will  represent  God  as  the  author  of  this  fictitious  confession,  it 
is  a full  proof  of  their  error ; for  I have  pointed  out  their  falla- 
cies in  the  few  passages  which  they  quote.  But  since  it  is  evi- 
dent that  this  is  a law  of  human  imposition,  I assert  that  it  is 
also  tyrannical  and  injurious  to  God,  who  binds  the  consciences 
of  men  by  his  word,  and  whose  will  it  is  that  they  should  be 
free  from  the  authority  of  men.  Now,  when  they  prescribe 
as  a necessary  prerequisite  to  pardon  that  which  God  has  chosen 
should  be  free,  I maintain  that  it  is  an  intolerable  sacrilege  ; 
for  nothing  is  more  peculiarly  the  prerogative  of  God  than  the 
remission  of  sins,  in  which  our  salvation  consists.  I have 
moreover  proved,  that  this  tyranny  was  not  introduced  till  the 
world  was  oppressed  with  the  rudest  barbarism.  I have  like- 
wise shown  that  it  is  a pestilent  law,  because,  if  wretched 
souls  are  affected  with  the  fear  of  God,  it  precipitates  them  into 
despair ; or  if  they  are  in  a state  of  careless  security,  it  soothes 
them  with  vain  flatteries,  and  renders  them  still  more  insensi- 
ble. Lastly,  I have  stated,  that  all  the  mitigations  which  they 
add,  have  no  other  tendency  than  to  perplex,  obscure,  and  cor- 
rupt the  pure  doctrine,  and  to  conceal  their  impieties  under 
false  and  illusive  colours. 

XXV.  The  third  place  in  repentance  they  assign  to  satisfac- 
tion ; all  their  jargon  concerning  which  may  be  overturned  in 
one  word.  They  say,  that  it  is  not  sufficient  for  a penitent  to 
abstain  from  his  former  sins,  and  to  change  his  morals  for  the 
better,  unless  he  make  satisfaction  to  God  for  the  crimes  which 
he  has  committed ; and  that  there  are  many  helps  by  which 
we  may  redeem  sins,  such  as  tears,  fastings,  oblations,  and 
works  of  charity ; that  by  these  the  Lord  is  to  be  propitiated, 
by  these  our  debts  are  to  be  paid  to  the  Divine  justice,  by 
these  we  must  compensate  for  the  guilt  of  our  sins,  by  these 
we  must  merit  pardon  ; for  that  though,  in  the  plenitude  of 
his  mercy,  he  has  remitted  our  sins,  yet,  in  the  discipline  of 
justice,  he  retains  the  punishment,  and  that  this  is  the  punish- 
ment which  must  be  redeemed  by  satisfactions.  All  that  they 
say,  however,  comes  to  this  conclusion  — that  we  obtain  the 
pardon  of  our  transgressions  from  the  mercy  of  God,  but  that 


CHAP.  IV.J 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


585 


it  is  by  the  intervention  of  the  merit  of  works,  by  which  the 
evil  of  our  sins  must  be  compensated,  that  the  Divine  justice 
may  receive  the  satisfaction  which  is  due  to  it.  To  such  false- 
hoods I oppose  the  gratuitous  remission  of  sins,  than  which 
there  is  nothing  more  clearly  revealed  in  the  Scripture.  In' 
the  first  place,  what  is  remission,  but  a gift  of  mere  liberality  ? 
For  the  creditor  is  not  said  to  forgive,  who  testifies  by  a receipt 
that  the  debt  has  been  paid,  but  he  who,  without  any  payment, 
merely  through  his  beneficence,  voluntarily  cancels  the  obliga- 
tion. In  the  next  place,  why  is  this  said  to  be  free,  but  to 
preclude  every  idea  of  satisfaction  ? With  what  confidence, 
then,  can  they  still  set  up  their  satisfactions^  which  are  over- 
thrown by  such  a mighty  thunderbolt  ? But  when  the  Lord 
proclaims  by  Isaiah,  “ I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions  for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy 
sins,”  (c?)  does  he  not  evidently  declare,  that  he  derives 'the 
cause  and  foundation  of  forgiveness  merely  from  his  own  good- 
ness ? Besides,  while  the  whole  Scripture  bears  testimony  to 
Christ,  that  “remission  of  sins  ” is  to  be  “received  through  his 
name,”  (e)  does  it  not  exclude  all  other  names?  How,  then, 
do  they  teach,  that  it  is  received  through  the  name  of  satisfac- 
tions ? Nor  can  they  deny  that  they  ascribe  this  to  satisfac- 
tions, although  they  call  their  intervention  subsidiary.  For 
when  the  Scripture  states  it  to  be  “ through  the  name  of 
Christ,”  it  signifies,  that  we  bring  nothing,  that  we  plead 
nothing,  of  our  own,  but  rely  solely  on  the  mediation  of 
Christ ; as  Paul,  after  affirming,  “ that  God  was  in  Christ  re- 
conciling the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses 
unto  them,”  immediately  adds  the  method  and  nature  of  it, 
“ for  he  hath  made  him,  who  knew  no  sin,  to  be  sin  for 
us.”  (/) 

XXVI.  But  such  is  their  perverseness,  they  reply  that  both 
remission  of  sins  and  reconciliation  are  obtained  at  once,  when 
in  baptism  we  are  received  into  the  favour  of  God,  through 
Christ ; that  if  we  fall  after  baptism,  we  are  to  be  raised  up 
again  by  satisfactions ; and  that  the  blood  of  Christ  avails 
us  nothing,  any  further  than  it  is  dispensed  by  the  keys  of  the 
Church.  I am  not  speaking  of  a doubtful  point,  for  they  have 
betrayed  their  impurity  in  the  most  explicit  terms ; and  this 
is  the  case  not  only  of  two  or  three,  but  of  all  the  school- 
men. For  their  master,  Lombard,  after  having  confessed  that, 
according  to  the  doctrine  of  Peter,  Christ  suffered  the  punish- 
ment of  sins  on  the  cross,  (^)  immediately  corrects  that  senti- 
ment by  the  addition  of  the  following  exception : that  all 
the  temporal  punishments  of  sins  are  remitted  in  baptism  ; but 


(f/)  Isaiah  xliii.  25. 
(c)  Acts  X.  43. 


(/)  2 Cor.  V.  19,  21. 
1 Peter  ii.  24. 


VOL.  I.  74 


586  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

that  after  baptism  they  are  diminished  by  means  of  repentance, 
so  that  our  repentance  cooperates  with  the  cross  of  Christ. 
But  John  speaks  a.  very  different  language : “ If  any  man  sin, 
we  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  right- 
eous ; and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins  : I write  unto 
you,  little  children,  because  your  sins  are  forgiven  you  for 
his  name’s  sake,”  (A)  He  certainly  addresses  believers,  and 
when  he  exhibits  Christ  to  them  as  the  propitiation  for  sins, 
prov^es  that  there  is  no  otlier  satisfaction  by  which  our  offended 
God  may  be  propitiated  or  appeased.  He  says  not,  God  was 
once  reconciled  to  you  by  Christ,  now  seek  some  other  means ; 
but  represents  him  as  a perpetual  advocate,  who  by  his  interces- 
sion restores  us  to  the  Father’s  favour  for  ever,  and  as  a per- 
petual propitiation  by  which  our  sins  are  expiated.  For  this 
is  perpetually  true,  that  was  declared  by  the  other  John, 
‘‘Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world.”  [i)  He  takes  them  away  himself,  I say,  and  no  other; 
that  is,  since  he  alone  is  the  Lamb  of  God,  he  alone  is  the 
oblation,  the  expiation,  the  satisfaction  for  sins.  For  the  right 
and  power  to  forgive  being  the  peculiar  prerogative  of  the  Fa- 
ther, as  distinguished  from  the  Son,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
Christ  is  here  represented  in  another  capacity,  since  by  trans- 
ferring to  himself  the  punishment  we  deserved,  he  has  oblite- 
rated our  guilt  before  the  throne  of  God.  Whence  it  follows, 
that  we  shall  not  be  partakers  of  the  atonement  of  Christ  in 
any  other  way,  unless  he  remain  in  the  exclusive  possession  of 
that  honour,  which  they  unjustly  assume  to  themselves  who 
endeavour  to  appease  God  by  satisfactions  of  their  own. 

XXVH.  And  here  two  things  demand  our  consideration  — 
that  the  honour,  which  belongs  to  Christ,  should  be  preserved 
to  him  entire  and  undiminished  ; and  that  consciences  assured 
of  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  should  have  peace  with  God. 
Isaiah  says,  “ The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all,” 
and  “ With  his  stripes  we  are  healed.”  (A)  Peter,  repeating 
the  same  truth  in  different  words,  says,  that  Christ  “ bare  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.”  (/)  Paul  informs  us,  that 
“ sin  was  condemned  in  the  flesh,”  {m)  when  “ Christ  was 
made  sin  for  us ; ” (w)  that  is,  that  the  power  and  curse  of  sin 
were  destroyed  in  his  flesh,  when  he  was  given  as  a victim,  to 
sustain  the  whole  load  of  our  sins,  with  their  curse  and  execra- 
tions, with  the  dreadful  judgment  of  God,  and  the  condemna- 
tion of  death.  We  cannot  here  listen  to  those  foolish  fictions; 
that  after  the  initial  purgation  or  baptism,  none  of  us  can  have 
any  further  experience  of  the  efficacy  of  the  sufferings  of 


(Ji)  1 John  ii.  1,2,  12. 
(i)  Jolin  i.  29. 

{k)  Isaiah  nil.  5,  6. 


(/)  1 Peter  ii.  24. 

(w)  Roin.  viii.  3. 

(n)  2 Cor.  v.  21.  Gal.  iii.  13. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


587 


CHAP.  IV.] 

Christ,  than  in  proportion  to  a satisfactory  repentance.  Bat 
whenever  we  have  fallen,  the  Scripture  recalls  us  to  the  satis- 
faction of  Christ  alone.  Now,  review  their  pestilent  follies ; 
“ that  the  grace  of  God  Operates  alone  in  the  first  remission  of 
sins;  but  that  if  we  afterwards  fall,  our  works  cooperate  with 
it  in  the  impetration  of  a second  pardon.”  If  these  things  be 
admitted,  does  Christ  remain  exclusively  possessed  of  what  we 
have  before  attributed  to  him  ? How  immensely  wide  is  the 
difierence  between  these  positions  — that  our  iniquities  are  laid 
on  Christ  to  be  expiated  by  him,  and  that  they  are  expiated  by 
our  own  works ! that  Christ  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and 
that  God  must  be  propitiated  by  works ! But  with  respect  to 
pacifying  the  conscience,  what  peace  will  it  afford  any  one,  to 
hear  that  sins  are  redeemed  by  satisfactions  ? When  will  he  be 
assured  of  the  accomplishment  of  satisfaction  ? Therefore  he 
will  always  doubt  whether  God  be  propitious  to  him,  he  will 
always'  be  in  a state  of  fluctuation  and  terror.  For  those  who 
content  themselves  with  trivial  satisfactions,  have  too  contemp- 
tuous sentiments  of  the  judgment  of  God,  and  reflect  very 
little  on  the  vast  evil  of  sin,  as  we  shall  elsewhere  observe. 
But  though  we  should  allow  them  to  expiate  some  sins  by  a 
proper  satisfaction,  yet  what  will  they  do  when  they  are  over- 
whelmed with  so  many  sins,  that  to  make  adequate  satisfac- 
tions for  them,  even  a hundred  lives  entirely  devoted  to  it 
could  not  possibly  be  sufficient  ? Besides,  all  the  passages  in 
which  remission  of  sins  is  declared,  are  not  addressed  to  cate- 
chumens, [or  persons  not  yet  baptized,]  but  to  the  regenerated 
sons  of  God,  and  those  who  have  been  long  nurtured  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Church.  That  embassy  which  Paul  so  splen- 
didly extols,  We  pray  you  in  Christ’s  stead,  be  ye  reconciled 
to  God,”  (o)  is  directed  not  to  strangers,  but  to  those  who  had 
already  been  regenerated.  But,  dismissing  all  satisfactions,  he 
sends  them  to  the  cross  of  Christ.  Thus,  when  he  writes  to 
the  Colossians,  that  ‘‘  Christ  had  made  peace  by  the  blood  of 
his  cross,  and  reconciled  all  things  both  in  earth  and  in  hea- 
ven,” {p)  he  restricts  not  this  to  the  moment  of  our  reception 
into  the  Church,  but  extends  it  through  our  whole  course  ; as 
is  evident  from  the  context,  where  he  says  that  believers  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins.” 
But  it  is  unnecessary  to  accumulate  more  passages,  which  are 
frequently  occurring. 

XXVIII.  Here  they  take  refuge  in  a foolish  distinction, 
that  some  sins  are  venial^  and  some  mortal ; that  a great  satis- 
faction is  due  for  mortal  sins  ; but  that  those  which  are  venial 
are  purged  away  by  easier  remedies,  by  the  Lord’s  prayer,  the 


(o)  2 Cor.  V.  20. 


{p)  Col.  i.  20. 


588 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

aspersion  of  holy  water,  and  the  absolution  of  the  mass.  Thus 
they  sport  and  trifle  with  God.  But  though  they  are  inces- 
santly talking  of  venial  and  mortal  sins,  yet  they  have  never 
been  able  to  discriminate  one  from  the  other,  except  by  mak- 
ing impiety  and  impurity  of  heart  a venial  sin.  But  we  main- 
tain, according  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Scripture,  the  only 
standard  of  righteousness  and  sin,  that  the  wages  of  sin  is 
death,”  and  “ the  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die  ; ” {q)  but  that 
the  sins  of  believers  are  venial,  not  because  they  are  not  de- 
serving of  death,  but  because,  through  the  mercy  of  God, 

there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus ; ” (r)  because  they  are  not  imputed  to  them,  but  oblitera- 
ted by  a pardon.  I know  their  unjust  calumnies  against  this 
doctrine  of  ours ; they  assert  it  to  be  the  Stoical  paradox 
concerning  the  equality  of  sins ; but  they  will  easily  be  refuted 
out  of  their  own  lips.  For  I ask,  whether  among  those  very 
sins  which  they  confess  to  be  mortal,  they  do  not  acknow- 
ledge one  to  be  greater  or  less  than  another  ? It  does  not,  there- 
fore, immediately  follow,  that  sins  are  equal  because  they  are 
alike  mortal.  Since  the  Scripture  declares  that  the  wages  of 
sin  is  deaths  that  obedience  to  the  law  is  the  way  of  life,  and 
the  transgression  of  it  death,  they  cannot  evade  this  decision. 
What  end,  then,  will  they  find  to  satisfactions  in  so  great  an 
accumulation  of  sins  ? If  it  be  the  business  of  one  day  to  sa- 
tisfy for  one  sin,  while  they  are  employed  m that,  they  involve 
themselves  in  more  ; for  the  most  righteous  man  cannot  pass  a 
single  day  without  falling  several  times.  While  they  shall  be 
preparing  themselves  to  make  satisfaction  for  these,  they  will 
accumulate  a numerous,  or  rather  an  innumerable  multitude. 
Now,  all  confidence  in  satisfaction  is  cut  olf : on  what  do  they 
depend  ? How  do  they  still  presume  to  think  of  making  satis- 
faction? 

XXIX.  They  endeavour  to  extricate  themselves  from  this 
difficulty,  but  without  success.  They  invent  a distinction 
between  the  guilt  and  the  punishment ; and  acknowledge  that 
the  guilt  is  forgiven  by  the  Divine  mercy,  but  maintain,  that 
after  the  remission  of  the  guilt,  there  still  remains  the  punish- 
ment, which  the  Divine  justice  requires  to  be  suffered  ; and, 
therefore,  that  satisfactions  properly  relate  to  the  remission  of 
the  punishment.  What  desultory  levity  is  this!  Now,  they 
confess  that  remission  of  guilt  is  proposed  as  gratuitous,  which 
they  are  continually  teaching  men  to  merit  by  prayers  and 
tears,  and  other  preparations  of  various  kinds.  But  every  thing 
delivered  in  the  Scripture  concerning  remission  of  sins  is  dia- 
metrically opposite  to  this  distinction.  And  though  I think  I 
have  fully  established  this  point  already,  I will  subjoin  some 

{q)  Rom.  vi.  23.  Ezek.  xviii.  20. 


(r)  Rom.  viii.  1. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


589 


CHAP.  IV.] 

additional  testimonies,  by  which  our  opponents  will  be  so  much 
embarrassed,  as,  notwithstanding  all  their  serpentine  lubricity,  to 
be  totally  unable  ever  to  extricate  themselves.  “ This  is  the 
new  covenant,”  which  God  has  made  with  us  in  Christ,  “that 
he  will  not  remember  our  iniquities.”  (s)  The  import  of  these 
expressions  we  learn  from  another  prophet,  by  whom  the  Lord 
says,  “ When  the  righteous  turneth  away  from  his  righteous- 
ness, all  his  righteousness  that  he  hath  done  shall  not  be  men- 
tioned. When  the  wicked  man  turneth^  away  from  his  wick- 
edness, he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall  not  die.”(^)  “Not  to 
mention  righteousness,”  signifies,  not  to  notice  it  so  as  to 
reward  it ; and  “ not  to  remember  sins,”  is,  not  to  inflict 
punishment  for  them.  This  is  expressed  in  other  passages  by 
the  following  phrases : to  “ cast  behind  the  back,”  to  “ blot 
out  as  a cloud,”  to  “ cast  into  the  depths  of  the  sea,”  “ not  to 
impute,”  to  cover.”  {u)  These  forms  of  expression  would 
clearly  convey  to  us  the  sense  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  if  we  attend- 
ed to  them  with  docility.  If  God  punishes  sins,  he  certainly 
imputes  them  ; if  he  avenges  them,  he  remembers  them  ; if  he 
cites  them  to  judgment,  he  does  not  cover  them  ; if  he  exa- 
mines them,  he  has  not  cast  them  behind  his  back  ; if  he 
inspects  them,  he  has  not  blotted  them  out  as  a cloud  ; if 
he  scrutinizes  them,  he  has  not  cast  them  into  the  depths  of 
the  sea.  And  in  this  manner  the  subject  is  clearly  explained  by 
Augustine.  “ If  God  has  covered  sins,  he  would  not  look  at 
them ; if  he  would  not  look  at  them,  he  would  not  take  cogni- 
zance of  them  ; if  he  would  not  take  cognizance  of  them,  he 
would  not  punish  them ; he  would  not  know  them,  he  would 
rather  forgive  them.  Why,  then,  has  he  said  that  sins  are  co- 
vered ? That  they  might  not  be  seen.  F or  what  is  meant  by 
God’s  seeing  sin,  but  his  punishing  it  ? ” Let  us  also  hear  from 
another  passage  of  the  prophetj  on  what  conditions  God  remits 
sins.  “ Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  (says  he,)  they  shall  be 
as  white  as  snow ; though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall 
be  as  wool.”  (ti?)  And  in  Jeremiah  we  find  this  declaration: 
“In  that  time  the  iniquities  of  Israel  shall  be  sought  for,  and 
there  shall  be  none  ; and  the  sins  of  Judah,  and  they  shall  not 
be  found ; for  I will  pardon  them  whom  I reserve.”  {x)  Would 
you  briefly  know  what  is  the  meaning  of  these  words  ? Con- 
sider, on  the  contrary,  the  import  of  the  following  expressions : 
“ the  Lord  se^veth  up  iniquity  in  a bag  ; ” “ iniquity  is  bound 
up  ; ” sin  is  hid  ; ” to  “ write  sins  with  a pen  of  iron,  and  en- 
grave them  with  the  point  of  a diamond.”  (y)  If  they  signify 

(5)  Jer.  xxxi.  31 — 34.  {t)  Ezek.  xviii.  24 — 28. 

(u)  Isaiah  xxxviii.  17 ; xliv.  22.  Micah  vii.  19.  Psalm  xxxii.  1,  2. 

{w)  Isaiah  i.  18.  (x)  Jeremiah  1.  20. 

(y)  Job  xiv.  17.  Hos.  xiii.  12.  Jeremiah  xvii.  1. 


590  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

that  God  will  execute  vengeance,  as  they  undoubtedly  do, 
neither  can  it  be  doubted  but  that,  by  the  contrary  declaration, 
the  Lord  proclaims  his  remission  of  all  vindictive  punishment. 
Here  I must  conjure  my  readers  not  to  listen  to  my  exposi- 
tions, but  only  to  pay  some  deference  to  the  word  of  God. 

XXX.  What  would  Christ  have  done  for  us,  if  punishment 
for  sins  were  still  inflicted  on  us  ? For  when  we  say,  that  he 
‘‘  bare  all  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,’’  (z)  we  intend 
only,  that  he  sustained  the  vindictive  punishment  which  was 
due  to  our  sins.  This  sentiment  is  more  significantly  ex- 
pressed by  Isaiah,  when  he  says  that  the  “chastisement  (or  cor- 
rection) of  our  peace  was  upon  him.”  (a)  Now,  what  is  the 
correction  of  our  peace,  but  the  punishment  due  to  sins,  and 
which  we  must  have  suffered  before  we  could  be  reconciled  to 
God,  if  he  had  not  become  our  substitute?  Thus  we  see 
clearly,  that  Christ  bore  the  punishment  of  sins,  that  he  might 
deliver  his  people  from  it.  And  whenever  Paul  mentions  the 
redemption  accomplished  by  him,  he  generally  calls  it  a-TroXi^rpaj- 
(Jig,  (b)  which  signifies  not  simply  redemption,  as  it  is  common- 
ly understood,  but  the  price  and  satisfaction  of  redemption. 
Thus  he  says  that  Christ  “ gave  himself  a ransom”  (avr»XuTpov) 
for  us.  (c)  “What  propitiation  is  there  with  the  Lord  (says 
Augustine)  but  sacrifice  ? And  what  sacrifice  is  there,  but  that 
which  has  been  offered  for  us  in  the  death  of  Christ  ? ” But 
the  institutions  of  the  law  of  Moses,  respecting  expiations  for 
sins,  furnish  us  with  a most  powerful  argument.  For  there 
the  Lord  prescribes  not  this  or  the  other  method  of  satisfying, 
but  requires  the  whole  compensation  in  sacrifices ; though  he 
specifies  all  the  rites  of  expiation  with  the  most  particular 
care,  and  in  the  most  exact  order.  How  is  it  that  he  com- 
mands the  expiation  of  sins  without  any  works  at  all,  requiring 
no  other  atonement  than  by  sacrifices,  but  because  he  intends 
in  this  way  to  declare,  that  there  is  only  one  kind  of  satisfaction 
by  which  his  justice  is  appeased  ? For  the  sacrifices  then 
immolated  by  the  Israelites  were  not  considered  as  the  works 
of  men,  but  were  estimated  according  to  their  antitype,  that  is, 
the  one  sacrifice  of  Christ  alone.  The  nature  of  the  compen- 
sation which  the  Lord  receives  from  us  is  concisely  and  beau- 
tifully expressed  by  Hosea:  “Take  away  (saith  he)  all  ini- 
quity, O Lord;”  here  is  remission  of  sins;  “so  will  we  ren- 
der the  calves  of  our  lips  ; ” (d)  here  is  satisfaction.,  [which  is  no 
other  than  thanksgiving.]  I am  aware  of  another  still  more 
subtle  evasion  to  which  they  resort,  by  distinguishing  between 
eternal  punishments  and  those  which  are  temporal.  But  when 

(z)  1 Peter  ii.  24.  (a)  Isaiah  liii.  6.  (b)  Rom.  iii.  24,  &c. 

(c)  1 Tim.  ii.  6.  (d)  Hosea  xiv.  2. 


CHAP.  IV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  691 

they  assert  that  temporal  punishment  is  any  suffering  inflicted 
by  God  on  the  body  or  the  soul,  eternal  death  only  excepted, 
this  limitation  affords  them  but  little  assistance.  For  the  pas- 
sages which  we  have  cited  above,  expressly  signify,  that  God 
receives  us  into  favour  on  this  condition,  that  in  forgiving  our 
guilt,  he  remits  all  the  punishment  that  we  had  deserved. 
And  whenever  David  or  the  other  prophets  implore  the  pardon 
of  theirrsins,  they  at  the  same  time  deprecate  the  punishment ; 
and  to  this  they  are  impelled  by  an  apprehension  of  the  Divine 
judgment.  Again : when  they  promise  mercy  from  the  Lord, 
they  almost  always  professedly  speak  of  punishments,  and  of 
the  remission  of  them.  Certainly  when  the  Lord  announces 
by  Ezekiel,  that  he  will  put  an  end  to  the  Babylonian  cap- 
tivity, and  that  for  his  own  sake,  not  for  the  sake  of  the  Jews, 
he  sufficiently  shows  this  deliverance  to  be  gratuitous.  Finally, 
if  Christ  delivers  us  from  guilt,  the  punishments  consequent 
upon  it  must  necessarily  cease. 

XXXI.  But  as  our  adversaries  also,  on  their  part,  arm  them- 
selves with  testimonies  from  the  Scripture,  let  us  examine  what 
arguments  they  offer.  They  reason  in  this  way : David,  after 
having  been  reproved  by  Nathan  the  prophet  for  adultery  and 
murder,  receives  the  pardon  of  his  sin ; and  yet  is  afterwards 
punished  by  the  death  of  the  son  that  was  the  fruit  of  his  adul- 
tery. (e)  We  are  taught  to  compensate  by  satisfactions  for 
such  punishments  as  would  be  inflicted  even  after  the  remis- 
sion of  the  guilt.  For  Daniel  exhorted  Nebuchadnezzar  to 
atone  for  his  sins  by  acts  of  mercy.  (/)  And  Solomon  says, 
‘‘  By  mercy  and  truth,  iniquity  is  purged.”  (g)  And  that 
“ charity  shall  cover  a multitude  of  sins,”  (A)  is  a sentiment 
confirmed  by  the  united  testimony  of  Solomon  and  Peter. 
The  Lord  also  says  in  Luke,  concerning  the  woman  that  had 
been  a sinner,  ‘‘Her  sins  are  forgiven  ; for  she  loved  much.”  (^) 
How  perversely  and  preposterously  they  always  estimate  the 
Divine  proceedings ! But  if  they  had  observed,  what  should 
by  no  means  have  been  overlooked,  that  there  are  two  kinds 
of  Divine  judgment,  they  would  have  seen,  in  this  correction 
of  David,  a species  of  punishment  very  different  from  that 
which  may  be  considered  as  vindictive.  But  since  it  highly 
concerns  us  all  to  understand  the  design  of  those  chastisements 
with  which  God  corrects  our  sins,  and  how  greatly  they  differ 
from  the  examples  of  his  indignation  pursuing  the  impious  and 
reprobate,  I conceive  it  will  not  be  unseasonable  to  give  a 
summary  account  of  them.  For  the  sake  of  perspicuity,  let  us 
call  one  vengeance,  or  vindictive  judgment,  and  the  other 

(c)  2 Sam.  xii.  13,  14.  (/)  Dan.  iv.  27.  {g)  Prov.  xvi.  6. 

(/t)  Prov.  X.  12.  1 Peter  iv.  8.  (i)  Luke  vii.  47. 


592 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 


chastisement,  or  disciplinary  judgment.  In  vindictive  judg- 
mentj  God  is  to  be  contemplated  as  taking  vengeance  on  his 
enemies,  so  as  to  exert  his  wrath  against  them,  to  confound, 
dissipate,  and  reduce  them  to  nothing.  We  consider  it,  there- 
fore, strictly  speaking,  to  be  the  vengeance  of  God,  v/hen  the 
punishment  he  inflicts  is  attended  with  his  indignation.  In 
disciplinary  judgment,  he  is  not  so  severe  as  to  be  angry ; nor 
does  he  punish  in  order  to  destroy  or  precipitate  into  perdition. 
Wherefore,  it  is  not  properly  punishment  or  vengeance,  but 
correction  and  admonition.  The  former  is  the  part  of  a judge, 
the  latter  of  a father.  For  a judge,  when  he  punishes  an  of- 
fender, attends  to  the  crime  itself,  and  inflicts  punishment  ac- 
cording to  the  nature  and  aggravations  of  it.  When  a father 
corrects  his  child  with  severity,  he  does  it  not  to  take  ven- 
geance or  satisfaction,  but  rather  to  teach  him,  and  render  him 
more  cautious  for  the  future.  Chrysostom  somewhere  uses  a 
comparison  a little  different,  which,  nevertheless,  comes  to  the 
same  point.  A son  (says  he)  is  beaten;  a servant  also  is 
beaten ; but  the  latter  is  punished  as  a slave,  because  he  has 
transgressed ; the  former  is  chastised  as  free  and  a son,  that 
needs  to  be  disciplined.”  Correction  serves  to  the  latter  for  a 
probation  and  reformation,  to  the  former  for  a scourge  and  a 
punishment. 

XXXII.  To  obtain  a clear  view  of  the  whole  subject  in  a 
small  compass,  it  is  necessary  to  state  two  distinctions  respect- 
ing it.  The  first  is,  that  wherever  there  is  vindictive  punish- 
ment, there  also  is  a manifestation  of  the  curse  and  wrath  of 
God,  which  he  always  withholds  from  believers.  Chastise- 
ment, on  the  contrary,  is,  as  the  Scripture  teaches  us,  both  a 
blessing  of  God,  and  a testimony  of  his  love.  This  difference 
is  sufficiently  marked  in  every  part  of  the  Divine  word.  For 
all  the  afflictions  which  the  impious  endure  in  the  present  life, 
are  represented  to  us  as  constituting  a kind  of  antechamber  of 
hell,  whence  they  already  have  a distant  prospect  of  their  eter- 
nal damnation  : and  they  are  so  far  from  being  reformed,  or  re- 
ceiving any  benefit  from  this,  that  they  are  rather  prepared  by 
such  preludes  for  that  most  tremendous  vengeance  which  finally 
awaits  them.  On  the  contrary,  the  Lord  repeatedly  chastises 
his  servants,  yet  does  not  deliver  them  over  to  death ; [k) 
wherefore  they  confess  that  the  strokes  of  his  rod  were  highly 
oeneficial  and  instructive  to  them.  As  we  every  where  find 
that  the  saints  bore  these  corrections  with  resignation  of  soul, 
so  they  always  earnestly  deprecated  punishments  of  the  former 
kind.  Jeremiah  says,  ‘‘  O Lord,  correct  me,  but  with  judgment ; 
not  in  thine  anger,  lest  thou  bring  me  to  nothing.  Pour  out 


(/c)  Job  V.  17.  Prov.  iii.  11.  Heb.  xii.  5 — 11.  Psalm  cxviii.  18;  cxix.  71. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


593 


CHAP.  IV.] 

thy  fury  upon  the  heathen  that  know  thee  not,  and  upon  the 
families  that  call  not  upon  thy  name.”  (/)  And  David:  ‘‘O 
Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  thine  anger,  neither  chasten  me  in  thy 
hot  displeasure.”  (m)  Nor  is  it  any  objection  to  this,  that  the 
Lord  is  frequently  said  to  be  angry  with  his  saints,  when  he 
chastises  them  for  their  sins.  As  in  Isaiah  : O Lord,  I will 
praise  thee ; though  thou  wast  angry  with  me,  thine  anger  is 
turned  away,  and  thou  comfortedst  me.”  {n)  Habakkuk  also  : 

In  wrath  remember  mercy.”  (o)  And  Micah : “ I will  bear 
the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I have  sinned  against 
him.”  {p)  Which  reminds  us,  not  only  that  those  who  are 
justly  punished,  receive  no  advantage  from  murmuring,  but 
that  the  faithful  derive  a mitigation  of  their  sorrow  from  a con- 
sideration of  the  intention  of  God.  For  on  the  same  account 
he  is  said  to  profane  his  own  inheritance,  which,  however,  we 
know,  he  never  will  profane,  {q)  That  relates  not  to  the  de- 
sign or  disposition  of  God  in  punishing,  but  to  the  vehement 
sense  of  sorrow  experienced  by  those  who  suffer  any  of  his 
severity.  He  not  only  distresses  his  believing  people  with  no 
small  degree  of  rigour,  but  sometimes  wounds  them  in  such  a 
manner,  that  they  seem  to  themselves  to  be  on  the  brink  of 
infernal  destruction.  Thus  he  declares,  that  they  have  de- 
served his  wrath  ; and  this  in  order  that  they  may  be  dis- 
pleased with  themselves  in  their  distresses,  may  be  influenced 
l3y  a greater  concern  to  appease  God,  and  may  hasten  with 
solicitude  to  implore  his  pardon  ; but  in  this  very  procedure  he 
exhibits  a brighter  testimony  of  his  clemency  than  of  his  wrath. 
The  covenant  still  remains  which  was  made  with  us  in  our  true 
Solomon,  and  the  validity  of  which  he,  who  cannot  deceive, 
has  declared  shall  never  be  diminished : If  his  children  for- 
sake my  law,  and  walk  not  in  my  commandments ; if  they 
break  my  statutes,  and  keep  not  my  commandments ; then 
will  I visit  their  transgressions  with  the  rod,  and  their  iniqui- 
ties with  stripes.  Nevertheless,  my  loving-kindness  will  I not 
utterly  take  from  him.”  (r)  To  assure  us  of  this  loving-kind- 
ness, he  says,  that  the  rod  with  which  he  will  chastise  the 
posterity  of  Solomon,  and  the  stripes  he  will  inflict  on  them, 
will  be  the  rod  of  men,  and  the  stripes  of  the  children  of 
men.”  (s)  While  by  these  phrases  he  signifies  moderation  and 
lenity,  he  also  implies  that  those  who  feel  his  hand  exerted 
as:ainst  them  cannot  but  be  confounded  with  an  extreme  and 
deadly  horror.  How  much  he  observes  this  lenity  in  chastis- 
ing his  Israel,  he  shows  by  the  prophet : “ I have  refined  thee, 
(says  he,)  but  not  with  silver  ; (t)  for  thou  wouldst  have  been 

(l)  Jer.  X.  24,  25.  (o)  Hab.  iii.  2.  (r)  Ps.  Ixxxix.  .30 — 33 

(w)  Ps.  vi.  1 ; x.xxviii.  1.  (p)  Micah  vii.  9.  (5)  2 Sarn.  vfi.  14. 

(re)  Isaiah  xii.  1.  (q)  Is.  xliii.  28;  xlvii.  6.  (t)  Is.  xlviii.  10. 

VOL.  I. 


75 


594  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOR  III. 

wholly  consumed.”  Though  he  teaches  him  that  chastise- 
ments serve  to  purify  him,  yet  he  adds  that  he  so  far  moderates 
them,  that  they  may  not  exceed  what  he  is  able  to  bear.  And 
this  is  highly  necessary ; for  the  more  a man  reveres  God  and 
devotes  himself  to  the  cultivation  of  piety,  he  is  so  much  the 
more  tender  to  bear  his  wrath.  For  though  the  reprobate 
groan  under  his  scourges,  yet  because  they  consider  not  the 
cause,  but  rather  turn  their  backs  both  on  their  sins  and  on  the 
Divine  judgments,  from  this  carelessness  they  contract  an  in- 
sensibility ; or  because  they  murmur  and  resist,  and  rebel 
against  their  judge,  that  furious  impetuosity  stupefies  them 
with  madness  and  rage.  But  believers,  admonished  by  the 
Divine  corrections,  immediately  descend  to  the  consideration 
of  their  sins,  and,  stricken  with  fear  and  dread,  resort  to  a sup- 
pliant deprecation  of  punishment.  If  God  did  not  mitigate 
these  sorrows,  with  which  wretched  souls  torment  themselves, 
they  would  be  continually  fainting,  even  under  slight  tokens 
of  his  wrath. 

XXXIII.  The  second  distinction  is,  that  when  the  repro- 
bate are  lashed  by  the  scourges  of  God  in  this  world,  they 
already  begin  to  suffer  his  vindictive  punishments  ; and  though 
they  will  not  escape  with  impunity  for  having  disregarded  such 
indications  of  the  Divine  wrath,  yet  they  are  not  punished  in 
order  to  their  repentance,  but  only  that,  from  their  great  misery, 
they  may  prove  God  to  be  a judge  who  will  inflict  vengeance 
according  to  their  crimes.  On  the  contrary,  the  children  of 
God  are  chastfsed,  not  to  make  satisfaction  to  him  for  their 
sins,  but  that  they  may  thereby  be  benefited  and  brought  to 
repentance.  Wherefore  we  see,  that  such  chastisements  re- 
late to  the  future  rather  than  the  past.  To  express  this,  I 
would  prefer  Chrysostom’s  language  to  my  own.  ‘‘For  this 
reason  (says  he)  God  punishes  us,  not  to  take  vengeance  for 
our  sins,  but  to  correct  us  for  the  future.”  Thus  also  Au- 
gustine : “ That  which  you  suffer,  and  which  causes  you  to 
mourn,  is  a medicine  to  you,  not  a punishment ; a chastise- 
ment, and  not  damnation.  Reject  not  the  scourge,  if  you  de- 
sire not  to  be  rejected  from  the  inheritance.  All  this  misery 
of  mankind,  under  which  the  world  groans,  know,  brethren, 
that  it  is  a medicinal  sorrow,  not  a penal  sentence.”  These 
passages  I have  therefore  thought  proper  to  quote,  that  no  one 
might  consider  the  phraseology  which  I have  adopted  to  be 
novel  or  unusual.  And  to  the  same  purpose  are  the  indignant 
complaints  in  which  the  Lord  frequently  expostulates  on  ac- 
count of  the  ingratitude  of  the  people,  and  their  obstinate  con- 
tempt of  all  their  punishments.  In  Isaiah  : “ Why  should  ye 
be  stricken  any  more  ? From  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto 
the  head  there  is  no  soundness.”  {u)  But  as  the  prophets 

(m)  Isaiah  i.  5,  6. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


595 


CHAP.  IV.] 

abound  in  such  passages,  it  will  be  sufficient  briefly  to  have 
suggested,  that  God  punishes  his  Church  with  no  other  design 
than  to  subdue  it  to  repentance.  Therefore,  when  he  rejected 
Saul  from  the  kingdom,  he  punished  him  in  a vindictive  man- 
ner ; (x)  when  he  deprived  David  of  his  infant  son,  he  correct- 
ed him  in  order  to  his  reformation,  (y)  In  this  sense  we  must 
understand  the  observation  of  Paul : When  we  are  judged, 
we  are  chastened  of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  con- 
demned with  the  world.”  (z)  That  is,  when  we,  the  children 
of  God,  are  afflicted  by  the  hand  of  our  heavenly  Father,  this 
is  not  a punishment  to  confound  us,  but  only  a chastisement 
to  instruct  us.  In  which  Augustine  evidently  coincides  with 
us ; for  he  teaches  that  the  punishments  with  which  men  are 
equally  chastised  by  God,  are  to  be  considered  in  different 
points  of  view ; because  to  the  saints,  after  the  remission  of 
their  sins,  they  are.  conflicts  and  exercises,  but  to  the  reprobate, 
whose  sins  are  not  forgiven,  they  are  the  penalties  due  to  their 
iniquity.  He  also  mentions  the  punishments  inflicted  on  David 
and  other  pious  persons,  and  says,  that  those  chastisements 
tended  to  promote  their  humility,  and  thereby  to  exercise  and 
prove  their  piety.  And  the  declaration  of  Isaiah,  that  Jeru- 
salem’s ‘‘iniquity  is  pardoned,  for  she  hath  received  of  the 
Lord’s  hand  double  for  all  her  sins,”  (a)  proves  not  the 
pardon  of  transgressions  to  depend  on  the  suffering  of  the  pu- 
nishment, but  is  just  as  though  he  had  said,  “Punishments 
enough  have  now  been  inflicted  on  you;  and  as  the  severity 
and  multitude  of  them  have  harassed  you  with  a long  continu- 
ance of  grief  and  sorrow,  it  is  time  for  you  to  receive  the  mes- 
sage of  complete  mercy,  that  your  hearts  may  be  expanded 
with  joy,  and  experience  me  to  be  your  Father.”  For  God 
there  assumes  the  character  of  a Father,  who  repents  even  of 
his  righteous  severity,  when  he  has  been  constrained  to  chas- 
tise his  son  with  any  degree  of  rigour. 

XXXIV.  It  is  necessary  that  the  faithful  should  be  provided 
with  these  reflections  in  the  anguish  of  afflictions.  The  time 
is  come  that  judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of  God,  upon 
which  his  name  is  called.”  (6)  What  would  the  children  of 
God  do,  if  they  believed  the  severity  which  they  feel  to  be  the 
vengeance  of  God  upon  them  ? For  he  who,  under  the  strokes 
of  the  Divine  hand,  considers  God  as  an  avenging  Judge,  can- 
not but  conceive’  of  Him  as  incensed  against  him,  and  hostile  to 
him,  and  will  therefore  detest  his  scourge  itself  as  a curse  and 
condemnation  ; in  a word,  he  who  thinks  that  God  is  still  de- 
termined to  punish  him,  can  never  be  persuaded  to  believe  him- 

(y)  2 Sam.  xii.  18.  (z)  1 Cor.  xi.  32. 

Qi)  1 Peter  iv.  17.  Jer.  xxv.  29,  marg.  read. 


(x)  1 Sam.  XV.  23. 
(a)  Isaiah  xl.  2. 


596  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  II 

self  an  object  of  the  Divine  love.  The  only  one  who  receives 
any  benefit  from  the  Divine  chastisements,  is  he  who  considers 
God  as  angry  with  his  crimes,  but  propitious  and  benevolent 
towards  his  person.  For  otherwise  the  case  must  necessarily 
be  similar  to  what  the  Psalmist  complains  of  having  experi- 
enced : “ Thy  fierce  wrath  goeth  over  me  ; thy  terrors  have  cut 
me  otf.”(c)  And  what  Moses  also  speaks  of:  “For  we  are 
consumed  by  thine  anger,  and  by  thy  wrath  are  we  troubled. 
Thou  hast  set  our  iniquities  before  thee,  our  secret  sins  in  the 
light  of  thy  countenance.  For  all  our  days  are  passed  away  in 
thy  wrath  : we  spend  our  years  as  a tale  that  is  told.”  (c?)  On 
the  contrary,  David,  speaking  of  his  paternal  chastisements,  in 
order  to  show  that  believers  are  rather  assisted  than  oppressed 
by  them,  sings  : “ Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou  chastenest,  O 
Lord,  and  teachest  him  out  of  thy  law  ; that  thou  mayest  give 
him  rest  from  the  days  of  adversity,  until  the  pit  be  digged  for 
the  wicked.”  (e)  It  is  certainly  a severe  temptation,  when  the 
Lord  spares  unbelievers,  and  conceals  their  crimes,  while  he  ap- 
pears more  rigorous  towards  his  own  children.  For  their  consola- 
tion, therefore,  he  adds  the  admonition  of  the  law,  whence  they 
may  learn,  that  it  is  for  the  promotion  of  their  salvation  when 
they  are  recalled  into  the  way,  but  that  the  impious  are  precipi- 
tated into  their  errors,  which  end  in  the  pit.  Nor  is  it  of  any 
importance  whether  the  punishment  be  eternal  or  temporal. 
For  wars,  famines,  plagues,  and  diseases  are  curses  from  God, 
as  well  as  the  judgment  of  eternal  death  itself,  when  they  are 
inflicted  as  the  instruments  of  the  Lord’s  wrath  and  vengeance 
against  the  reprobate. 

XXXY.  Every  one,  .1  presume,  now  perceives  the  design  of 
the  Lord’s  correction  of  David,  that  it  was  to  be  a proof  of 
God’s  extreme  displeasure  against  murder  and  adultery,  with 
which  he  declared  himself  to  be  so  greatly  offended  in  his 
beloved  and  faithful  servant,  and  to  teach  David  never  again  to 
be  guilty  of  such  crimes  ; but  not  as  a punishment,  by  which  he 
was  to  render  God  a satisfaction  for  his  offence.  And  we  ought 
to  form  the  same  judgment  concerning  the  other  correction,  in 
Avhich  the  Lord  afflicted  the  people  with  a violent  pestilence, 
on  account  of  the  disobedience  of  David  in  numbering  them. 
For  he  freely  forgave  David  the  guilt  of  his  sin ; but  because 
it  was  necessary,  as  a public  example  to  all  ages,  and  also  to 
the  humiliation  of  David,  that  such  an  offence  should  not  re- 
main unpunished,  he  chastised  him  with  extreme  severity. 
This  end  we  should  keep  in  view  also  in  the  universal  curse  of 
mankind.  For  since  we  all,  even  after  having  obtained  pardon, 
still  suffer  the  miseries  which  were  inflicted  on  our  first  parent 


(c)  Psalm  Ixxxviii.  16. 


(d)  Psalm  XG.  7 — 9. 


(e)  Psalm  xciv.  12,  13. 


CHAP.  IV.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  597 

as  the  punishment  of  sin,  we  consider  such  afflictions  as  ad- 
monitions how  grievously  God  is  displeased  with  the  trans- 
gression of  his  law ; that  being  thus  dejected  and  humbled 
with  a consciousness  of  our  miserable  condition,  we  may  aspire 
with  greater  ardour  after  true  blessedness.  Now,  he  is  very 
unwise,  who  imagines  that  the  calamities  of  the  present  life  are 
inflicted  upon  us  as  satisfactions  for  the  guilt  of  sin.  This 
appears  to  me  to  have  been  the  meaning  of  Chrysostom,  when 
he  said,  ‘^If  God  therefore  inflicts  punishments  on  us,  that 
while  we  are  persisting  in  sins  lie  may  call  us  to  repentance,  — 
after  a discovery  of  repentance,  the  punishment  will  be  unne- 
cessary.” Wherefore  he  treats  one  person  with  greater  severi- 
ty, and  another  with  more  tender  indulgence,  as  he  knows  to 
be  suitable  to  every  man’s  particular  disposition.  Therefore, 
when  he  means  to  suggest  that  he  is  not  excessively  severe  in 
the  infliction  of  punishment,  he  reproaches  an  obdurate  and  ob- 
stinate people,  that  though  they  have  been  corrected,  they  have 
not  forsaken  their  sins.  (/)  In  this  sense  he  complains,  that 
‘‘  Ephraim  is  a cake  not  turned,”  (g)  that  is,  scorched  on  one 
side,  unbaked  on  the  other  ; because  his  corrections  did  not 
penetrate  the  hearts  of  the  people,  so  as  to  expel  their  vices  and 
render  them  proper  objects  of  pardon.  By  expressing  himself 
in  this  manner,  he  certainly  gives  us  to  understand,  that  as  soon 
as  they  shall  have  repented,  he  will  be  immediately  appeased, 
and  that  the  rigour  which  he  exercises  in  chastising  offences  is 
extorted  from  him  by  our  obstinacy,  but  would  be  prevented  by 
a voluntary  reformation.  Yet  since  our  obduracy  and  igno- 
rance are  such  as  universally  to  need  castigation,  our  most  wise 
Father  is  pleased  to  exercise  all  his  children,  without  excep- 
tion, with  the  strokes  of  his  rod,  as  long  as  they  live.  It  is 
astonishing  why  they  fix  their  eyes  thus  on  the  example  of 
David  alone,  and  are  unaffected  by  so  many  instances  in  which 
they  might  behold  a gratuitous  remission  of  sins.  The  pub- 
lican is  said  to  have  gone  down  from  the  temple  justified;  (A) 
no  punishment  follows.  Peter  obtained  the  pardon  of  his  sins. 

We  read,”  says  Ambrose,  ^^of  his  tears,  but  not  of  his  satis- 
faction.” (^)  And  a paralytic  hears  the  following  address : 

Be  of  good  cheer  ; thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee  ; ” (A)  no  punish- 
ment is  inflicted.  All  the  absolutions  which  are  mentioned 
in  the  Scripture,  are  described  as  gratuitous,  A general  rule 
ought  rather  to  be  deduced  from  these  numerous  examples, 
than  from  that  single  case  which  is  attended  with  peculiar 
circumstances. 

XXXVI.  When  Daniel  exhorted  Nebuchadnezzar  to  break 

(/)  Jer.  V.  3.  ((r)  Hosea  vii.  8.  (h)  Luke  xviii.  14. 

(i)  Luke  xxii.  62.  (k)  Matt.  ix.  2. 


598  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

off  his  sins  by  righteousness,  and  his  iniquities  by  showing 
mercy  to  the  poor,”(^)  he  meant  not  to  intimate  that  right- 
eousness and  mercy  propitiate  God  and  atone  for  sins ; for  God 
forbid  that  there  should  ever  be  any  other  redemption  than  the 
blood  of  Christ.  But  he  used  the  term  break  off  with  reference 
to  men,  rather  than  to  God ; as  though  he  had  said,  Thou 
hast  exercised,  O king,  an  unrighteous  and  violent  despotism ; 
thou  hast  oppressed  the  weak ; thou  hast  plundered  the  poor  ; 
thou  hast  treated  thy  people  with  harshness  and  iniquity  ; 
instead  of  unjust  exactions,  instead  of  violence  and  oppression, 
now  substitute  mercy  and  righteousness.”  In  a similar  sense 
Solomon  says,  that  “ love  covereth  all  sins  ; ” not  with  reference 
to  God,  but  among  men.  For  the  whole  verse  is  as  follows : 
‘‘Hatred  stirreth  up  strifes;  but  love  covereth  all  sins.”  (m) 
In  which  verse,  he,  according  to  his  usual  custom,  contrasts  the 
evils  arising  from  hatred  with  the  fruits  of  love ; signifying, 
that  they  who  hate  each  other,  reciprocally  harass,  criminate, 
reproach,  revile,  and  convert  every  thing  into  a fault ; but  that 
they  who  love  one  another,  mutually  conceal,  connive  at, 
and  reciprocally  forgive,  many  things  among  themselves ; not 
that  they  approve  each  other’s  faults,  but  ‘bear  with  them, 
and  heal  them  by  admonition,  rather  than  aggravate  them  by 
invectives.  Nor  can  we  doubt  that  Peter  intended  the  same  in 
his  citation  of  this  passage,  {n)  unless  we  mean  to  accuse  him 
of  corrupting,  and  craftily  perverting  the  Scriptures.  When 
Solomon  says,  that  “ by  mercy  and  truth  iniquity  is  purged,”  (o) 
he  intends  not  a compensation  in  the  Divine  view,  so  that  God, 
being  appeased  with  such  a satisfaction,  remits  the  punishment 
Avhich  he  would  otherwise  have  inflicted ; but,  in  the  familiar 
manner. of  Scripture,  he  signifies,  that  they  shall  find  him 
propitious  to  them  Avho  have  forsaken  their  former  vices  and 
iniquities,  and  are  converted  to  him  in  piety  and  truth  ; as 
though  he  had  said,  that  the  Avrath  of  God  subsides,  and  his 
judgment  ceases,  Avhen  Ave  cease  from  our  sins.  He  describes 
not  the  cause  of  pardon,  but  the  mode  of  true  conversion. 
Just  as  the  prophets  frequently  declare  that  it  is  in  vain  for 
hypocrites  to  offer  to  God  ostentatious  ceremonies  instead  of 
repentance,  since  he  is  only  pleased  Avith  integrity  and  the 
duties  of  charity  ; and  as  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 
breAvs,  Avhen  he  recommends  us  “to  do  good  and  to  commu- 
nicate,” informs  us  that  “ Avith  such  sacrifices  God  is  AA^ell 
pleased.”  (jo)  And  AAdien  Christ  ridicules  the  Pharisees  for 
having  attended  only  to  the  cleansing  of  dishes,  and  neglected 
all  purity  of  heart,  and  commands  them  to  give  alms  that  all 


(w)  1 Peter  iv.  8. 
{p)  Heb.  xiii.  IG. 


(0  Dan.  iv.  27.  {m)  Prov.  x.  12. 

(o)  Prov.  xvi.  6. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


599 


CHAP.  IV.] 

might  be  clean,  (q)  he  is  not  exhorting  them  to  make  a satis- 
faction, but  only  teaching  them  what  kind  of  purity  obtains 
the  Divine  approbation.  But  of  this  expression  we  have  treated 
in  another  work.* 

XXXVII.  With  respect  to  the  passage  of  Luke,  (r)  no  one, 
who  has  read  with  a sound  judgment  the  parable  the  Lord 
there  proposes,  will  enter  into  any  controversy  with  us  con- 
cerning it.  The  Pharisee  thought  within  himself,  that  the 
Lord  did  not  know  the  woman,  whom  he  had  so  easily  admit- 
ted to  his  presence.  For  he  imagined  that  Christ  would  not 
have  admitted  her,  if  he  had  known  what  kind  of  a sinner  she 
was.  And  thence  he  inferred  that  Christ,  who  was  capable  of 
being  so  deceived,  was  not  a prophet.  To  show  that  she  was 
not  a sinner,  her  sins  having  already  been  forgiven,  the  Lord 
proposed  this  parable  : “ There  was  a certain  creditor,  which 
had  two  debtors  ; the  one  owed  five  hundred  pence,  and  the 
other  fifty.  He  frankly  forgave  them  both.  Which  of  them 
will  love  him  most?”  The  Pharisee  answered,  “He  to 
whom  he  forgave  most.”  The  Lord  rejoins.  Hence  know  that 
“ this  woman’s  sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven  ; for  she 
loved  much.”  In  these  words,  you  see,  he  makes  her  love,  not 
the  cause  of  the  remission  of  her  sins,  but  the  proof  of  it.  For 
they  are  taken  from  a comparison  of  that  debtor  to  Avhom  five 
hundred  pence  had  been  forgiven,  of  Avhom  it  is  said,  not  that 
his  debt  was  forgiven,  because  he  had  loved  much,  but  that  he 
loved  much  because  his  debt  had  been  forgiven.  And  this 
similitude  may  be  applied  to  the  case  of  the  woman  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner  : “You  suppose  this  woman  to  be  a sinner  ; but 
you  ought  to  know  that  she  is  not  such,  since  her  sins  are 
forgiven  her.  And  her  love  ought  to  convince  you  of  the  re- 
mission of  her  sins,  by  the  grateful  return  she  makes  for  this 
blessing.”  It  is  an  argumentum  a posteriori^  by  which  any 
thing  is  proved  from  its  consequences.  By  what  means  she 
obtained  reimssion  of  sins,  the  Lord  plainly  declares  : “ Thy 
faith,”  says  he,  “hath  saved  thee.”  By  faith  therefore  we 
obtain  remission,  by  love  we  give  thanks  and  declare  the  good- 
ness of  the  Lord. 

XXXVHI.  To  those  things  which  frequently  occur  in  the 
works  of  the  fathers  concerning  satisfaction^  I pay  little  re- 
gard. I see,  indeed,  that  some  of  them,  or,  to  speak  plainly, 
almost  all  whose  writings  are  extant,  have  either  erred  on  this 
point,  or  expressed  themselves  too  harshly.  But  I shall  not 
admit  that  they  were  so  ignorant  and  inexperienced,  as  to  write 
those  things  in  the  sense  in  which  they  are  understood  by  the 
modern  advocates  for  satisfaction.  Chrysostom  somewhere 


(j)  Luke  XI.  39 — 41. 


In  Harm.  Evang. 


if)  Luke  vii.  39. 


600 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

expresses  himself  thus  : Where  mercy  is  requested,  examina- 
tion ceases  ; where  mercy  is  implored,  judgment  is  not  severe  ; 
where  mercy  is  sought,  there  is  no  room  for  punishment ; 
where  there  is  mercy,  there  is  no  inquiry  ; where  mercy  is,  an 
answer  is  freely  given.”  These  expressions,  however  they  may 
be  distorted,  can  never  be  reconciled  with  the  dogmas  of  the 
schools.  In  the  treatise  On  Ecclesiastical  Doctrines,  which  is 
ascribed  to  Augustine,  we  read  the  following  passage  : “ The 
satisfaction  of  repentance  is  to  cut  off  the  causes  of  sins,  and 
not  to  indulge  an  entrance  to  their  suggestions.”  Whence  it 
appears,  that  even  in  those  times  the  doctrine  of  satisfaction,  as 
a compensation  for  sins  committed,  was  universally  rejected, 
since  he  refers  all  satisfaction  to  a cautious  abstinence  from  sins 
in  future.  . I will  not  quote  what  is  further  asserted  by  Chry- 
sostom, that  the  Lord  requires  of  us  nothing  more  than  to  con- 
fess our  sins  before  him  with  tears ; for  passages  of  this  kind 
frequently  occur  in  his  writings,  and  in  those  of  other  fathers. 
Augustine  somewhere  calls  works  of  mercy  ‘A’emedies  for  ob- 
taining remission  of  sins  ,*  ” but  lest  any  one  should  stumble  at 
that  expression,  he  explains  himself  more  fully  in  another  place. 
‘‘  The  flesh  of  Christ,”  says  he,  “ is  the  true  and  sole  sacrifice 
for  sins,  not  only  for  those  which  are  all  obliterated  in  baptism, 
but  also  for  those  which  afterwards  creep  in  through  infirmity  ; 
on  account  of  which  the  whole  Church  at  present  exclaims, 
Forgive  us  our  debts  ; (s)  and  they  are  forgiven  through  that 
single  sacrifice.” 

XXXIX.  But  they  most  commonly  used  the  word  “ satis- 
faction ” to  signify,  not  a compensation  rendered  to  God,  but 
a public  testification,  by  which  those  who  had  been  punished 
witli  excommunication,  when  they  wished  to  be  readmitted  to 
communion,  gave  the  Church  an  assurance  of  their  repentance. 
For  there  were  enjoined  on  those  penitents  certain  fastings,  and 
other  observances,  by  which  they  might  prove  themselves  truly 
and  cordially  weary  of  their  former  life,  or  rather  obliterate  the 
memory  of  their  past  actions ; and  thus  they  were  said  to  make 
satisfaction,  not  to  God,  but  to  the  Church.  This  is  also  ex- 
pressed by  Augustine  in  these  very  words,  in  his  Enchiridion 
ad  Laurentium.  From  that  ancient  custom  have  originated 
the  confessions  and  satisfactions  which  are  used  in  the  present 
age  ; a viperous  brood  which  retain  not  even  the  shadow  of  that 
original  form.  I know  that  the  fathers  sometimes  express  them- 
selves rather  harshly  ; nor  do  I deny,  what  I have  just  asserted, 
that  perhaps  they  have  erred.  But  their  writings,  which  were 
Difiy  besprinkled  with  a few  spots,  after  they  have  been  handled 
by  such  foul  hands,  became  thoroughly  soiled.  And  if  we 


{s)  Matt.  vi.  12. 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  601 

must  contend  with  the  authority  of  fathers,  what  fathers  do 
they  obtrude  upon  us  ? Most  of  those  passages,  of  which 
Lombard,  their  champion,  has  compiled  his  heterogeneous  col- 
lection, are  extracted  from  the  insipid  reveries  of  some  monks, 
which  are  circulated  under  the  names  of  Ambrose,  Jerome, 
Augustine,  and  Chrysostom.  Thus,  on  the  present  argument, 
he  borrows  almost  every  thing  from  a Treatise  on  Repentance, 
which  is  a ridiculous  selection  from  various  authors,  good  and 
bad  ; it  bears  the  name  of  Augustine  indeed,  but  no  man  even 
of  moderate  learning  can  deign  to  admit  it  as  really  his.  For 
not  entering  into  a more  particular  examination  of  their  absurdi- 
ties, I request  the  pardon  of  the  reader,  whom  I wish  to  spare 
that  trouble.  It  would  be  both  easy  and  plausible  for  me  to 
expose  to  the  greatest  contempt,  what  they  have  heretofore 
celebrated  as  mysteries ; but  I forbear,  as  my  object  is  to  write 
what  may  tend  to  edification. 


. N CHAPTER  Y. 

INDULGENCES  AND  PURGATORY.  THE  SUPPLEMENTS  TO  THEIR 
DOCTRINE  OF  SATISFACTIONS. 

This  doctrine  of  satisfaction  has  given  rise  to  indulgences. 
For  by  indulgences  they  pretend,  that  the  deficiency  of  our 
abilities  to  make  satisfaction  is  supplied,  and  even  proceed  to 
the  extravagance  of  defining  them  to  be  the  dispensation  of 
the  merits  of  Christ  and  of  the  martyrs,  which  the  Pope  distri- 
butes in  his  bulls.  Now,  though  such  persons  are  fitter  subjects 
for  a mad-house  than  for  arguments,  so  that  it  would  be  of  little 
use  to  engage  in  refuting  errors  so  frivolous,  which  have  been 
shaken  by  many  attacks,  and  begin  of  themselves  to  grow  ob- 
solete, and  totter  towards  a fall,  yet,  as  a brief  refutation  will 
be  useful  to  some  minds  hitherto  uninformed  on  the  subject,  I 
shall  not  altogether  omit  it.  And  indeed  the  establishment  and 
long  continuance  of  indulgences,  with  the  unlimited  influence 
retained  by  them  amidst  such  outrageous  and  furious  licen- 
tiousness, may  serve  to  convince  us  in  what  a deep  night  of 
errors  men  were  immersed  for  several  ages.  They  saw,  that 
they  were  themselves  objects  of  the  public  and  undissembled 
ridicule  of  the  Pope  and  the  dispensers  of  his  bulls;  that  lu- 
crative bargains  were  made  concerning  the  salvation  of  their 
souls  ; that  the  price  of  salvation  was  fixed  at  a trifling  sum  of 
money,  and  nothing  presented  gratuitously  ; that  under  this 
VOL.  I..  70 


602 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III 

pretext,  contributions  were  extorted  from  them,  which  were 
vilely  consumed  on  brothels,  pimps,  and  revellings  ; that  the 
greatest  advocates  of  indulgences  were  the  greatest  despisers 
of  them  ; that  this  monster  was  daily  making  longer  strides  in 
licentious  power  and  luxury,  and  that  there  was  no  end,  that 
more  trash  was  continually  produced,  and  more  money  continu- 
ally extorted.  Yet  they  received  indulgences  with  the  greatest 
veneration,  adored  them  and  purchased  them  ; and  those  who 
had  more  discernment  than  others,  yet  considered  them  as 
pious  frauds,  by  which  they  might  be  deceived  with  some  ad- 
vantage. At  length,  since  the  world  has  permitted  itself  to  re- 
cover a little  the  exercise  of  reason,  indulgences  become  more 
and  more  discredited,  till  they  altogether  disappear. 

II.  But  since  many,  who  see  the  pollution,  imposture,  rob- 
bery, and  rapacity,  with  which  the  dispensers  of  indulgences 
have  hitherto  amused  themselves  and  cajoled  us,  do  not  perceive 
the  fountain  of  all  this  impiety,  — it  will  be  necessary  to  show, 
not  only  the  nature  of  indulgences  as  commonly  used,  but  what 
they  are  in  themselves  when  abstracted  from  every  adventi- 
tious blemish.  The  merits  of  Christ  and  of  the  holy  apostles 
and  martyrs,  they  style  the  treasury  of  the  Church.”  The 
principal  custody  of  this  repository  they  pretend  to  have  been 
delivered,  as  I have  already  hinted,  to  the  bishop  of  Rome, 
who  has  the  dispensation  of  such  great  benefits,  so  that  he  can 
both  bestow  them  himself,  and  delegate  the  power  of  bestow- 
ing them  to  others.  Hence  from  the  Pope  are  received  some- 
times plenary  indulgences,  sometimes  indulgences  for  a certain 
number  of  years ; from  Cardinals,  for  a hundred  days ; from 
Bishops,  for  forty  days.  But  to  describe  them  correctly,  they 
are  a profanation  of  the  blood  of  Christ  and  a delusion  of  Satan, 
by  which  they  seduce  Christians  from  the  grace  of  God  and 
the  life  which  is  in  Christ,  and  turn  them  aside  from  the  right 
way  of  salvation.  For  how  could  the  blood  of  Christ  be  more 
basely  profaned,  than  when  it  is  denied  to  be  sufficient  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  for  reconciliation  and  satisfaction,  unless  its 
deficiency  be  supplied  from  some  other  quarter  ? ‘‘  To  him,” 

says  Peter,  give  all  the  prophets  witness,  that  through  his 
name,  whosoever  belie veth  on  him  shall  receive  remission  of 
sins.”  (t)  Indulgences  dispense  remission  of  sins  through 
Peter,  and  Paul,  and  the  martyrs.  The  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,”  says  John,  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.”  (u)  Indul- 
gences make  tlie  blood  of  the  martyrs  the  ablution  of  sins. 
Paul  says,  that  Christ,  “ who  knew  no  sin,  was  made  sin  for 
us  ; ” that  is,  a satisfaction  for  sin,  that  we  might  be  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.”  (?r)  Indulgences  place  sa- 


(t)  Acts  X.  43. 


(ii)  1 John  i.  7. 


(74?)  2 Cor.  V.  21. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


603 


CHAR.  V.] 

tisfacjtion  for  sins  in  the  blood  of  the  martyrs.  Paul  declared 
to  the  Corinthians,  that  Christ  alone  was  crucified  and  died  for 
them,  [x)  Indulgences  pronounce  that  Paul  and  others  died 
for  ns.  In  another  place  he  says,  that  Christ  hath  purchased 
the  Church  with  his  own  blood.”  {y)  Indulgences  assign  an- 
other price  of  this  purchase,  in  the  blood  of  the  martyrs.  The 
apostle  says,  that  by  one  offering  Christ  hath  perfected  for  ever 
them  that  are  sanctified.”  (z)  Indulgences,  on  the  contrary, 
proclaim  that  sanctification,  which  were  otherwise  insufficient, 
receives  its  perfection  from  the  martyrs.  John  declares  that 
all  saints  have  washed  their  robes  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.”  (a)  Indulgences  teach  us  to  wash  our  robes  in  the 
blood  of  the  saints. 

III.  Leo,  bishop  of  Rome,  excellently  opposes  these  sacri- 
legious pretensions  in  his  epistle  to  the  Bishops  of  Palestine. 

Although  the  death  of  many  saints,”  he  says,  ‘‘  has  been  pre- 
cious in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  yet  the  murder  of  no  innocent 
person  has  been  the  propitiation  of  the  world.  The  righteous 
have  received,  not  bestowed,  crowns ; and  from  the  fortitude 
of  the  faithful  have  arisen  examples  of  patience,  not  gifts  of 
righteousness.  For  their  deaths  have  been  all  singular,  nor  has 
any  one  by  his  death  discharged  the  debt  of  another ; for  it 
is  the  Lord  Christ  alone,  in  whom  all  are  crucified,  dead, 
buried,  and  raised  from  the  dead.”  yhis  passage  being  worthy 
of  remembrance,  he  repeats  it  in  another  place.  Surely  no- 
thing clearer  can  be  desired,  in  confutation  of  this  impious 
doctrine  of  indulgences.  And  Augustine  expresses  himself 
with  equal  propriety  to  the  same  purpose.  He  says,  Al- 
though we  die,  brethren  for  brethren,  yet  the  blood  of  no 
martyr  is  ever  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Christ  has  done 
this  for  us ; and  in  doing  it  has  not  given  an  example  in  which 
we  should  imitate  him,  but  conferred  a favour  for  which  we 
should  thank  him.”  Again,  in  another  place  : As  the  Son  of 
God  alone  became  the  Son  of  man,  to  make  us  with  himself 
sons  of  God,  so  he  alone,  without  any  demerits,  sustained  the 
punishment  for  us,  that  we,  without  any  merits,  might  through 
him  obtain  undeserved  grace.”  Indeed,  whilst  their  whole 
doctrine  is  a compound  of  horrible  sacrilege  and  blasphemies, 
yet  this  is  a blasphemy  more  monstrous  than  the  rest.  Let 
them  acknowledge  whether  these  be  not  their  opinions,  that 
the  martyrs  have  by  their  death  performed  for  God,  and  merit- 
ed from  him,  more  than  was  necessary  for  themselves  ; that 
they  had  so  great  a redundance  of  merits,  as  to  superabound  to 
others  ; that  therefore,  lest  so  great  a blessing  should  be  super- 
fluous, their  blood  is  commingled  with  the  blood  of  Christ,  and 


(x)  1 Cor.  i.  13.  (?/)  Acts  xx.  28.  (z)  Heb.  x.  14.  (a)  Rev.  vii.  14. 


604  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

that  of  both  these  is  formed  the  treasury  of  the  Church  for  the 
remission  and  expiation  of  sins  ; and  that  in  this  sense  we 
ouglit  to  understand  the  declaration  of  Paul,  I fill  up  that 
which  is  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  my  flesh,  for 
his  body’s  sake,  which  is  the  Church.”  (Z>)  What  is  this  but 
leaving  Christ  a mere  name,  and  in  other  respects  making  him 
an  inferior  saint  of  the  common  order,  scarcely  distinguish- 
able among  the  multitude  ? He  alone  ought  to  have  been 
preached,  he  alone  exhibited,  he  alone  mentioned,  he  alone  re- 
garded, in  all  discourses  on  the  procurement  of  remission  of 
sins,  expiation,  and  sanctification.  But  let  us  hear  their  grand 
argument : That  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  may  not  be  shed  in 
vain,  let  it  be  applied  to  the  common  benefit  of  the  Church. 
Indeed  ? Was  it  no  advantage  to  glorify  God  by  their  death  ? to 
subscribe  to  his  truth  with  their  blood  ? to  testify  by  their  con- 
tempt of  the  present  life,  that  they  sought  a better  one  ? by 
their  constancy,  to  confirm  the  faith  of  the  Church,  and  van- 
quish the  obstinacy  of  their  enemies  ? But  this  is  the  fact : 
they  acknowledge  no  benefit,  if  Christ  alone  be  the  propitiator, 
if  he  alone  died  for  our  sins,  if  he  alone  was  offered  for  our  re- 
demption. Peter  and  Paul,  they  say,  might  nevertheless  have 
obtained  the  crown  of  victory,  if  they  had  expired  in  their 
beds.  But  since  they  contended  even  to  blood,  it  would  be 
incompatible  with  the  jusyce  of  God  to  leave  this  barren  or  un- 
fruitful. As  if  God  knew  not  how  to  augment  the  glory  of 
his  servants  according  to  the  extent  of  his  gifts.  But  the 
Church  in  general  receives  an  advantage  sufficiently  great, 
when  by  their  triumphs  it  is  inflamed  with  the  same  zeal  for 
similar  exertions  and  conflicts. 

IV.  But  how  maliciously  they  pervert  that  passage  of  Paul, 
where  he  says,  that  he  fills  up  in  his  own  flesh  that  which  is 
behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ ! ” (c)  For  he  refers  that  de- 
ficiency and  supplement,  not  to  the  work  of  redemption,  satis- 
faction, or  expiation,  but  to  those  afflictions,  with  which  the 
members  of  Christ,  even  all  the  faithful,  must  necessarily  be 
exercised  as  long  as  they  live  in  the  present  state.  He  says, 
therefore,  that  this  remains  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ,  that 
having  once  suffered  in  himself,  he  daily  suffers  in  his  mem- 
bers. Christ  honors  us  so  far  as  to  consider  our  afflictions  as 
his.  When  Paul  adds  that  he  suffered  “ for  the  Church,”  he 
means  not  for  the  redemption,  reconciliation,  or  atonement  of 
the  Church,  but  for  its  edification  and  profit.  As  in  another 
place  he  says,  “ I endure  all  things  for  the  elect’s  sakes,  that 
they  may  also  obtain  the  salvation  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.”  (cZ) 
He  writes  to  '^the  Corinthians,  that  whatever  tribulations  he 


(//)  Col.  i.  24. 


(c)  Col.  i.  24. 


(rf)  2 Tim.  ii.  10. 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  605 

endured,  he  was  ‘‘  afflicted  for  their  consolation  and  salva- 
tion.” (e)  And  he  immediately  proceeds  to  explain  himself,  by 
adding,  that  he  was  made  a minister  of  the  Church,  not  for  its 
redemption,  but  according  to  the  dispensation  which  had  been 
committed  to  him,  to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ.  (/)  But  if 
they  require  also  another  expositor,  let  them  attend  to  Au- 
gustine : ‘‘The  sufferings  of  Christ,”  says  he,  “are  in  Christ 
alone,  as  in  the  head  ; in  Christ  and  the  Church,  as  in  the 
whole  body.  Whence  Paul,  one  of  the  members,  says,  I fill 
up  in  my  flesh  that  which  is  behind  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ. 
If  you,  therefore,  whoever  you  are  that  read  this,  are  one  of  the 
members  of  Christ,  all  that  you  suffer  from  such  as  are  not 
members  of  Christ,  was  behind  in  the  afflictions  of  Christ.” 
But  the  tendency  of  the  sufferings  of  the  apostles,  sustained  on 
account  of  the  Church,  is  stated  by  him  in  another  place: 
“ Christ  is  my  door  to  you ; because  you  are  the  sheep  of 
Christ,  purchased  with  his  blood  : acknowledge  your  price, 
which  is  not  given  by  me,  but  preached  by  me.”  Then  he 
adds,  “ As  he  has  laid  down  his  life,  so  we  ought  also  to  lay 
down  our  lives  for  the  brethren,  for  the  establishment  of  peace 
and  the  confirmation  of  faith.”  This  is  the  language  of  Au- 
gustine. But  let  it  not  be  imagined,  that  Paul  thought  there 
was  any  deficiency  in  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  with  respect  to 
all  the  plenitude  of  righteousness,  salvation,  and  life ; or  that 
any  addition  to  them  was  intended  by  him,  who  so  clearly  and 
magnificently  proclaims,  that  the  “ abundance  of  grace  by 
Christ”  was  poured  forth  with  such  liberality,  that  it  “much 
more  abounded  ” beyond  all  the  aboundings  of  sin.  (g)  It  is 
not  by  the  merit  of  their  own  life  or  death,  but  by  this  grace 
alone,  that  all  the  saints  have  been  saved,  as  Peter  expressly 
testifies ; (A)  so  that  he  would  be  guilty  of  an  injurious  con- 
tempt of  God  and  of  his  Christ,  who  should  place  the  worthiness 
of  any  saint  in  any  thing  else  but  the  mere  mercy  of  God. 
But  why  do  I dwell  any  longer  on  this  subject,  as  though  it 
were  still  involved  in  obscurity  ? whereas  the  statement  of  such 
monstrous  notions  is  of  itself  a complete  refutation  of  them. 

V.  Now,  to  pass  from  such  abominations,  who  taught  the 
Pope  to  enclose  in  lead  and  parchment  the  grace  of  Jesus 
Christ,  which  the  Lord  designed  to  be  dispensed  by  the  word 
of  the  gospel  ? Either  the  gospel  of  God  must  be  false,  or 
their  indulgences  fallacious.  For  that  Christ  is  offered  to  us  in 
the  gospel,  with  all  his  plenitude  of  heavenly  blessings,  with 
all  his  merits,  with  all  his  righteousness,  wisdom,  and  grace, 
without  any  exception,  is  testified  by  Paul,  when  he  says, 
“God  hath  committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation. 


(e)  2 Cor.  i.  6.  (/)  Col.  i.  25.  (^)  Rom.  v.  17 — 20.  (h)  Acts  xv.  11. 


606  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

Now,  then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did 
beseech  you  by  us  ; we  pray  you  in  Christ’s  stead,  be  ye  recon- 
ciled to  God.  For  he  hath  made  him,  who  knew  no  sin,  to  be 
sin  for  us  ; that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him.”  («)  And  believers  know  the  meaning  of  that  ‘‘fellow- 
ship of  Christ,”  {k)  which,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the 
same  apostle,  is  offered  to  our  enjoyment  in  the  gospel.  In- 
dulgences, on  the  contrary,  produce  a certain  allowance  of 
grace  from  the  Pope’s  repository,  fix  it  to  lead  and  parchment, 
and  even  to  a particular  place,  and  separate  it  from  the  word  of 
God.  Now,  if  any  one  inquire  the  origin  of  this  abuse,  it 
seems  to  have  arisen  from  an  ancient  custom,  that  when 
more  severe  satisfactions  were  imposed  on  penitents  than  could 
possibly  be  borne  by  all,  they  Avho  felt  themselves  oppressed 
beyond  measure,  petitioned  the  Church  for  some  relaxation  of 
rigour.  The  remission  granted  to  such  persons  was  called  in- 
dulgence. But  when  they  transferred  satisfactions  to  God,  and 
said  that  they  were  compensations,  by  which  men  might  re- 
deem themselves  from  the  judgment  of  God,  they  also  con- 
verted these  indulgences  into  expiatory  remedies,  to  deliver  us 
from  deserved  punishments.  But  the  blasphemies  which  we 
have  mentioned  have  been  fabricated  with  such  consummate 
impudence,  that  they  have  not  even  the  least  appearance  of 
plausibility. 

VI.  Nor  let  them  now  trouble  us  any  more  about  their  pur- 
gatory, since  it  is  utterly  demolished  by  this  argument.  For  I 
cannot  coincide  with  some,  who  think  it  best  to  be  silent  on 
this  point,  and  to  omit  the  mention  of  purgatory,  from  which, 
they  say,  many  sharp  contentions  arise,  but  very  little  edifica- 
tion results.  Indeed,  I should  myself  be  of  opinion  that  such 
trifles  are  unworthy  of  notice,  if  they  did  not  consider  them  as 
matters  of  importance.  But  since  purgatory  has  been  erected 
with  a multitude  of  blasphemies,  and  is  daily  propped  by  new 
ones,  and  since  it  excites  many  and  grievous  offences,  it  really 
must  not  pass  without  notice.  It  might  be  possible  for  a time 
to  conceal  that  it  was  a fiction  of  curious  and  presumptuous  te- 
merity, unsupported  by  the  word  of  God ; that  it  was  accredit- 
ed by  I know  not  what  revelation  invented  by  the  subtlety  of 
Satan  ; that  for  its  confirmation  some  passages  of  Scripture 
were  absurdly  perverted.  The  Lord,  however,  suffers  not  hu- 
man presumption  thus  violently  to  break  into  the  hidden  re- 
cesses of  his  judgment ;(/)  and  has  severely  prohibited  the 
neglect  of  his  word  and  the  inquiry  after  truth  among  the 
dead  ; and  does  not  permit  his  word  to  be  thus  irreverently 
dishonoured.  Nevertheless,  admitting  that  all  these  things 


(i)  2 Cor.  V.  18,  &c. 


Qi)  1 Cor.  i.  9. 


(/)  Deut.  xviii.  10 — 12. 


CHAP.  V.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


607 


might  for  a short  time  have  been  tolerated  as  matters  of  small 
importance,  yet  when  expiation  of  sins  is  sought  any  where 
but  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  when  satisfaction  is  transferred  to 
any  other,  silence  becomes  dangerous  in  the  extreme.  There- 
fore we  should  exclaim  with  all  our  might,  that  purgatory  is  a 
pernicious  fiction  of  Satan,  that  it  makes  void  the  cross  of 
Christ,  that  it  intolerably  insults  the  Divine  mercy,  and  weak- 
ens and  overturns  our  faith.  For  what  is  their  purgatory,  but 
a satisfaction  for  sins  paid  after  death  by  the  souls  of  the  de- 
ceased ? Thus  the  notion  of  satisfaction  being  overthrown, 
purgatory  itself  is  immediately  subverted  from  its  very  founda- 
tions. But  if  it  has  been  fully  evinced,  that  the  blood  of  Christ 
is  the  only  satisfaction,  expiation,  and  purgation  for  the  sins  of 
the  faithful,  what  is  the  necessary  inference,  but  that  purga- 
tory is  nothing  but  a horrible  blasphemy  against  Christ  ? I 
pass  by  the  sacrilegious  pretences  with  which  it  is  daily  de- 
fended, the  offences  which  it  produces  in  religion,  and  the 
other  innumerable  evils  which  we  perceive  to  have  proceeded 
from  such  a source  of  impiety. 

VII.  It  is  worth  while,  however,  to  wrest  out  of  their  hands 
those  passages  of  Scripture,  which  they  have  falsely  and  cor- 
ruptly pressed  into  their  service.  The  assertion  of  the  Lord, 
that  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not  b^  forgiven, 
neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come,”  (m)  im- 
plies, they  say,  that  there  is  a forgiveness  of  some  sins  in  the 
world  to  come.  But  who  does  not  see,  that  the  Lord  there 
speaks  of  the  guilt  of  sin  ? And  if  this  be  the  case,  what  has 
it  to  do  with  their  purgatory,  for  there  they  suppose  punish- 
ment to  be  inflicted  for  sins,  the  guilt  of  which  they  do  not 
deny  to  have  been  forgiven  in  the  present  life  ? But  to  prevent 
all  further  cavils,  they  shall  have  a plainer  answer.  When  the 
Lord  intended  to  cut  off  from  such  flagitious  iniquity  all  hope 
of  pardon,  he  thought  it  not  sufficient  to  say  that  it  should 
never  be  forgiven  ; but  for  the  sake  of  further  amplification  he 
adopted  a distinction,  comprehending  both  the  judgment  which 
the  conscience  of  every  individual  feels  in  this  life,  and  that 
final  judgment  which  will  be  publicly  held  at  the  resurrection  ; 
as  though  he  had  said,  “ Beware  of  malicious  rebellion,  as  of 
immediate  perdition ; for  he  who  shall  have  purposely  endea- 
voured to  extinguish  the  offered  light  of  the  Spirit,  shall  never 
obtain  pardon,  neither  in  this  life,  which  is  allotted  to  sinners 
for  their  conversion,  nor  in  the  last  day,  when  the  lambs  shall 
be  separated  from  the  goats  by  the  angels  of  God,  and  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  shall  be  purged  from  every  offence.”  They 
next  adduce  this  parable  from  Matthew : “ Agree  with  thine 


(m)  Matt.  xii.  32. 


608 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 


adversary  ; lest  at  any  time  the  adversary  deliver  thee  to  the 
judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  thou  be  cast 
into  prison.  Thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence,  till 
thou  hast  pmd  the  uttermost  farthing.”  [n)  If  in  this  place  the 
judge  signify  God,  the  adversary  the  devil,  the  officer  an  angel, 
the  prison  purgatory,  I will  readily  submit  to  them.  But  if  it 
be  evident  to  every  one,  that  Christ  there  intended  to  show  to 
how  many  dangers  and  calamities  persons  exposed  themselves, 
who  prefer  obstinately  exerting  the  rigour  of  the  law,  to  acting 
upon  the  principles  of  equity  and  kindness,  in  order  the  more 
earnestly  to  exhort  his  disciples  to  an  equitable  concord,  pray 
where  will  purgatory  be  found  ? 

YIII.  They  derive  an  argument  from  the  language  of  Paul, 
where  he  has  affirmed,  “ that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee 
should  bow,  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and 
things  under  the  earth.”  (o)  For  they  assume  it  as  granted, 
that  things  (or  persons)  under  the  earth  ” cannot  be  under- 
stood of  those  who  are  consigned  to  eternal  damnation.  It  fol- 
lows, therefore,  that  they  must  be  the  souls  suffering  in  purga- 
tory. Their  reasoning  would  not  be  very  bad,  if,  by  genuflec- 
tion, the  apostle  designed,  truly  pious  worship ; but  since  he 
simply  teaches,  that  dominion  is  committed  to  Christ,  by  which 
all  creatu](ps  must  be  subjugated,  why  may  we  not  understand 
this  phrase  of  the  devils,  who  will  indeed  stand  at  the  tribunal 
of  the  Lord,  and  acknowledge  him  as  their  Judge  with  fear 
and  trembling  ? As  Paul  himself  elsewhere  explains  the  same 
prophecy:  ‘‘We  shall  all  stand,”  says  he,  “before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ.  For  it  is  written.  As  I live,  saith  the 
Lord,  every  knee  shall  bow  to  me,”  &c.  (p)  But  they  reply, 
we  cannot  give  the  same  kind  of  interpretation  to  this  passage 
in  the  Revelation : “ Every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and 
on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea, 
and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I saying.  Blessing,  and  honour, 
and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever.”  {q)  This  I readily 
concede  ; but  what  creatures  do  they  suppose  to  be  here  enu- 
merated ? for  it  is  very  certain,  that  the  expressions  comprehend 
creatures  both  irrational  and  inanimate.  It  is  a mere  declara- 
tion that  all  the  parts  of  the  world,  from  the  summit  of  the  hea- 
vens to  the  centre  of  the  earth,  celebrate,  in  their  respective 
ways,  the  glory  of  the  Creator.  What  they  produce  from  the 
history  of  the  Maccabees,  I shall  not  honour  with  an  answer, 
that  I may  not  be  supposed  to  place  that  work  in  the  catalogue 
of  sacred  books.  But  Augustine,  they  say,  received  it  as 
canonical.  I inquire,  first.  With  what  degree  of  credit  did  he 


(w)  Matt.  V.  25. 
(o)  Phil.  ii.  10. 


(p)  Rom.  xiv.  10,  11. 

(q)  Rev.  V.  13. 


CHAP.  V.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


609 


receive  it  ? He  says,  The  history  of  the  Maccabees  is  not 
esteemed  by  the  Jews  as  the  law,  and  the  prophets,  and  the 
Psalms,  to  which  the  Lord  gives  a testimony,  as  being  wit- 
nesses concerning  him,  saying,  ‘ All  things  must  be  ful- 
filled, which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the 
prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms,  concerning  me,’  (r)  But  it  has 
been  received  by  the  Church,  and  not  altogether  unprofitably, 
if  it  be  read  or  heard  with  sobriety,”  &c.  Jerome,  without  any 
scruple,  inculcates,  that  its  authority  is  of  no  force  in  the  sup- 
port of  doctrines.  And  from  that  old  treatise  on  the  Exposition 
of  the  Creed,  which  is  ascribed  to  Cyprian,  it  clearly  appears 
that  it  was  not  admitted  in  the  ancient  Church.  But  why  am 
I now  contending  to  no  purpose  ? as  though  the  author  himself 
did  not  sufficiently  show  what  deference  is  due  to  him,  when, 
at  the  conclusion,  he  begs  pardon  if  he  should  have  spoken  any 
thing  improperly.  Certainly  he  who  confesses  that  his  writings 
need  pardon,  proclaims  them  not  to  be  the  oracles  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Besides,  the  piety  of  Judas  Maccabeus  is  commended 
on  no  other  ground,  but  because  he  had  a firm  hope  of  the  final 
resurrection,  when  he  sent  to  Jerusalem  an  oblation  for  the 
dead.  Nor  does  the  historian  represent  this  oblation  as  in- 
tended to  be  a price  of  redemption,  but  that  those  in  whose 
names  it  was  offered  might  be  partakers  of  eternal  life  with  the 
rest  .of  the  faithful  who  had  died  in  defence  of  their  country 
and  religion.  This  action  was  accompanied,  indeed,  by  super- 
stition and  preposterous  zeal  ; but  they  are  more  than  infatu- 
ated who  apply  to  us  a sacrifice  offered  under  the  law ; since 
we  know,  that  all  such  ancient  usages  ceased  at  the  advent  of 
Christ, 

IX.  But  they  find  in  Paul  an  invincible  argument,  which 
cannot  be  so  easily  answered.  If  any  man,”  says  he,  build 
upon  this  foundation  gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay, 
stubble,  every  man’s  work  shall  be  made  manifest ; for  the 
day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by  fire  ; and 
the  fire  shall  try  every  man’s  work,  of  what  sort  it  is.  If  any 
man’s  work  shall  be  burned,  he  shall  suffer  loss ; but  he  him- 
self shall  be  saved;  yet  so  as  by  fire.”  (s)  What  can  this  be, 
they  ask,  but  purgatorial  fire,  by  which  the  pollution  of  sins  is 
cleansed,  that  we  may  enter  pure  into  the  kingdom  of  God  ? 
But  most  of  the  fathers  were  of  a different  opinion,  under- 
standing the  word  fire  ” to  mean  tribulation,  or  the  cross,  by 
which  the  Lord  tries  his  children,  to  purify  them  from  all  carnal 
pollution  ; and  this  is  much  more  probable  than  the  notion  of 
purgatory.  I cannot,  however,  coincide  with  them ; for  I 
think  I have  discovered  a far  more  certain  and  lucid  interpieta- 


VOL.  I. 


(r)  Luke  xxiv.  44. 

I.  77 


(5)  1 Cor.  iii.  12. 


610  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III 

tion  of  this  passage.  But  before  I state  it,  I could  wish  them 
to  answer  this  question  — whether  they  suppose  it  was  neces- 
sary for  the  apostles  and  all  the  saints  to  pass  through  this 
purgatorial  fire.  I know  they  will  answer  in  the  negative  ; 
for  it  were  too  absurd,  that  purification  should  be  necessary 
to  those  whose  redundant  merits  they  vainly  imagine  to  super- 
abound  to  all  the  members  of  the  Church.  But  the  apostle 
affirms  this ; for  he  says,  not  that  the  work  of  some,  but  that 
the  work  of  all,  shall  be  proved.  Nor  is  this  my  own  argu- 
ment, but  Augustine’s,  who  thus  opposes  the  interpretation 
now  adopted  by  our  adversaries.  And,  what  would  be  still 
more  absurd,  he  says,  not  that  they  shall  pass  through  the  fire 
on  account  of  any  works,  but  that  if  they  have  edified  the 
Church  with  perfect  fidelity,  they  shall  receive  a reward,  when 
their  work  shall  have  been  tried  by  fire.  In  the  first  place, 
we  see  that  the  apostle  uses  a metaphor,  when  he  calls  doc- 
trines of  human  invention  “wood,  hay,  stubble.”  The  reason 
of  the  metaphor  also  is  evident ; that  as  wood,  immediately  on 
being  placed  in  contact  with  fire,  consumes  and  wastes  away, 
so  neither  will  those  doctrines  be  able  to  abide  the  test  of  ex- 
amination. Now,  it  is  well  known  that  such  an  examination 
proceeds  from  the  Spirit  of  God.  Therefore,  to  pursue  the 
thread  of  the  metaphor,  and  to  adapt  the  parts  by  a proper  re- 
lation to  each  other,  he  gives  the  Holy  Spirit’s  examination 
the  appellation  of  fire.  For  as  gold  and  silver  afford  a more 
certain  proof  of  their  goodness  and  purity  in  proportion  to  their 
proximity  to  the  fire,  so  Divine  truth  receives  the  stronger 
confirmation  of  its  authority,  in  proportion  to  the  strictness  of 
spiritual  examination  by  which  it  is  investigated.  As  wood, 
hay,  and  stubble,  brought  into  contact  with  fire,  are  speedily 
consumed,  so  the  inventions  of  men,  unsupported  by  the  word 
of  God,  cannot  bear  the  examination  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but 
must  immediately  fall  to  the  ground.  Finally,  if  false  doc- 
trines are  compared  to  wood,  hay,  and  stubble,  because,  like 
wood,  hay,  and  stubble,  they  are  consumed  by  fire  and  entire- 
ly destroyed,  and  if  they  are  overcome  only  by  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord,- it  follows  that  the  Spirit  is  that  fire  by  which  they 
will  be  proved.  This  trial  Paul  calls  the  day^  or  the  day  of 
the  Lord^  according  to  the  common  phraseology  of  Scripture. 
For  that  is  called  the  day  of  the  Lord,  whenever  he  manifests 
his  presence  to  men.  Now,  we  enjoy  most  of  the  light  of  his 
countenance  when  we  are  favoured  with  the  radiance  of  his 
truth.  It  has  been  evinced  that  Paul  means  no  other  fire  than 
the  examination  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  how  are  they  saved 
by  the  fire,  who  suffer  the  loss  of  their  work  ? This  it  will  not 
be  difficult  to  comprehend,  if  we  consider  of  what  class  of  men 
he  is  speaking.  For  he  characterizes  them  as  builders  of  the 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  6l  1 

Church,  who  retain  their  legitimate  foundation,  but  raise  the 
superstructure  of  unequal  materials  : they  are  such  as  do  not 
deviate  from  the  principal  and  essential  articles  of  the  faith,  but 
err  in  inferior  and  less  important  ones,  mixing  their  own  inven- 
tions with  the  word  of  God.  Such,  I say,  must  suffer  the  loss 
of  their  work,  by  their  inventions  being  destroyed;  but  they 
are  themselves  saved,  yet  so  as  by  fire  ; that  is,  not  because 
their  ignorance  and  error  can  be  approved  by  the  Lord,  but 
because  they  are  purified  from  them  by  the  grace  and  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Wherefore,  whoever  have  corrupted  the 
pure  gold  of  the  Divine  word  with  this  filth  of  purgatory,  must 
necessarily  suffer  the  loss  of  their  work. 

X.  Our  opponents  will  reply,  that  it  has  been  a very  ancient 
opinion  in  the  Church.  Paul  removes  this  objection  when  he 
comprehends  even  his  own  age  in  this  sentence,  where  he 
denounces,  that  all  must  suffer  the  loss  of  their  work,  who,  in 
the  structure  of  the  Church,  should  place  any  thing  not  cor- 
responding to  the  foundation.  When  our  adversaries,  therefore, 
object  to  me,  that  to  offer  prayers  for  the  dead  has  been  the 
practice  of  more  than  thirteen  hundred  years,  I inquire  of 
them,  on  the  contrary,  by  what  word  of  God,  by  what  reve- 
lation, by  what  example,  it  is  sanctioned.  For  they  are  not 
only  destitute  of  any  testimonies  of  Scripture  in  favour  of  it,  but 
none  of  the  examples  of  the  saints  there  recorded  exhibit  any 
thing  like  it.  Respecting  mourning  and  funeral  offices,  it  con- 
tains many  and  sometimes  long  accounts ; but  of  prayers  for 
persons  deceased,  you  cannot  discover  the  smallest  hint.  But 
the  greater  the  importance  of  the  subject,  so  much  the  rather 
ought  it  to  have  been  particularly  mentioned.  Even  the  fa- 
thers themselves,  who  offered  up  prayers  for  the  dead,  saw 
that  they  had  neither  a Divine  command,  nor  a legitimate  ex- 
ample, to  justify  the  practice.  Why,  then,  did  they  presume  to 
adopt  it  ? In  this,  I say,  they  discovered  themselves  to  be  but 
men ; and  therefore  I contend,  that  what  they  did  ought  not 
to  be  enforced  for  the  imitation  of  others.  For  since  believers 
ought  not  to  undertake  any  thing  without  an  assurance  of 
conscience,  according  to  the  direction  of  Paul,  (t)  this  assur- 
ance is  chiefly  requisite  in  prayer.  Yet  it  will  be  urged.  It  is 
probable  that  they  were  impelled  to  it  by  some  reason.  I 
reply.  Perhaps  they  sought  some  consolation  to  alleviate  their 
sorrow,  and  it  might  appear  inhuman  not  to  give  some  testi- 
mony of  their  love  towards  the  dead  in  the  presence  of  God. 
The  propensity  of  the  human  mind  to  this  affection,  all  men 
know  by  experience.  The  custom,  also,  when  received,  was 
like  a flame,  kindling  ardour  in  the  minds  of  multitudes.  We 


(t)  Rom.  xiv.  23. 


612  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III 

know  that  funeral  rites  have  been  performed  to  the  dead  among 
all  nations,  and  in  every  age,  and  that  lustrations  have  been 
annually  made  for  their  departed  spirits.  For  though  Satan 
has  deluded  foolish  mortals  with  these  fallacies,  yet  he  has  bor- 
rowed the  occasion  of  the  deception  from  a true  principle  — that 
death  is  not  an  annihilation,  but  a transition  from  this  life  into 
another.  Nor  can  it  be  doubted,  but  that  even  superstition 
itself  convicts  the  heathen  before  the  tribunal  of  God,  for 
neglecting  all  the  concerns  of  a future  life,  which  they  pro- 
fessed to  believe.  Now,  Christians,  because  they  would  not  be 
inferior  to  the  heathen,  were  ashamed  to  perform  no  services  for 
the  dead,  as  though  they  had  wholly  ceased  to  exist.  Hence 
that  inconsiderate  officiousness  ; because  if  they  were  negligent 
in  attending  to  funerals,  feasts,  and  oblations,  they  were  afraid 
they  should  expose  themselves  to  great  disgrace.  What  first 
proceeded  from  a perverse  emulation,  has  been  so  repeatedly 
augmented  by  novel  additions,  that  the  principal  sanctity  of 
Popery  consists  in  relieving  the  distresses  of  the  dead.  But  the 
Scripture  administers  another  consolation,  far  better  and  more 
substantial,  when  it  declares  that  “ Blessed  are  the  dead  which 
die  in  the  Lord ; ” and  adds  as  a reason,  “ that  they  may  rest 
from  their  labours.”  (u)  But  we  ought  not  to  indulge  our 
own  affection  so  far  as  to  introduce  a corrupt  method  of  pray- 
ing into  the  Church.  Certainly,  he  that  has  but  a moderate 
share  of  penetration,  will  easily  discover  all  that  we  find  on  this 
subject  in  the  fathers  to  have  been  in  compliance  with  general 
practice  and  vulgar  ignorance.  I confess,  they  were  also  in- 
volved in  the  error  themselves,  from  an  inconsiderate  credulity 
which  frequently  deprives  the  human  mind  of  its  judgment. 
But  in  the  mean  time,  the  mere  reading  of  them  demonstrates 
with  what  hesitation  they  recommend  prayers  for  the  dead. 
Augustine,  in  his  Book  of  Confessions,  relates  that  Monica,  his 
mother,  had  vehemently  entreated  to  be  remembered  in  the 
celebration  of  the  mysteries  at  the  altar.  This  was  the  wish  of 
an  old  woman,  which  her  son  did  not  examine  by  the  standard 
of  Scripture  ; but  from  his  natural  affection  for  her,  wished  it  to 
gain  the  approbation  of  others.  But  the  treatise  composed  by 
him,  on  Care  for  the  Dead,  contains  so  many  hesitations,  that  it 
ought  by  its  coolness  to  extinguish  the  heat  of  imprudent  zeal. 
If  any  one  desires  to  be  an  intercessor  for  the  dead,  this  treatise, 
with  its  frigid  probabilites,  will  certainly  remove  all  the  soli- 
citude he  may  have  previously  experienced.  For  this  is  its 
only  support,  that  since  it  has  been  customary  to  pray  foi’  the 
dead,  it  is  a duty  not  to  be  despised.  But  though  I concede, 
that  the  ancient  writers  of  the  Church  esteemed  it  a pious  act 


(m)  Rev.  XIV.  13. 


613 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

to  pray  for  the  dead,  yet  we  must  always  remember  a rule 
which  can  never  deceive  — that  it  is  not  right  for  us  in  our 
prayers  to  introduce  any  thing  of  our  own,  but  that  our  desires 
must  be  submitted  to  the  word  of  God  ; because  he  chooses  to 
prescribe  what  he  designs  we  should  ask.  Now,  since  there  is 
not  a syllable,  in  all  the  law  or  the  gospel,  which  allows  us  to 
pray  for  the  dead,  it  is  a profane  abuse  of  the  name  of  God, 
to  attempt  more  than  he  enjoins.  But  that  our  adversaries 
may  not  glory,  as  though  the  ancient  Church  were  associated 
with  them  in  their  error,  I assert  that  there  is  a considerable 
dilference  between  them.  The  ancients  preserved  the  memory 
of  the  dead,  that  they  might  not  seem  to  have  cast  olf  all  concern 
for  them  ; but  they  at  the  same  time  confessed  their  uncertainty 
concerning  their  state.  Respecting  purgatory  they  asserted 
nothing,  but  considered  it  as  quite  uncertain.  The  moderns 
expect  their  reveries  concerning  purgatory  to  be  admitted  as 
unquestionable  articles  of  faith.  The  fathers,  in  the  com- 
munion of  the  sacred  supper,  merely  recommended  their  de- 
ceased friends  to  the  mercy  of  God.  The  Papists  are  inces- 
santly urging  a concern  for  the  dead  ; and  by  their  importunate 
declamations  cause  it  to  be  preferred  to  all  the  duties  of  charity. 
Besides,  it  would  not  be  difficult  for  us  to  produce  some  testi- 
monies from  the  fathers  which  manifestly  overthrow  all  those 
prayers  for  the  dead  which  were  then  used.  Such  is  this  of 
Augustine  ; when  he  teaches  that  all  men  expect  the  resur- 
rection of  the  body  and  eternal  glory,  and  that  every  individual 
enters  on  the  fruition  of  that  rest  which  follows  after  death,  if 
he  is  worthy  of  it  when  he  dies.  Therefore  he  declares  that 
all  the  pious,  as  well  as  the  prophets,  apostles,  and  martyrs,  en- 
joy a blessed  repose  immediately  after  death.  If  such  be  their 
condition,  what  advantage  will  our  prayers  confer  on  them? 
I pass  over  those  grosser  superstitions  with  which  they  have 
fascinated  the  minds  of  the  simple  ; which  nevertheless  are 
innumerable,  and  for  the  most  part  so  monstrous,  that  they 
cannot  be  varnished  over  by  any  honest  pretext.  I omit,  also, 
that  most  disgraceful  traffic  which  they  licentiously  carried  on 
while  the  world  was  in  such  a state  of  stupidity.  For  I 
should  never  arrive  at  a conclusion,  and  I have  already  fur- 
nished the  pious  reader  with  sufficient  to  establish  his  con- 
science. 


614 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  LIFE  OF  A CHRISTIAN.  SCRIPTURAL  ARGUMENTS  AND 
* EXHORTATIONS  TO  IT. 

We  have  said  that  the  end  of  regeneration  is,  that  the  life 
of  believers  may  exhibit  a symmetry  and  agreement  between 
the  righteousness  of  God  and  their  obedience ; and  that  thus 
they  may  confirm  the  adoption  by  which  they  are  accepted  as 
his  children.  But  though  the  law  of  God  contains  in  it  that 
j newness  of  life  by  which  his  image  is  restored  in  us,  yet  since 
our  tardiness  needs  much  stimulation  and  assistance,  it  will  be 
useful  to  collect  from  various  places  of  Scripture  a rule  for  the 
reformation  of  the  life,  that  they  who  cordially  repent  may  not 
be  bewildered  in  their  pursuits.  Now,  when  I undertake  the 
regulation  of  a Christian’s  life,  I know  that  I am  entering  on 
an  argument  various  and  copious,  and  the  magnitude  of  which 


might  fill  a large  volume,  if  I designed  a complete  discussion 
of  every  part  of  it.  For  we  see  to  what  great  prolixity  the 
fathers  have  extended  the  exhortations  composed  by  them 
only  on  single  virtues ; and  that  without  any  excessive  loqua- 
city ; for,  whatever  virtue  it  is  intended  to  recommend  in  an 
oration,  the  copiousness  of  the  matter  naturally  produces  such 
a ditfusiveness  of  style,  that  unless  you  have  spoken  largely, 
you  seem  not  to  have  done  justice  to  the  subject.  But  my 
design  is  not  to  extend  the  plan  of  life,  which  I am  now  about 
^ to  deliver,  so  far  as  particularly  to  discourse  on  each  distinct 
^virtue,  and  expatiate  into  exhortations.  These  things  may  be 
sought  in  the  writings  of  others,  especially  in  the  homilies  of 
f the  fathers.  It  will  be  sufficient  for  me  if  I point  out  a 
method  by  which  a pious  man  may  be  conducted  to  the  right 
' end  in  the  regulation  of  his  life,  and  briefly  assign  a universal 
rule,  by  which  he  may  properly  estimate  his  duties.  There 
will,  perhaps,  at  some  future  period  be  a suitable  opportunity 
for  declamations ; or  I shall  leave  to  others  an  office  for  which 
I am  not  calculated.  I am  naturally  fond  of  brevity  ; and,  per- 
haps, were  I desirous  of  speaking  in  a more  copious  manner,  I 
should  not  succeed.  And  if  a more  prolix  method  of  teaching 
were  most  acceptable,  yet  I should  scarcely  be  inclined  to 
make  the  trial.  The  plan  of  the  present  work,  however, 
requires  me  to  treat  a simple  doctrine  with  all  possible  brevity. 
As  the  philosophers  have  certain  principles  of  rectitude  and 
honour,  whence  they  deduce  particular  duties  and  the  whole 
circle  of  virtues,  so  the  Scripture  is  not  without  its  order  in 


CHAP.  VI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  615 

this  respect,  but  maintains  an  economy  superlatively  beautiful, 
and  far  more  certain,  than  all  the  systems  of  the  philosophers. 
There  is  only  this  difference  — that,  the  philosophers  being 
ambitious  men,  they  have  sedulously  affected  an  exquisite 
perspicuity  of  method,  in  order  to  make  an  ostentatious  display 
of  their  ingenious  dexterity.  But  the  Spirit,  whose  teaching 
is  void  of  affectation,  has  not  so  exactly  or  perpetually  observed 
a methodical  plan  ; which,  nevertheless,  by  using  it  in  some 
places,  he  sufficiently  indicates  ought  not  to  be  neglected  by  us. 

11.  This  Scripture  plan,  of  which  we  are  now  treating,  con- 
sists chiefly  in  these  two  things  — the  first,  that  a love  of 
righteousness,  to  which  we  have  otherwise  no  natural  propen- 
sity, be  instilled  and  introduced  into  our  hearts ; the  second, 
that  a rule  be  prescribed  to  us,  to  prevent  our  taking  any  de- 
vious steps  in  the  race  of  righteousness.  Now,  in  the  recommen- 
dation of  righteousness,  it  uses  a great  number  of  very  excel- 
lent arguments,  many  of  which  we  have  before  noticed  on 
different  occasions,  and  some  we  shall  briefly  touch  on  in  this 
place.  With  what  better  foundation  can  it  begin,  than  when 
it  admonishes  us  that  we  ought  to  be  holy,  because  our  Ood  is 
holy?  {lo)  For  when  we  were  dispersed  like  scattered  sheep, 
and  lost  in  the  labyrinth  of  the  world,  he  gathered  us  together 
again,  that  he  might  associate  us  to  himself.  When  we  hear 
any  mention  of  our  union  with  God,  we  should  remember, 
that  holiness  must  be  the  bond  of  it ; not  that  we  attain  com- 
munion with  him  by  the  merit  of  holiness,  (since  it  is  rather 
necessary  for  us,  in  the  first  place,  to  adhere  to  him,  in  order 
that,  being  endued  with  his  holiness,  we  may  follow  whither  he 
calls;)  but  because  it  is  a peculiar  property  of  his  glory  not  to 
have  any  intercourse  with  iniquity  and  uncleanness.  Where- 
fore also  it  teaches,  that  this  is  the  end  of  our  vocation,  which 
it  is  requisite  for  us  always  to  keep  in  view,  if  we  desire  to 
correspond  to  the  design  of  God  in  calling  us.  For  to  what 
purpose  was  it  that  we  were  delivered  from,  the  iniquity  and 
pollution  of  the  world,  in  which  we  had  been  immerged,  if  we 
permit  ourselves  to  wallow  in  them  as  long  as  we  live  ? Be- 
sides, it  also  admonishes  us  that,  to  be  numbered  among  the 
people  of  God,  we  must  inhabit  the  holy  city  Jerusalem  ; {x) 
which,  he  having  consecrated  it  to  himself,  cannot  without 
impiety  be  profaned  by  impure  inhabitants.  Whence  these 
expressions  ; “ He  shall  abide  in  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  that 
walketh  uprightly  and  worketh  righteousness,”  &c.,  {y)  because 
it  is  very  unbecoming  the  sanctuary  which  he  inhabits,  to  be 
rendered  as  filthy  as  a stable. 

(w)  Lev.  xix.  2.  1 Peter  i.  16.  (x)  Isaiah  xxxv.  10 

{y)  Psalm  xv.  1,  2 ; xxiv.  3,  4. 


616  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

III.  And  as  a further  incitement  to  ns,  it  shows,  that  as  God 
the  Father  has  reconciled  us  to  himself  in  Christ,  so  he  has 
exhibited  to  us  in  him  a pattern,  to  which  it  is  his  will  that  we 
should  be  conformed,  (z)  Now,  let  those  who  are  of  opinion 
that  the  philosophers  have  the  only  just  and  orderly  systems  of 
moral  philosophy,  show  me,  in  any  of  their  works,  a more  ex- 
cellent economy  than  that  which  I have  stated.  When  they 
intend  to  exhort  us  to  the  sublimest  virtue,  they  advance  no 
argument  but  that  we  ought  to  live  agreeably  to  nature  ; but 
the  Scripture  deduces  its  exhortation  from  the  true  source, 
when  it  not  only  enjoins  us  to  refer  our  life  to  God  the  author 
of  it,  to  whom  it  belongs,  but,  after  having  taught  us,  that  we 
are  degenerated  from  the  original  state  in  which  we  were 
created,  adds,  that  Christ,  by  whom  we  have  been  reconciled 
to  God,  is  proposed  to  us  as  an  example,  whose  character  we 
should  exhibit  in  our  lives.  What  can  be  required  more  effica- 
cious than  this  one  consideration  ? indeed,  what  can  be  re- 
quired besides  ? For  if  the  Lord  has  adopted  us  as  his  sons  on 
this  condition,  — that  we  exhibit  in  our  life  an  imitation  of 
Christ  the  bond  of  our  adoption,  — unless  we  addict  and  devote 
ourselves  to  righteousness,  we  not  only  most  perfidiously  revolt 
from  our  Creator,  but  also  abjure  him  as  our  Saviour.  The 
Scripture  derives  matter  of  exhortation  from  all  the  blessings 
of  God  which  it  recounts  to  us,  and  from  all  the  parts  of  our 
salvation.  It  argues,  that  since  God  has  discovered  himself  as 
a Father  to  us,  we  must  be  convicted  of  the  basest  ingratitude, 
unless  we,  on  our  part,  manifest  ourselves  to  be  his  children ; 
that  since  Christ  has  purified  us  in  the  laver  of  his  blood,  and 
has  communicated  this  purification  by  baptism,  it  does  not 
become  us  to  be  defiled  with  fresh  pollution ; that  since  he 
has  united  us  to  his  body,  we  should,  as  his  members,  soli- 
citously beware  lest  we  asperse  ourselves  with  any  blemish  or 
disgrace  ; that  since  he  who  is  our  Head  has  ascended  to 
heaven,  we  ought  to  divest  ourselves  of  all  terrestrial  affection, 
and  aspire  thither  with  all  our  soul ; that  since  the  Holy 
Spirit  has  dedicated  us  as  temples  to  God,  we  should  use  our 
utmost  exertions,  that  the  glory  of  God  may  be  displayed  by 
us ; and  ought  not  to  allow  ourselves  to  be  profaned  with  the 
pollution  of  sin ; tiiat  since  both  our  soul  and  our  body  are 
destined  to  heavenly  incorruption  and  a never-fading  crown, 
we  ought  to  exert  our  most  strenuous  efforts  to  preserve 
them  pure  and  uncorrupt  till  the  day  of  the  Lord.  These,  I 
say,  are  the  best  foundations  for  the  proper  regulation  of  the 
life,  such  as  we  cannot  find  in  the  philosophers ; who,  in  the 
recommendation  of  virtue,  never  rise  above  the  natural  dignity 
of  man. 


(z)  Rom.  vi.  4,  &c. ; viii.  29. 


CHAP.  VI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  617 

IV.  This  is  a proper  place  to  address  those  who  have  no- 
thing but  the  name  and  the  symbol  of  Christ,  and  yet  would  be 
denominated  Christians.  But  with  what  face  do  they  glory  in 
his  sacred  name  ? For  none  have  any  intercourse  with  Christ 
but  those  who  have  received  the  true  knowledge  of  him  from 
the  word  of  the  gospel.  Now,  the  apostle  denies  that  any  have 
rightly  learned  Christ,  who  have  not  been  taught  that  they 
must  put  off  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the 
deceitful  lusts,  and  put  on  Christ,  {a)  Their  knowledge  of 
Christ,  then,  is  proved  to  be  a false  and  injurious  pretence,  with 
whatever  eloquence  and  volubility  they  may  talk  concerning 
the  gospel.  For  it  is  a doctrine  not  of  the  tongue,  but  of  the 
life ; and  is  not  apprehended  merely  with  the , understanding 
and  memory,  like  other  sciences,  but  is  then  only  received, 
when  it  possesses  the  whole  soul,  and  finds  a seat  and  residence 
in  the  inmost  affection  of  the  heart.  Let  them,  therefore, 
either  cease  to  insult  God  by  boasting  themselves  to  be  what 
they  are  not,  or  show  themselves  disciples  not  unworthy  of 
Christ,  their  Master.  We  have  allotted  the  first  place  to  the 
doctrine  which  contains  o-ur  religion,  because  it  is  the  origin  of 
our  salvation  ; but  that  it  may  not  be  unprofitable  to  us,  it 
must  be  transfused  into  our  breast,  pervade  our  manners,  and 
thus  transform  us  into  itself.  If  the  philosophers  are  justly 
incensed  against,  and  banish  with  disgrace  from  their  society, 
those  whof  while  they  profess  an  art  which  ought  to  be  a rule 
of  life,  convert  it  into  a sophistical  loquacity,  — with  how  much 
better  reason  may  we  detest  those  sophists  who  are  contented 
to  have  the  gospel  on  their  lips,  whilst  its  efficacy  ought  to 
penetrate  the  inmost  affections  of  the  heart,  to  dAvell  in  the 
soul,  and  to  affect  the  whole  man  with  a hundred  times  more 
energy  than  the  frigid  exhortations  of  the  philosophers  ! 

V.  Yet  I would  not  insist  upon  it  as  absolutely  necessary, 
that  the  manners  of  a Christian  should  breathe  nothing  but  the 
perfect  gospel ; which,  nevertheless,  ought  both  to  be  wished 
and  to  be  aimed  at.  But  I do  not  so  rigorously  require 
evangelical  perfection  as  not  to  acknowledge  as  a Christian, 
one  who  has  not  yet  attained  to  it ; for  then  all  would  be 
excluded  from  the  Church  ; since  no  man  can  be  found  who  is 
not  still  at  a great  distance  from  it ; and  many  have  hitherto 
made  but  a very  small  progress,  whom  it  would,  nevertheless, 
be  unjust  to  reject.  What  then  ? let  us  set  before  our  eyes 
that  mark,  to  which  alone  our  pursuit  must  be  directed.  Let 
that  be  prescribed  as  the  goal  towards  which  we  must  ear- 
nestly tend.  For  it  is  not  lawful  for  you  to  make  such  a com- 
promise with  God,  as  to  undertake  a part  of  the  duties  prescribed 

{a)  Eph.  iv,  20,  «&-c. 

VOL.  I.  78 


618  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

to  you  in  his  word,  and  to  omit  part  of  them,  at  your  own 
pleasure.  For,  in  the  first  place,  he  every  where  r()commends 
integrity  as  a principal  branch  of  his  worship ; by  which  he 
intends  a sincere  simplicity  of  heart,  free  from  all  guile  and 
falsehood  ; the  opposite  of  which  is  a double  heart ; as  though 
it  had  been  said,  that  the  beginning  of  a life  of  uprightness  is 
spiritual,  when  the  internal  afiection  of  the  mind  is  unfeignedly 
devoted  to  God  in  the  cultivation  of  holiness  and  righteousness. 
But  since  no  man  in  this  terrestrial  and  corporeal  prison  has 
strength  sufficient  to  press  forward  in  his  course  with  a due 
degree  of  alacrity,  and  the  majority  are  oppressed  with  such 
great  debility,  that  they  stagger  and  halt,  and  even  creep  on 
the  ground,  and  so  make  very  inconsiderable  advances,  — let  us 
every  one  proceed  according  to  our  small  ability,  and  prosecute 
the  journey  we  have  begun.  No  man  will  be  so  unhappy,  but 
that  he  may  every  day  make  some  progress,  however  small. 
Therefore,  let  us  not  cease  to  strive,  that  we  may  be  in- 
cessantly advancing  in  the  way  of  the  Lord ; nor  let  us  despair 
on  account  of  the  smallness  of  our  success  ; for  however  our 
success  may  not  correspond  to  our  wishes,  yet  our  labour  is  not 
lost,  when  this  day  surpasses  the  preceding  one  ; provided  that, 
with  sincere  simplicity,  we  keep  our  end  in  view,  and  press 
forward  to  the  goal,  not  practising  self-adulation,  nor  indulging 
our  own  evil  propensities,  but  perpetually  exerting  our  en- 
deavours after  increasing  degrees  of  amelioration,  till  we  shall 
have  arrived  at  a perfection  of  goodness,  which,  indeed,  we  seek 
and  pursue  as  long  as  we  live,  and  shall  then  attain,  when,  di- 
vested of  all  corporeal  infirmity,  we  shall  be  admitted  by  God 
into  complete  communion  with  him. 


CHAPTER  YII. 

SUMMARY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  SELF-DENIAL. 

Although  the  Divine  law  contains  a most  excellent  and  well- 
arranged  plan  for  the  regulation  of  life,  yet  it  has  pleased  the 
heavenly  Teacher  to  conform  men  by  a more  accurate  doctrine 
to  the  rule  which  he  had  prescribed  in  the  law.  And  the  prin- 
ciple of  that  doctrine  is  this  — that  it  is  the  duty  of  believers 
to  ‘^present  their  bodies  a living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto 
God  ; ” and  that  in  this  consists  the  legitimate  worship  of 


(b)  Rom.  xii.  1. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


619 


CHAP.  VII.] 

him.  Hence  is  deduced  an  argument  for  exhorting  them,  ‘‘Be 
not  conformed  to  this  world  ; but  be  ye  transformed  by  the 
renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye  may  prove  Avhat  is  that  will  of 
God.”  This  is  a very  important  consideration,  that  we  are 
consecrated  and  dedicated  to  God ; that  we  may  not  hereafter 
think,  speak,  meditate,  or  do  any  thing  but  with  a view  to  his 
glory.  For  that  which  is  sacred  cannot,  without  great  injustice 
towards  him,  be  applied  to  unholy  uses.  If  we  are  not  our 
own,  but  the  Lord’s,  it  is  manifest  both  what  error  we  must 
avoid,  and  to  what  end  all  the  actions  of  our  lives  are  to  be  di- 
rected. We  are  not  our  own ; therefore  neither  our  reason  nor 
our  will  should  predominate  in  our  deliberations  and  actions. 
Wo  are  not  our  own;  therefore  let  us  not  propose  it  as  our 
end,  to  seek  what  may  be  expedient  for  us  according  to  the 
flesli.  We  are  not  our  own;  therefore  let  us,  as  far  as  possible, 
forget  ourselves  and  all  things  that  are  ours.  On  the  contrary, 
we  are  God’s  ; to  him,  therefore,  let  us  live  and  die.  We  are 
God’s  ; therefore  let  his  wisdom  and  will  preside  in  all  our 
actions.  We  are  God’s ; towards  him,  therefore,  as  our  only 
legitimate  end,  let  every  part  of  our  lives  be  directed.  O,  how 
great  a proficiency  has  that  man  made,  who,  having  been  taught 
that  he  is  not  his  own,  has  taken  the  sovereignty  and  go- 
vernment of  himself  from  his  own  reason,  to  surrender  it  to 
God  ! For  as  compliance  with  their  own  inclinations  leads 
men  most  etfectually  to  ruin,  so  to  place  no  dependence  on  our 
own  knowledge  or  will,  but  merely  to  follow  the  guidance  of 
the  Lord,  is  the  only  way  of  safety.  Let  this,  then,  be  the  first 
step,  to  depart  from  ourselves,  that  we  may  apply  all  the 
vigour  of  our  faculties  to  the  service  of  the  Lord.  By  service 
I mean,  not  that  only  which  consists  in  verbal  obedience,  but 
that  by  which  the  human  mind,  divested  of  its  natural  car- 
nality, resigns  itself  wholly  to  the  direction  of  the  Divine  Spirit. 
Of  this  transformation,  which  Paul  styles  a renovation  of  the 
mind,  (c)  though  it  is  the  first  entrance  into  life,  all  the  philo- 
sophers were  ignorant.  For  they  set  up  Reason  as  the  sole 
directress  of  man ; they  think  that  she  is  exclusively  to  be  at- 
tended to  ; in  short,  to  her  alone  they  assign  the  government  of 
the  conduct.  But  the  Christian  philosophy  commands  her  to 
give  place  and  submit  to  the  Holy  Spirit ; so  that  now  the 
man  himself  lives  not,  but  carries  about  Christ  living  and 
reigning  within  him.  {d) 

H.  Hence  also  that  other  consequence,  that  we  should  seek 
not  our  own  things,  but  those  which  are  agreeable  to  the  will 
of  the  Lord,  and  conducive  to  the  promotion  of  his  glory. 
This  also  argues  a great  proficiency,  that  almost  forgetting  our- 


(c)  Eph.  iv.  23. 


{d)  Gal.  ii.  20. 


620  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

selves,  and  certainly  neglecting  all  selfish  regards,  we  endea- 
vour faithfully  to  devote  our  attention  to  God  and  his  com- 
mandments. For  when  the  Scripture  enjoins  us  to.  discard  all 
private  and  selfish  considerations,  it  not  only  erases  from  our 
minds  the  cupidity  of  wealth,  the  lust  of  power,  and  the  favour 
of  men,  but  also  eradicates  ambition  and  all  appetite  after 
human  glory,  with  other  more  secret  plagues.  Indeed,  a 
Christian  man  ought  to  be  so  disposed  and  prepared,  as  to 
reflect  that  he  has  to  do  with  God  every  moment  of  his  life. 
Thus,  as  he  will  measure  all  his  actions  by  his  will  and  deter- 
mination, so  he  will  refer  the  whole  bias  of  his  mind,  religiously 
to  him.  For  he  who  has  learned  to  regard  God  in  every 
undertaking,  is  also  raised  above  every  vain  imagination.  This 
is  that  denial  of  ourselves,  which  Christ,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  their  course,  so  diligently  enjoins  on  his  disciples  ; 
which,  when  it  has  once  obtained  the  government  of  the 
heart,  leaves  room  neither  for  pride,  haughtiness,  or  ostenta- 
tion, nor  for  avarice,  libidinousness,  luxury,  effeminacy,  or  any 
other  evils  which  are  the  offspring  of  self-love.  On  the  con- 
trary, wherever  it  does  not  reign,  there  either  the  grossest  vices 
are  indulged  without  the  least  shame  ; or,  if ‘there  exist  any 
appearance  of  virtue,  it  is  vitiated  by  a depraved  passion  for 
glory.  Show  me,  if  you  can,  a single  individual,  who,  unless 
he  has  renounced  himself  according  to  the  command  of  the 
Lord,  is  voluntarily  disposed  to  practise  virtue  among  men. 
For  all  who  have  not  been  influenced  by  this  disposition,  have 
followed  virtue  merely  from  the  love  of  praise.  And  even  those 
of  the  philosophers  who  have  ever  contended  that  virtue  is 
desirable  for  its  own  sake,  have  been  inflated  with  so  much  ar- 
vTOgance,  that  it  is  evident  they  desired  virtue  for  no  other  reason 
than  to  furnish  them  occasion  for  the  exercise  of  pride.  But 
God  is  so  far  from  being  delighted,  either  with  those  who 
are  ambitious  of  popular  praise,  or  with  hearts  so  full  of  pride 
and  presumption,  that  he  pronounces  they  have  their  reward  ” 
in  this  world,  and  represents  harlots  and  publicans  as  nearer  to 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  than  such  persons.  But  we  have  not 
yet  clearly  stated  the  number  and  magnitude  of  the  obstacles 
by  which  a man  is  impeded  in  the  pursuit  of  that  which  is 
right,  as  long  as  he  has  refrained  from  all  self-denial.  For  it  is 
an  ancient  and  true  observation,  that  there  is  a world  of  vices 
concealed  in  the  soul  of  man.  Nor  can  you  find  any  other 
remedy  than  to  deny  yourself  and  discard  all  selfish  consi- 
derations, and  to  devote  your  whole  attention  to  the  pursuit  of 
those  things  which  the  Lord  requires  of  you,  and  which  ought 
to  be  pursued  for  this  sole  reason,  because  they  are  pleasing 
to  him. 

III.  The  same  apostle,  in  another  place,  gives  a more  distinct, 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


621 


CHAP.  VII.] 

though  a brief,  representation  of  all  the  parts  of  a well-regulated 
life.  “ The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared 
to  all  men,  teaching  us,  that,  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  pre- 
sent world  ; looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious 
appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who 
gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniqui- 
ty, and  purify  unto  himself  a peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works.”  (e)  For  after  having  proposed  the  grace  of  God  to 
animate  us,  in  order  to  prepare  the  way  for  us  truly  to  worship 
God,  he  removes  tAvo  obstacles,  which  are  our  chief  impedi- 
ments ; first,  ungodliness,  to  which  we  have  naturally  too 
strong  a propensity,  and  secondly,  worldly  lusts,  which  extend 
themselves  further.  The  term  ungodliness  ” not  only  denotes 
superstitions,  but  comprehends  also  every  thing  that  is  repug- 
nant to  the  serious  fear  of  God.  And  worldly  lusts  ” mean 
the  carnal  affections.  Therefore  he  enjoins  us,  with  reference 
to  both  tables  of  the  law,  to  forsake  our  former  propensities, 
and  to  renounce  all  the  dictates  of  our  own  reason  and  will. 
He  reduces  all  the  actions  of  life  to  three  classes  — sobriety, 
righteousness,  and  godliness.  Sobriety  ” undoubtedly  denotes 
chastity  and  temperance,  as  well  as  a pure  and  frugal  use  of 
temporal  blessings,  and  patience  under  poverty.  Righteous- 
ness ” includes  all  the  duties  of  equity,  that  every  man  may 
receive  what  is  his  due.  ‘^Godliness”  separates  us  from  the 
pollutions  of  the  world,  and  by  true  holiness  unites  us  to  God. 
When  these  virtues  are  indissolubly  connected,  they  produce 
absolute  perfection.  But  since  nothing  is  more  difficult  than  to 
forsake  all  carnal  considerations,  to  subdue  and  renounce  our 
appetites,  to  devote  ourselves  to  God  and  our  brethren,  and  to  live ' 
the  life  of  angels  amidst  the  corruptions  of  the  world,  — in  order 
to  extricate  our  minds  from  every  snare,  Paul  recalls  our  at- 
tention to  the  hope  of  a blessed  immortality ; apprizing  us  that 
our  efforts  are  not  in  vain ; because,  as  Christ  once  appeared 
as  a Redeemer,  so,  at  his  final  advent,  he  wilf  manifest  the 
benefits  of  the  salvation  he  has  obtained.  Thus  he  dispels  the 
fascinations  which  blind  us,  and  prevent  our  aspiring  with  be- 
coming ardour  to  the  glories  of  heaven,  and  at  the  same  time 
teaches  us  that  Ave  must  live  as  strangers  and  pilgrims  in  the 
world,  that  Ave  may  not  lose  the  heavenly  inheritance. 

lY.  In  these  words  Ave  perceive,  that  self-denial  relates  partly 
to  men,  but  partly,  and  indeed  principally,  to  God.  For  Avhen 
the  Scripture  enjoins  us  to  conduct  ourselves  in  such  a manner 
toAvards  men,  as  in  honour  to  prefer  one  another,  and  faithfully 
to  devote  our  Avhole  attention  to  the  promotion  of  their  ad- 


(e)  Titus  ii.  11 — 14. 


622  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

vantage,  (/)  it  gives  such  commands  as  our  heart  can  by  no 
means  receive,  without  having  been  previously  divested  of  its 
natural  bias.  For  we  are  all  so  blinded  and  fascinated  with 
self-love,  that  every  one  imagines  he  has  a just  right  to  exalt 
himself,  and  to  undervalue  all  others  who  stand  in  competition 
with  him.  If  God  has  conferred  on  us  any  valuable  qualifi- 
cation, relying  thereon,  our  hearts  are  immediately  lifted  up ; 
and  we  not  only  swell,  but  almost  burst  with  pride.  The 
vices  in  which  we  abound,  we  sedulously  conceal  from  others, 
and  flatter  ourselves  with  the  pretence  that  they  are  diminutive 
and  trivial,  and  even  sometimes  embrace  them  as  virtues.  If 
the  same  talents  which  we  admire  in  ourselves,  or  even  superior 
ones,  appear  in  others,  in  order  that  we  may  not  be  obliged  to 
acknowledge  their  superiority,  we  depreciate  and  diminish  them 
with  the  utmost  malignity : if  they  have  any  vices,  not  content 
to  notice  them  with  severe  and  sharp  animadversions,  we 
odiously  amplify  them.  Hence  that  insolence,  that  every  one 
of  us,  as  if  exempted  from  the  common  lot,  is  desirous  of  pre- 
eminence above  the  rest  of  mankind  ; and  severely  and  haughti- 
ly contemns  every  man,  or  at  least  despises  him  as  an  inferior. 
The  poor  yield  to  the  rich,  plebeians  to  nobles,  ’servants  to 
masters,  the  illiterate  to  the  learned ; but  there  is  no  man  who 
does  not  cherish  within  him  some  idea  of  his  own  excellence. 
Thus  all  men,  in  flattering  themselves,  carry,  as  it  were,  a king- 
dom in  their  own  breast ; for  arrogating  to  themselves  the  height 
of  self-gratulation,  they  pass  censure  on  the  understandings  and 
conduct  of  others  ; but  if  any  contention  arises,  it  produces  an 
eruption  of  the  poison.  For  many  discover  some  gentleness, 
as  long  as  they  find  every  thing  pleasant  and  amiable  ; but  how 
many  are  there  who  preserve  the  same  constant  course  of 
good  humour  when  they  are  disturbed  and  irritated  ? Nor  is 
there  any  other  remedy,  than  the  eradication  from  the  inmost 
recesses  of  the  heart  of  this  most  noxious  pest  of  ambition  and 
self-love  ; as  it  is  indeed  eradicated  by  the  doctrine  of  the 
Scripture.  For  if  we  attend  to  its  instructions,  we  must  re- 
member, that  the  talents  with  which  God  has  favoured  us,  are 
not  excellences  originating  from  ourselves,  but  free  gifts  of 
God ; of  which  if  any  are  proud,  they  betray  their  ingratitude. 
“Who  maketh  thee  to  differ?”  saith  Paul.  “Now,  if  thou 
didst  receive  all  things,  why  dost  thou  glory,  as  if  thou  Hadst 
not  received  them  ? ” (^)  In  the  next  place,  by  assiduous 
observation  and  acknowledgment  of  our  faults,  we  must  recall 
our  minds  to  humility.  Thus  there  will  remain  in  us  nothing 
to  inflate  us,  but  great  reason  for  dejection.  On  the  other 
hand,  we  are  enjoined,  whatever  gifts  of  God  we  perceive  in 


(/)  Rom.  xii.  10.  Phil,  ii,  4. 


{g)  1 Cor.  iv.  7. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


623 


CHAP.  VII.] 

Others,  to  revere  and  esteem  them,  so  as  to  honour  those  in 
whom  they  reside.  For  it  would  betray  great  wickedness  in 
us  to  rob  them  of  that  honour  which  God  has  given  them. 
Their  faults  we  are  taught  to  overlook,  not  indeed  to  encourage 
them  by  adulation,  but  never  on  account  of  them  to  insult  those 
whom  we  ought  to  cherish,  with  benevolence  and  honour. 
The  result  of  attention  to  these  directions  will  be,  that  with 
whomsoever  we  are  concerned,  we  shall  conduct  ourselves  not 
only  with  moderation  and  good  humour,  but  with  civility  and 
friendship.  For  we  shall  never  arrive  at  true  meekness  by  any 
other  way,  than  by  having  our  hearts  imbued  with  self-abase- 
ment and  a respect  for  others. 

V.  How  extremely  difficult  it  is  for  you  to  discharge  your 
duty  in  seeking  the  advantage  of  your  neighbour  ! Unless  you 
quit  all  selfish  considerations,  and,  as  it  were,  lay  aside  yourself, 
you  will  effect  nothing  in  this  duty.  For  how  can  you  perform 
those  which  Paul  inculcates  as  works  of  charity,  unless  you 
renounce  yourself,  and  devote  yourself  wholly  to  serve  others  ? 

Charity,”  says  he,  “ suffereth  long,  and  is  kind ; charity  en- 
vieth  not ; charity  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up,  doth 
not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  her  own,  is  not  easily 
provoked,”  &c.  [h)  If  this  be  all  that  is  required,  that  we  seek 
not  our  own,  yet  we  must  do  no  small  violence  to  nature,  which 
so  strongly  inclines  us  to  the  exclusive  love  of  ourselves,  that  it 
does  not  so  easily  permit  us  to  neglect  ourselves  and  our  own 
concerns  in  order  to  be  vigilant  for  the  advantage  of  others,  and 
even  voluntarily  to  recede  from  our  right,  to  resign  it  to 
another.  But  the  Scripture  leads  us  to  this,  admonishes  us, 
that  v/hatever  favours  we  obtain  from  the  Lord,  we  are  in- 
trusted with  them  on  this  condition,  that  they  should  be 
applied  to  the  common  benefit  of  the  Church ; and  that,  there- 
fore, the  legitimate  use  of  all  his  favours,  is  a liberal  and  kind 
communication  of  them  to  others.  There  cannot  be  imagined 
a more  certain  rule,  or  a more  powerful  exhortation  to  the  ob- 
servance of  it,  than  when  we  are  taught,  that  all  the  blessings 
we  enjoy  are  Divine  deposits,  committed  to  our  trust  on  this 
condition,  that  they  should  be  dispensed  for  the  benefit  of  our 
neighbours.  But  the  Scripture  goes  still  further,  when  it  com- 
pares them  to  the  powers  with  which  the  members  of  the 
human  body  are  endued.  For  no  member  has  its  power  for 
itself,  nor  applies  it  to  its  private  use  ; but  transfuses  it  among 
its  fellow-members,  receiving  no  advantage  from  it  but  what 
proceeds  from  the  common  convenience  of  the  whole  body. 
So,  whatever  ability  a pious  man  possesses,  he  ought  to  possess 
it  for  his  brethren,  consulting  his  own  private  interest  in  no 


{h)  1 Cor.  xiii.  4 — B. 


624  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

way  inconsistent  with  a cordial  attention  to  the  common  edifi- 
cation of  the  Church.  Let  this,  then,  be  our  rule  for  benignity 
and  beneficence,  — that  whatever  God  has  conferred  on  us, 
which  enables  us  to  assist  our  neighbour,  we  are  the  stewards 
of  it,  and  must  one  day  render  an  account  of  our  stewardship  ,* 
and  that  the  only  right  dispensation  of  what  has  been  com- 
mitted to  us,  is  that  which  is  regulated  by  the  law  of  love. 
Thus  we  shall  not  only  always  connect  the  study  to  promote 
the  advantage  of  others  with  a concern  for  our  own  private 
interests,  but  shall  prefer  the  good  of  others  to  our  own.  To 
teach  us  that  the  dispensation  of  the  gifts  we  receive  from 
heaven  ought  to  be  regulated  by  this  law,  God  anciently  en- 
joined the  same  even  in  regard  to  the  smallest  bounties  of  his 
liberality.  For  he  commanded  the  people  to  offer  to  him  the  first- 
fruits  of  the  corn,  as  a solemn  avowal  that  it  was  unlawful  for 
them  to  enjoy  any  blessings  not  previously  consecrated  to  him. 
And  if  the  gifts  of  God  are  not  sanctified  to  us  till  after  we 
have  with  our  own  hands  dedicated  them  to  their  Author,  that 
must  evidently  be  a sinful  abuse  which  is  unconnected  with 
such  a dedication.  But  in  vain  would  you  attempt  to  enrich 
the  Lord  by  a communication  of  your  possessions.  Therefore, 
since  your  goodness  extendeth  not  to  him,”  (i)  as  the  Psalmist 
says,  you  must  exercise  it  towards  the  saints  that  are  in  the 
earth ; ” and  alms  are  compared  to  sacred  oblations,  to  show 
that  these  exercises  of  charity  under  the  gospel,  correspond  to 
those  offerings  under  the  law. 

YI.  Moreover,  that  we  may  not  be  weary  of  doing  good, 
which  otherwise  would  of  necessity  soon  be  the  case,  we  must 
add  also  the  other  character  mentioned  by  the  apostle,  that 
‘‘  charity  suffereth  long,  and  is  not  easily  provoked.”  The  Lord 
commands  us  to  do  good  unto  all  men,”  (k)  universally,  a 
great  part  of  whom,  estimated  according  to  their  own  merits, 
are  very  undeserving  ; but  here  the  Scripture  assists  us  with  an 
excellent  rule,  when  it  inculcates,  that  we  must  not  regard  the 
intrinsic  merit  of  men,  but  must  consider  the  image  of  God  in 
them,  to  which  we  owe  all  possible  honour  and  love ; but  that 
this  image  is  most  carefully  to  be  observed  in  them  “ who  are 
of  the  household  of  faith,”  (/)  inasmuch  as  it  is  renewed  and 
restored  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  Whoever,  therefore,  is  pre- 
sented to  you  that  needs  your  kind  offices,  you  have  no  reason 
to  refuse  him  your  assistance.  Say  that  he  is  a stranger ; yet 
the  Lord  has  impressed  on  him  a character  which  ought  to  be 
familiar  to  you  ; for  which  reason  he  forbids  you  to  despise 
your  own  flesh,  (m)  Say  that  he  is  contemptible  and  worth- 
less ; but  the  Lord  shows  him  to  be  one  whom  he  has  deigned 


(t)  Psalm  xvi.  2,  3 (k)  Heb.  xiii.  16.  (1)  Gal.  vi.  10. 


(m)  Isaiah  Iviii.  7 


CHAP.  VII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


625 


to  grace  with  his  own  image.  Say  that  you  are  obliged  to  him  for 
110  services  ; but  God  has  made  him,  as  it  were,  his  substitute,  to 
whom  you  acknowledge  yourself  to  be  under  obligations  for  nu- 
merous and  important  benefits.  Say  that  he  is  unworthy  of  your 
making  the  smallest  exertion  on  his  account  ; but  the  image  of 
God,  by  which  he  is  recommended  to  you,  deserves  your  surren- 
der of  yourself  and  all  that  you  possess.  If  he  not  only  has  de- 
served no  favour,  but,  on  the  contrary,  has  provoked  you  with 
injuries  and  insults,  — even  this  is  no  just  reason  why  you  should 
cease  to  embrace  him  with  your  affection,  and  to  perform  to  him 
the  offices  of  love.  He  has  deserved,  you  will  say,  very  different 
treatment  from  me.  But  what  has  the  Lord  deserved  ? who,  when 
he  commands  you  to  forgive  men  all  their  offences  against  you, 
certainly  intends  that  they  should  be  charged  to  himself  This 
is  the  only  way  of  attaining  that  which  is  not  only  difficult, 
but  utterly  repugnant  to  the  nature  of  man  — to  love  them  who 
hate  us,  (?i)  to  requite  injuries  Avith  kindnesses,  and  to  return 
blessings  for  curses,  (o)  We  should  remember,  that  we  must 
not  reflect  on  the  wickedness  of  men,  but  contemplate  the 
Divine  image  in  them ; Avhich,  concealing  and  obliterating 
their  faults,  by  its  beauty  and  dignity  allures  us  to  embrace 
them  in  the  arms  of  our  love. 

VII.  This  mortification,  therefore,  will  not  take  place  in  us 
unless  Ave  fulfil  all  the  duties  of  charity.  These  are  fulfilled,  not 
by  him  Avho  merely  performs  all  the  external  offices  of  charity, 
even  Avithout  the  omission  of  one,  but  by  him  who  does  this 
from  a sincere  principle  of  love.  For  it  may  happen,  that  a 
man  may  fully  discharge  his  duty  to  all  men,  Avith  respect  to 
external  actions,  and,  at  the  same  time,  be  very  far  from  dis- 
charging it  in  the  right  Avay.  For  you  may  see  some  men 
Avho  would  be  thought  extremely  liberal,  and  yet  never  bestow 
any  thing  Avithout  upbraiding,  either  by  pride  of  countenance,  or 
by  insolence  of  language.  And  Ave  are  sunk  to  such  a depth  of 
calamity  in  this  unhappy  age,  that  scarcely  any  alms  are  given, 
at  least  by  the  majority  of  mankind,  but  in  a haughty  and  con- 
temptuous manner  — a corruption  Avhich  ought  not  to  have  been 
tolerated  even  among  heathen ; for  of  Christians  there  is  some- 
thing further  required,  than  to  display  a cheerfulness  of  coun- 
tenance, and  to  render  their  benefactions  amiable  by  civility  of 
language.  In  the  first  place,  they  ought  to  imagine  themselves 
in  the  situation  of  the  person  Avho  needs  their  assistance,  and  to 
commiserate  his  case,  just  as  though  they  themseU^es  felt  and 
suffered  the  same ; so  that  they  may  be  impelled,  by  a sense  of 
mercy  and  humanity,  to  afford  assistance  to  him  as  readily  as 
if  it  Avere  to  themselves.  He  Avho  comes  to  the  assistance  of 


VOL.  I. 


(n)  Matt.  V.  44. 

I.  79 


(o)  Luke  xvii.  3,  4. 


626  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

his  brethren  under  the  influence  of  such  a disposition,  not  only 
will  not  contaminate  his  services  with  arrogance  or  reproach, 
but  will  neither  despise  his  brother  who  is  the  object  of  his 
beneficence,  as  needing  assistance,  nor  domineer  over  him  as 
under  an  obligation  to  him ; no  more,  for  instance,  than  we 
insult  a diseased  member,  for  whose  restoration  the  rest  of 
the  body  labours,  or  suppose  it  to  be  under  particular  obliga- 
tions to  the  other  members,  because  it  has  needed  more  as- 
sistance than  it  returned.  For  the  communication  of  services 
between  the  members  of  the  body,  is  esteemed  to  be  in  no  sense 
gratuitous,  but  rather  a discharge  of  that  which,  being  due  by 
the  law  of  nature,  it  would  be  monstrous  to  refuse.  And  for 
this  reason,  he  will  not  suppose  himself  to  have  discharged  all 
his  duty,  who  has  performed  one  kind  of  service  ; as  it  generally 
happens,  that  a rich  man,  after  having  bestowed  some  part  of 
his  property,  leaves  other  burdens  to  be  borne  by  other  persons, 
and  considers  himself  as  exempted  from  all  concern  about  them. 
On  the  contrary,  every  man  will  reflect  with  himself,  that  how- 
ever great  he  may  be,  he  is  a debtor  to  his  neighbour,  and  that 
no  bounds  should  be  fixed  to  the  exercise  of  beneficence  towards 
them,  except  when  his  ability  fails,  which,  as  far  as  it  extends, 
ought  to  be  limited  by  the  rule  of  charity. 

VIII.  Let  us  describe  again,  more  at  large,  the  principal 
branch  of  self-denial,  which  we  have  said  relates  to  God  ; and 
indeed  many  observations  have  already  been  made  concerning 
it,  which  it  would  be  needless  to  repeat : it  will  be  sufficient  to 
show  how  it  habituates  us  to  equanimity  and  patience.  First, 
therefore,  in  seeking  the  convenience  or  tranquillity  of  the 
present  life,  the  Scripture  calls  us  to  this  point  ; that  resigning 
ourselves  and  all  that  we  have  to  the  will  of  God,  we  should 
surrender  to  him  the  affections  of  our  heart,  to  be  conquered 
and  reduced  to  subjection.  To  desire  wealth  and  honours,  to  be 
ambitious  of  power,  to  accumulate  riches,  to  amass  all  those 
vanities  which  appear  conducive  to  magnificence  and  pomp, 
our  passion  is  furious,  and  our  cupidity  unbounded.  On  the 
contrary,  to  poverty,  obscurity,  and  meanness,  we  feel  a won- 
derful fear  and  abhorrence,  which  stimulate  us  to  avoid  them 
by  all  possible  means.  Hence  we  may  see,  how  restless  the 
minds  of  all  those  persons  are,  who  regulate  their  lives  accord- 
ing to  their  own  reason ; how  many  arts  they  try,  and  with 
what  exertions  they  fatigue  themselves,  in  order,  on  the  one 
hand,  to  obtain  the  objects  of  ambition  or  avarice,  on  the  other, 
to  avoid  poverty  and  meanness.  Pious  men,  therefore,  that 
they  may  not  be  involved  in  such  snares,  must  pursue  the 
following  course  : First,  let  them  neither  desire,  nor  hope,  nor 
entertain  a thought  of  prosperity,  from  any  other  cause  than  the 
Divine  blessing  : and  on  that  let  them  securely  and  confident- 


CHAP.  VII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  627 

ly  depend.  For  however  the  flesh  may  appear  to  itself  to  be 
abundantly  sufficient,  when  it  either  attempts  by  its  own  in- 
dustry, or  strenuous  exertions,  to  attain  honours  and  wealth,  or 
is  assisted  by  the  favour  of  man,  — yet  it  is  certain,  that  all  these 
things  are  nothing,  and  that  we  shall  obtain  no  advantage, 
either  by  ingenuity  or  by  labour,  but  as  far  as  the  Lord  shall 
prosper  both.  On  the  contrary,  his  benediction  alone  finds  a 
way,  even  through  all  impediments,  so  as  to  bring  all  our  affairs 
to  a joyful  and  prosperous  conclusion.  And  though  we  may, 
for  the  most  part,  be  able  without  it  to  obtain  for  ourselves 
some  degree  of  opulence  and  glory,  as  we  daily  behold  impious 
men  accumulating  great  honours  and  enormous  wealth,  yet, 
since  those  who  are  under  the  curse  of  God  enjoy  not  even  the 
smallest  particle  of  happiness,  we  shall  acquire  nothing  without 
the  Divine  blessing,  which  will  not  eventually  prove  a calamity 
to  us.  And  that  is  by  no  means  to  be  desired,  the  acquisition 
of  which  renders  men  more  miserable. 

IX.  Therefore,  if  we  believe  that  all.  the  cause  of  desirable 
prosperity  consists  in  the  Divine  benediction. alone,  without 
which  miseries  and  calamities  of  every  kind  await  us,  it  fol- 
lows also,  that  we  should  not  passionately  strive  for  wealth  and 
honours,  either  relying  on  our  own  diligence  or  acuteness  of 
understanding,  or  depending  on  the  favour  of  men,  or  confiding 
ill  a vain  imagination  of  chance  ; but  that  we  should  always 
regard  the  Lord,  to  be  conducted  by  his  direction  to  whatsoever 
lot  he  has  provided  for  us.  The  consequence  of  this  will  be, 
in  the  first  place,  that  we  shall  not  rush  forward  to  seize  on 
wealth  or  honours  by  unlawful  actions,  by  deceitful  and  cri- 
minal arts,  by  rapacity  and  injury  of  our  neighbours  ; but  shall 
confine  ourselves  to  the  pursuit  of  those  interests,  which  will 
not  seduce  us  from  the  path  of  innocence.  For  who  can 
expect  the  assistance  of  the  Divine  benediction,  amidst  fraud, 
rapine,  and  other  iniquitous  acts  ? For  as  that  follows  him 
only  whose  thoughts  are  pure,  and  whose  actions  are  upright, 
so  it  calls  away  all  those  by  whom  it  is  sought,  from  irregular 
thoughts  and  corrupt  practices.  In  the  next  place,  we  shall 
find  a restraint  laid  upon  us,  to  keep  us  from  being  infiamed 
with  an  inordinate  desire  of  growing  rich,  and  from  ambitiously 
aspiring  after  honours.  For  with  what  face  can  any  man  con- 
fide in  the  assistance  of  God,  towards  obtaining  things  which 
he  desires  in  opposition  to  the  Divine  Avord  ? Far  be  it  from 
God  to  follow  with  the  aid  of  his  blessing,  what  he  curses  with 
his  mouth.  Lastly,  if  our  success  be  not  equal  to  our  wishes 
and  hopes,  yet  we  shall  be  restrained  from  impatience,  and 
from  execrating  our  condition,  whatever  it  may  be  ; because  we 
shall  know,  that  this  would  be  murmuring  against  God,  at 
whose  pleasure  are  dispensed  riches  and  poverty,  honour  and 


628  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III, 

contempt.  In  short,  he  who  shall  repose  himself,  in  the  man- 
ner we  have  mentioned,  on  the  Divine  blessing,  will  neither 
hunt  after  the  objects  violently  coveted  by  men  in  general,  by 
evil  methods,  from  which  he  Avill  expect  no  advantage  ; nor 
will  he  impute  any  prosperous  event  to  himself,  and  to  his  OAvn 
diligence,  industry,  or  good  fortune  ; but  will  acknowledge  God 
to  be  the  author  of  it.  If,  while  the  affairs  of  others  are  flou- 
rishing, he  makes  but  a small  progress,  or  even  moves  in  a 
retrograde  direction,  yet  he  will  bear  his  poverty  with  more 
equanimity  and  moderation,  than  any  profane  man  would  feel 
with  a mediocrity  of  success,  which  would  merely  be  inferior 
to  his  wishes ; possessing,  indeed,  a consolation  in  which  he 
may  enjoy  more  tranquil  satisfaction,  than  in  the  zenith  of 
opulence  or  power  ; because  he  considers,  that  his  affairs  are 
ordered  by  the  Lord  in  such  a manner  as  is  conducive  to  his 
salvation.  This,  we  see,  was  the  disposition  of  David,  Avho, 
Avhile  he  follows  God,  surrenders  himself  to  his  government, 
and  declares,  that  he  is  ^^as  a child  that  is  weaned  of  his 
mother ; neither  do  I exercise  myself,”  says  he,  in  great  mat- 
ters, or  in  things  too  high  for  me.”  (y>) 

X.  Nor  is  this  the  only  instance  in  which  pious  persons 
should  feel  such  tranquillity  and  patience  ; the  same  state  of 
mind  ought  to  be  extended  to  all  the  events  to  which  the 
present  life  is  exposed.  Therefore  no  man  has  rightly  re- 
nounced himself,  but  he  Avho  has  Avholly  resigned  himself  to 
the  Lord,  so  as  to  leave  all  the  parts  of  his  life  to  be  governed 
by  his  will.  He  whose  mind  is  thus  composed,  whatever  may 
befall  him,  will  neither  think  himself  miserable,  nor  invidiously 
complain  against  God  on  account  of  his  lot.  The  great  ne- 
cessity of  this  disposition  will  appear,  if  Ave  consider  the  nu- 
merous accidents  to  Avhich  AA^e  are  subject.  Diseases  of  various 
kinds  frequently  attack  us  : at  one  time,  the  pestilence  is  raging  ; 
at  another,  Ave  are  cruelly  harassed  Avith  the  calamities  of  Avar  ; 
at  another  time,  frost  or  hail,  devouring  the  hopes  of  the  year, 
produces  sterility,  Avhich  brings  us  to  penury ; a wife,  parents, 
children,  or  other  relatives,  are  snatched  aAA^ay  by  death  ; our 
dwelling  is  consumed  by  a fire  ; these  are  the  events,  on  the 
occurrence  of  Avhich,  men  curse  this  life,  or  their  natal  day, 
execrate  heaven  and  earth,  reproach  God,  and,  as  they  are  elo- 
quent to  blaspheme,  accuse  him  of  injustice  and  cruelty.  But 
it  behoves  a believer,  even  in  these  events,  to  contemplate  the 
clemency  and  truly  paternal  goodness  of  God.  Wherefore,  if  he 
sees  his  relatives  removed,  and  his  house  rendered  asolitary  place, 
he  must  not  cease  to  bless  the  Lord,  but  rather  have  recourse  to 
this  reflection  : Yet  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  which  inhabits  my 


(p)  Psalm  cxxxi.  1,  2. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


629 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

house,  will  not  leave  it  desolate.  Or  if  he  sees  his  crops  bitten 
or  destroyed  by  frost,  or  beaten  down  by  hail,  and  famine 
threatening  him,  yet  he  will  not  sink  into  despondency  or 
displeasure  against  God,  but  will  abide  in  this  confidence  — We 
are  under  the  guardian  care  of  God,  we  are  ‘‘  the  sheep  of  his 
pasture  ;”(</)  he  therefore  will  supply  us  with  food  even  in 
seasons  of  the  greatest  barrenness.  If  he  shall  be  afflicted  with 
disease,  even  then  he  will  not  be  so  far  discouraged  by  the  bitter- 
ness of  his  pain,  as  to  break  out  into  impatience,  and  to  complain 
against  God ; but  will  rather  strengthen  his  patience  by  a con- 
sideration of  the  justice  and  lenity  of  the  Divine  correction. 
Finally,  whatever  may  happen,  knowing  it  to  be  ordained  by 
the  Lord,  he  will  receive  it  with  a placid  and  grateful  heart, 
that  he  may  not  be  guilty  of  contumaciously  resisting  his  au- 
thority, to  whose  power  he  has  once  resigned  himself  and  all 
that  belongs  to  him.  Far,  therefore,  from  the  heart  of  a Christ- 
ian man  be  that  foolish  and  most  wretched  consolation  of  the 
heathen,  who,  to  fortify  their  minds  against  adversity,  imputed  it 
to  Fortune  ; with  whom  they  esteemed  it  foolish  to  be  displeased, 
because  she  was  thoughtless  and  rash,  and  blindly  wounded 
without  discrimination  the  worthy  and  the  unworthy.  On  the 
contrary,  the  rule  of  piety  is,  that  God  alone  is  the  arbiter  and 
governor  of  all  events,  both  prosperous  and  adverse,  and  that  he 
does  not  proceed  with  inconsiderate  impetuosity,  but  dispenses 
to  us  blessings  and  calamities  with  the  most  systematic  justice. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

BEARING  THE  CROSS,  WHICH  IS  A BRANCH  OF  SELF-DENIAL 

But  it  becomes  a pious  mind  to  rise  still  higher,  even  to  that 
to  which  Christ  calls  his  disciples ; that  every  one  should 
‘Gake  up  his  cross.”  (r)  For  all  whom  the  Lord  has  chosen 
and  honoured  with  admission  into  the  society  of  his  saints, 
ought  to  prepare  themselves  for  a life,  hard,  laborious,  unquiet, 
and  replete  with  numerous  and  various  calamities.  It  is  the 
will  of  their  heavenly  Father  to  exercise  them  in  this  manner, 
that  he  may  have  a certain  proof  of  those  that  belong  to  him. 
Having  begun  with  Christ  his  first  begotten  Son,  he  pursues 
this  method  towards  all  his  children.  For  though  Christ  was 
above  all  others  the  beloved  Son,  in  whom  the  Father  was 


{/l)  Psalm  Ixxix.  13. 


(r)  Malt.  xvi.  21. 


630  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

always  well  pleased,  (s)  yet  we  see  how  little  indulgence  and 
tenderness  he  experienced ; so  that  it  may  be  truly  said,  not 
only  that  he  was  perpetually  burdened  with  a cross  during  his 
residence  on  earth,  but  that  his  whole  life  was  nothing  but  a 
kind  of  perpetual  cross.  The  apostle  assigns  the  reason,  that 
it  was  necessary  for  him  to  “ learn  obedience  by  the  things 
which  he  suffered.”  (/)  Why,  then,  should  we  exempt  our- 
selves from  that  condition,  to  which  it  behoved  Christ  our 
head  to  be  subject ; especially  since  his  submission  was  on  our 
account,  that  he  might  exhibit  to  us  an  example  of  patience  in 
his  own  person  ? Wherefore  the  apostle  teaches,  that  it  is  the 
destination  of  all  the  children  of  God  to  be  conformed  to 
him.”  (ii)  It  is  also  a source  of  signal  consolation  to  us,  in 
unpleasant  and  severe  circumstances,  which  are  esteemed  ad- 
versities and  calamities,  that  we  partake  of  the  sufferings  of 
Christ ; that  as  he  from  a labyrinth  of  all  evils  entered  into  the 
glory  of  heaven,  so  we  are  conducted  forward  through  various 
tribulations  to  the  same  glory  ; (tv)  for  Paul  teaches  us,  that 
when  we  know  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,”  we  also 
apprehend  the  power  of  his  resurrection  ; ” that  while  we  are 
conformed  to  his  death,  we  are  thus  prepared  to  partake  of  his 
glorious  resurrection,  (.t)  How  much  is  this  adapted  to  allevi- 
ate all  the  bitterness  of  the  cross,  that  the  more  we  are  afflicted 
by  adversities,  our  fellowship  with  Christ  is  so  much  the  more 
certainly  confirmed ! By  this  communion  the  sufferings  them- 
selves not  only  become  blessings  to  us,  but  afford  considerable 
assistance  towards  promoting  our  salvation. 

II.  Besides,  our  Lord  was  under  no  necessity  of  bearing  the 
cross,  except  to  testify  and  prove  his  obedience  to  his  Father  ; 
but  there  are  many  reasons  which  render  it  necessary  for  us  to 
live  under  a continual  cross.  First,  as  we  are  naturally  too 
prone  to  attribute  every  thing  to  our  flesh,  unless  we  have,  as 
it  were,  ocular  demonstration  of  our  imbecility,  we  easily  form 
an  extravagant  estimate  of  our  strength,  presuming  that  what- 
ever may  happen,  it  will  remain  undaunted  and  invincible 
amidst  all  difficulties.  This  inflates  us  with  a foolish,  vain, 
carnal  confidence  ; relying  on  which,  we  become  contuma- 
cious and  proud,  in  opposition  to  God  himself,  just  as  though 
our  own  powers  were  sufficient  for  us  without  his  grace.  This 
arrogance  he  cannot  better  repress,  than  by  proving  to  us  from 
experience,  not  only  our  great  imbecility,  but  also  our  ex- 
treme frailty.  Therefore  he  afflicts  us  with  ignominy,  or 
poverty,  or  loss  of  relatives,  or  disease,  or  other  calamities  ; to 
the  bearing  of  which  being  in  ourselves  unequal,  we  ere  long 


(l)  Heb.  V.  3.  («)  Rom.  viii.  29. 

(x)  Phil.  iii.  10. 


(s)  Matt.  iii.  17  ; xvii.  5. 

(w)  Acts  xiv.  22, 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


631 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

sink  under  them.  Thus  being  humbled,  we  learn  to  in- 
voke his  strength,  which  alone  causes  us  to  stand  erect  un- 
der a load  of  afflictions.  Moreover,  the  greatest  saints,  though 
sensible  that  they  stand  by  the  grace  of  God,  not  by  their 
own  strength,  are  nevertheless  more  secure  than  they  ought  to 
be  of  their  fortitude  and  constancy,  unless  he  leads  them  by 
the  discipline  of  the  cross  into  a deeper  knowledge  of  them- 
selves. This  presumption  insinuated  itself  even  into  David  : 

In  my  prosperity  I said,  I shall  never  be  moved ; Lord,  by 
thy  favour  thou  hast  made  my  mountain  to  stand  strong. 
Thou  didst  hide  thy  face,  and  I was  troubled.”  {y)  For  he 
confesses  that  his  senses  were  so  stupefied  and  benumbed  by 
prosperity,  that  disregarding  the  grace  of  God,  on  which  he 
ought  to  have  depended,  he  relied  on  himself,  so  as  to  promise 
himself  a permanent  standing.  If  this  happened  to  so  great  a 
prophet,  who  of  us  should  not  be  fearful  and  cautious  ? 
Though  in  prosperity,  therefore,  they  have  flattered  them- 
selves with  the  notion  of  superior  constancy  and  patience,  yet 
when  humbled  by  adversity,  they  learn  that  this  was  mere 
hypocrisy.  Admonished  by  such  evidences  of  their  maladies, 
believers  advance  in  humility,  and,  divested  of  corrupt  confi- 
dence in  the  flesh,  betake  themselves  to  the  grace  of  God ; and 
when  they  have  applied  to  it,  they  experience  the  presence  of 
the  Divine  strength,  in  which  they  find  abundant  protection. 

III.  This  is  what  Paul  teaches,  that  “ tribulation  worketh 
patience,  and  patience  experience.”  (z)  For  the  promise  of 
God  to  believers,  that  he  will  assist  them  in  tribulations,  they 
experience  to  be  true,  when  they  patiently  stand  supported 
by  his  power,  which  they  certainly  could  not  do  by  their  own 
strength.  Patience,  therefore,  afl'ords  a proof  to  the  saints,  that 
God  will  really  give  the  assistance  he  has  promised  in  every 
time  of  need.  This  also  confirms  their  hope  ; for  it  would  be 
too  much  ingratitude  not  to  rely  on  the  truth  of  God  for  the 
future,  which  they  have  hitherto  experienced  to  be  constant 
and  certain.  We  see  now  what  a series  of  benefits  we  derive 
from  the  cross.  For,  subverting  the  opinion  which  Ave  have 
falsely  preconceived  of  our  own  strength,  and  detecting  our 
hypocrisy,  with  which  Ave  are  enamoured,  it  expels  pernicious 
and  carnal  confidence  ; when  we  are  thus  humbled,  it  teaches 
us  to  rely  upon  God  alone,  Avhich  keeps  us  from  sinking  under 
afflictions.  And  victory  is  folloAved  by  hope  ; inasmuch  as  the 
Lord,  by  the  performance  of  his  promises,  establishes  his 
truth  for  the  future.  Though  these  Avere  the  only  reasons  that 
could  be  given,  they  are  sufficient  to  shoAV  the  necessity  of  the 
discipline  of  the  cross.  For  it  is  no  small  advantage  to  be 


(y)  Psalm  xxx.  6,  7. 


(z)  Rom.  V.  3,  4. 


632  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

digested  of  a blind  self-love,  that  we  may  be  fully  conscious 
of  our  imbecility ; to  be  affected  with  a sense  of  our  imbecility, 
that  we  may  learn  to  be  diffident  of  ourselves ; to  tve  diffident 
of  ourselves,  that  we  may  transfer  our  confidence  to  God;  to 
depend  with  unreserved  confidence  on  God,  that,  relying  on 
his  assistance,  we  may  persevere  unconquered  to  the  end  ; to 
stand  in  his  grace,  that  we  may  know  his  veracity  in  his  pro- 
mises ; to  experience  the  certainty  of  his  promises,  that  our 
hope  may  thereby  be  strengthened. 

IV.  The  Lord  has  also  another  end  in  affficting  his  children  ;• 
to  try  their  patience,  and  teach  them  obedience.  Not,  indeed, 
that  they  can  perform  any  other  obedience  to  him  than  that 
which  he  has  given  them  ; but  he  is  pleased  in  this  manner, 
by  clear  evidences,  to  exhibit  and  testify  the  graces  which  he 
has  conferred  on  his  saints,  that  they  may  not  be  concealed  in 
inactivity  within  them.  Therefore,  in  giving  an  open  manifes- 
tation of  the  strength  and  constancy  in  suffering,  with  which 
he  has  furnished  his  servants,  he  is  said  to  try  their  patience. 
Hence  these  expressions,  that  ^^God  did  tempt  Abraham,” 
and  prove  his  piety,  from  the  circumstance  of  his  not  refusing 
to  sacrifice  his  own  and  only  son.  (a)  W^herefore  Peter  states, 
that  our  faith  is  tried  by  tribulations,  just  as  gold  is  tried  by 
fire  in  a furnace,  (b)  Now,  who  can  say  that  it  is  not  necessary 
for  this  most  excellent  gift  of  patience,  which  a believer  has 
received  from  his  God,  to  be  brought  forward  into  use,  that  it 
may  be  ascertained  and  manifested  ? For  otherwise  men  will 
never  esteem  it  as  it  deserves.  But  if  God  himself  acts  justly, 
when,  to  prevent  the  virtues  which  he  has  conferred  on  be- 
lievers from  being  concealed  in  obscurity  and  remaining  use- 
less and  perishing,  he  furnishes  an  occasion  for  exciting  them,  — 
there  is  the  best  of  reasons  for  the  afflictions  of  the  saints,  with- 
out which  they  would  have  no  patience.  By  the  cross  they 
are  also,  I say,  instructed  to  obedience  ; because  they  are  thus 
taught  to  live,  not  according  to  their  own  inclination,  but  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  God.  If  every  thing  succeeded  with 
them  according  to  their  wishes,  they  would  not  know  what  it 
is  to  follow  God.  But  Seneca  mentions  that  this  was  an 
ancient  proverb,  when  they  would  exhort  any  one  to  bear  ad- 
versity with  patience,  “ Follow  God.”  This  implied  that  man 
submitted  to  the  yoke  of  God,  only  when  he  resigned  himself 
to  his  corrections.  Now,  if  it  is  most  reasonable  that  we  should 
prove  ourselves  in  all  things  obedient  to  our  heavenly  Father, 
we  certainly  ought  not  to  deny  him  the  use  of  every  method 
to  accustom  us  to  practise  this  obedience. 

V.  Yet  we  do  not  perceive  how  necessary  this  obedience  is 


(a)  Gen.  xxii.  1,  12. 


(h)  1 Peter  i.  7. 


CHAP.  VIII.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


633 


to  US,  unless  we  at  the  same  time  reflect  on  the  great  wanton- 
ness of  our  flesh  to  shake  off  the  Divine  yoke,  as  soon  as  we 
have  been  treated  with  a little  tenderness  and  indulgence. 
The  case  is  exactly  the  same  as  with  refractory  horses,  which, 
after  having  been  pampered  for  some  days  in  idleness,  grow 
fierce  and  untamable,  and  regard  not  the  rider,  to  whose  ma- 
nagement they  previously  submitted.  And  we  are  perpetual  ex- 
amples of  what  God  complains  of  in  the  people  of  Israel ; when 
we  are  waxen  fat,”  and  are  “covered  with  fatness,”  (c)  we 
kick  against  him  who  has  cherished  and  supported  us.  The 
beneficence  of  God  ought  to  have  allured  us  to  the  consider- 
ation and  love  of  his  goodness ; but  since  such  is  our  ingrati- 
tude, that  we  are  rather  constantly  corrupted  by  his  indulgence, 
it  is  highly  necessary  for  us  to  be  restrained  by  some  discipline 
from  breaking  out  into  such  petulance.  Therefore,  that  we 
may  not  be  made  haughty  by  an  excessive  abundance  of 
wealth,  that  we  may  not  become  proud  on  being  distinguished 
with  honours,That  we  may  not  be  rendered  insolent  by  being 
inflated  with  other  advantages,  mental,  corporeal,  or  external, 
the  Lord  himself,  as  he  foresees  will  be  expedient,  by  the 
remedy  of  the  cross,  opposes,  restrains,  and  subdues  the 
haughtiness  of  our  flesh  ; and  that  by  various  methods,  adapt- 
ed to  promote  the  benefit  of  each  individual.  For  we  are  not 
all  equally  afflicted  with  the  same  diseases,  or  all  in  need  of  an 
equally  severe  method  of  cure.  Hence  we  see  ditferent  per- 
sons exercised  with  different  kinds  of  crosses.  But  whilst  the 
heavenly  Physician,  consulting  the  health  of  all  his  patients, 
practises  a milder  treatment  towards  some,  and  cures  others 
with  rougher  remedies,  yet  he  leaves  no  one  completely  ex- 
empted, because  he  knows  we  are  all  diseased,  without  the  ex- 
ception of  a single  individual. 

VI.  Moreover  it  is  necessary  that  our  most  merciful  Father 
should  not  only  prevent  our  infirmity  for  the  future,  but  also 
frequently  correct  our  past  offences,  to  preserve  us  in  a course 
of  legitimate  obedience  to  himself.  Wherefore  in  every  afflic- 
tion we  ought  immediately  to  recollect  the  course  of  our  past 
life.  In  reviewing  it,  we  shall  certainly  find  that  we  have 
committed  what  was  deserving  of  such  chastisement.  Never- 
theless the  exhortation  to  patience  must  not  be  principally 
founded  on  a consciousness  of  sin.  For  the  Scripture  furnishes 
a far  better  consideration,  when  it  informs  us,  that  in  adversity 
“ we  are  chastened  of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  con- 
demned with  the  world.”  [d)  Therefore,  even  in  the  bitterness 
of  tribulations,  it  becomes  us  to  acknowledge  the  clemency  and 
benignity  of  our  Father  towards  us  ; since  ev^n  then  he  ceases 


VOL.  1. 


(c)  Deut  xxxii.  15. 

1.  80 


{d)  1 Cor.  xi.  32. 


634  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

not  to  promote  our  salvation.  For  he  afflicts,  not  to  ruin  or 
destroy  us,  but  rather  to  deliver  us  from  the  condemnation  of 
the  world.  This  idea  will  lead  us  to  what  the  Scripture  in- 
culcates in  another  place  : My  son,  despise  not  the  chastening 
of  the  Lord,  neither  be  weary  of  his  correction  ; for  whom  the 
Lord  loveth  he  correcteth,  even  as  a father  the  son  in  whom  he 
delighteth.”  (e)  When  we  recognize  the  rod  of  a father,  is  it 
not  our  duty  rather  to  show  ourselves  obedient  and  docile 
children,  than  contumaciously  to  imitate  desperate  men,  who 
have  been  hardened  in  their  transgressions  ? God  loses  us, 
unless  he  recalls  us  after  our  defections  from  him  ; so  that  the 
apostle  correctly  remarks,  If  ye  be  without  chastisement,  then 
are  ye  bastards,  and  not  sons.”  (/)  We  are  extremely  perverse, 
therefore,  if  we  cannot  bear  with  him,  while  he  declares  his 
benevolence  towards  us,  and  his  great  concern  for  our  salva- 
tion. The  Scripture  points  out  this  difference  between  be- 
lievers and  unbelievers  ; the  latter,  as  the  slaves  of  an  inveterate 
and  incurable  iniquity,  are  only  rendered  more  wicked  and  ob- 
stinate by  correction  ; the  former,  like  ingenuous  children,  are 
led  to  a salutary  repentance.  You  have  to  choose  now  in 
which  number  you  would  prefer  to  stand.  But  having  treate(f 
of  this  subject  elsewhere,  I shall  conclude,  contenting  myself 
with  having  thus  briefly  touched  on  it  here. 

VII.  But  it  is  a source  of  peculiar  consolation  when  we 
suffer  persecution  for  righteousness’  sake.”  (g)  For  we 
ought  then  to  reflect  how  greatly  we  are  honoured  by  God, 
when  he  thus  distinguishes  us  with  the  peculiar  characteristic 
of  his  service.  I call  it  persecution  for  righteousness’  sake, 
not  only  when  we  suffer  in  defence  of  the  gospel,  but  also 
when  we  are  molested  in  the  vindication  of  any  just  cause. 
Whether,  therefore,  in  asserting  the  truth  of  God,  in  opposition 
to  the  falsehoods  of  Satan,  or  in  undertaking  the  protection  of 
good  and  innocent  men  against  the  injuries  of  the  wicked,  it 
be  necessary  for  us  to  incur  the  resentment  and  hatred  of  the 
world,  by  which  our  lives,  our  fortunes,  or  our  reputation,  may 
be  endangered,  — let  it  not  be  grievous  or  irksome  to  us  thus  far 
to  employ  ourselves  in  the  service  of  God ; nor  let  us  imagine 
ourselves  to  be  miserable  in  those  respects  in  which  he  has 
with  his  own  mouth  pronounced  us  blessed.  It  is  true,  that 
poverty,  considered  in  itself,  is  misery ; and  the  same  may  be 
said  of  exile,  contempt,  imprisonment,  ignominy ; finally,  death 
is  of  all  calamities  the  last  and  worst.  But  with  the  favour 
of  our  God,  they  are  all  conducive  to  our  happiness.  Let  us 
therefore  be  content  with  the  testimony  of  Christ,  rather  than 
with  the  false  opinion  of  the  flesh.  Thus  we  shall  rejoice, 


(c)  Prov.  iii.  11, 12. 


(/)  Heb.  xii.  8. 


(g)  Matt.  V.  10. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


635 


CHAP.  VIII.] 

like  the  apostles,  whenever  he  shall  count  us  worthy  to  suffer 
shame  for  his  name.”  (A)  For  if,  being  innocent  and  conscious 
of  our  OAvn  integrity,  we  are  stripped  of  our  property  by  the 
villany  of  the  wicke^,  we  are  reduced  to  poverty  indeed  among 
men,  but  we  thereby  obtain  an  increase  of  true  riches  with 
God  in  heaven  ; if  we  are  banished  from  our  country,  Ave  are 
more  intimately  received  into  the  family  of  God  ; if  Ave  meet 
Avith  vexation  and  contempt,  Ave  are  so  much  the  more  firmly 
rooted  in  Christ  ; if  Ave  are  stigmatized  Avith  reproach  and  ig- 
nominy, we  are  so  much  the  more  exalted  in  the  kingdom  of 
God  ; if  Ave  are  massacred,  it  opens  an  entrance  for  us  into  a 
life  of  blessedness.  We  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  setting  a 
lower  estimation  on  things  on  which  the  Lord  has  attached 
such  a great  value,  than  on  the  shadowy  and  evanescent  plea- 
sures of  the  present  life. 

VIII.  Since  the  Scripture,  therefore,  by  these  and  similar  in- 
structions, affords  abundant  consolation  under  all  the  ignominy 
and  calamity  Avhich  Ave  sustain  in  the  defence  of  righteousness, 
we  are  chargeable  Avith  extreme  ingratitude  if  Ave  do  not  re- 
ceive them  from  the  hand  of  the  Lord  Avith  cheerful  resigna- 
tion ; especially  since  this  is  the  species  of  affliction,  or  the 
cross,  most  peculiar  to  believers,  by  Avhich  Christ  Avill  be 
glorified  in  us,  according  to  the  declaration  of  Peter,  {i)  And 
contumelious  treatment  being  to  ingenuous  minds  more  intole- 
rable than  a hundred  deaths,  Paul  expressly  apprizes  us,  that 
not  only  persecutions,  but  reproaches  await  us,  because  we 
trust  in  the  living  God.”  {k)  As  in  another  place  he  directs  us 
by  his  example  to  go  through  evil  report  and  good  report.”  (/) 
Nor  are  Ave  required  to  exercise  such  a cheerfulness  as  to  banish 
all  sense  of  bitterness  and  sorroAV  ; the  saints  could  discover  no 
patience  under  the  cross,  unless  the}^  Avere  tormented  Avith  sor- 
roAV  and  harassed  with  grief.  If  there  were  no  hardship  in 
poverty,  no  agony  in  diseases,  no  distress  in  ignominy,  no  horror 
in  death,  — Avhat  fortitude  or  moderation  Avould  be  displayed  in 
regarding  them  Avith  absolute  indifference  ? But  since  each  of 
these,  by  its  oAvn  essential  bitterness,  naturally  preys  on  all  our 
hearts,  herein  the  fortitude  of  a believer  is  manifested,  if,  Avhen 
he  experiences  such  bitterness,  how  grievously  soever  he  may 
be  distressed  by  it,  yet  by  valiantly  resisting,  he  at  length  over- 
comes it ; his  patience  displays  itself,  if,  Avhen  he  is  sharply 
provoked,  he  is  nevertheless  restrained  by  the  fear  of  God  from 
any  eruptions  of  intemperance  : his  cheerfulness  is  conspiciK'Us, 
if,  Avhen  he  is  wounded  by  sadness  and  sorrow,  he  is  satisfied 
with  the  spiritual  consolation  of  God. 

IX.  This  conffict,  Avhich  believers  sustain  against  the  na- 

^t)  Acts  V.  41.  (i)  1 Peter  iv.  14.  (/«)  1 Tim.  iv.  10.  {1)  2 Cor.  vi.  8 


636  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

tural  emotions  of  sorrow,  while  they  cultivate  patience  and 
moderation,  Paul  has  beautifully  described  in  the  following 
Avords  : “ We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  distressed  ; we 
are  perplexed,  but  not  in  despair ; persecuted,  but  not  forsaken  ; 
cast  down,  but  not  destroyed.”  (m)  You  see  that  patiently  to 
bear  the  cross  does  not  consist  in  an  absolute  stupefaction  and 
privation  of  all  sense  of  sorrow,  according  to  the  foolish  de- 
scription given  by  the  ancient  Stoics  of  a magnanimous  man,  as 
one  who,  divested  of  the  feelings  of  human  nature,  is  alike 
unaffected  by  adverse  and  prosperous  events,  by  sorrowful  and 
joyful  ones.  And  what  advantage  have  they  derived  from  this 
sublime  wisdom  ? They  have  depicted  an  image  of  patience, 
such  as  never  has  been  found,  such  as  never  can  exist  among 
men  ; but  in  their  ardour  for  a patience  too  perfect  and  precise, 
they  have  banished  its  influence  from  human  life.  At  present 
also  among  Christians  there  are  modern  Stoics,  who  esteem  it 
sinful  not  only  to  groan  and  weep,  but  even  to  discover  sadness 
and  solicitude.  These  paradoxes  generally  proceed  from  idle 
men,  who,  employing  themselves  more  in  speculation  than  in 
action,  can  produce  nothing  but  such  paradoxical  notions.  But 
we  have  nothing  to  do  with  that  iron-hearted  philosophy, 
which  our  Master  and  Lord  has  condemned  not  only  in  Words, 
but  even  by  his  own  example.  For  he  mourned  and  wept  both 
for  his  own  calamities  and  for  those  of  others.  Nor  did  he 
teach  his  disciples  a different  conduct.  “ The  world,”  says  he, 
“shall  rejoice,  but  ye  shall  weep  and  lament.”  (7i)  And  that 
no  man  might  pervert 'it  into  a crime,  he  has  formally  pro- 
nounced a blessing  on  them  that  mourn ; (o)  and  no  Avonder. 
For  if  all  tears  be  reprobated,  Avhat  judgment  shall  we  form 
concerning  the  Lord  himself,  from  whose  body  distilled  tears 
of  blood  ? (j9)  If  every^  terror  be  stigmatized  Avith  the  charge 
of  unbelief,  Avhat  character  shall  Ave  attribute  to  that  horror  and 
consternation  Avith  Avhich  Ave  read  that  he  was  so  violently  de- 
pressed ? If  all  sorrow  be  displeasing,  how  can  Ave  be  pleased 
with  his  confessing  that  his  “ soul  ” Avas  “ sorroAvful  even  unto 
death  ? ” 

X.  I have  thought  proper  to  mention  these  things,  in  order 
to  preserve  pious  minds  from  despair  ; that  they  may  not  hastily 
renounce  the  study  of  patience,  because  they  cannot  divest 
themselves  of  the  natural  affection  of  sorroAV.  This  must 
necessarily  be  the  case  Avith  those  Avho  degrade  patience  into 
insensibility,  and  a man  of  fortitude  and  constancy  into  a 
senseless  block.  For  the  Scripture  applauds  the  saints  for  their 
patience,  Avhen  they  are  afflicted  Avith  severe  calamities,  but  not 
Proken  and  overcome  by  them ; Avhen  they  are  bitterly  dis- 

m)  2 Cor.  iv.  8,  9.  (n)  John  xvi.  20.  (o)  Matt.  v.  4.  (p)  Luke  .xxii.  44 


CHAP.  VIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  637 

tressed,  but  are  filled  at  the  same  time  with  spiritual  joy  ; when 
they  are  oppressed  with  anxiety,  but  are  revived  and  exhilarated 
with  Divine  consolation.  At  the  same  time  there  is  that  oppo- 
sition in  their  hearts,  that  the  feelings  of  nature  avoid  and 
dread  those  things  which  they  experience  to  be  inimical  to  it  ; 
but  the  atfection  of  piety  struggles  even  through  these  diffi- 
culties to  obey  the  Divine  will.  This  opposition  the  Lord  ex- 
pressed, when  he  thus  addressed  Peter  : When  thou  wast 

young,  thou  girdedst  thyself,  and  walkedst  whither  thou  would- 
est ; but  when  thou  shalt  be  old,  another  shall  gird  thee,  and  carry 
thee  whither  thou  wouldest  not.”  (q)  It  is  not  probable  that 
Peter,  when  he  was  called  to  glorify  God  by  his  death,  was 
drawn  to  it  with  reluctance  and  resistance  ; in  this  case  his 
martyrdom  would  be  entitled  to  little  applause.  But  however 
he  might  submit  with  the  greatest  alacrity  of  heart  to  the  Di- 
vine appointment,  yet,  not  having  divested  himself  of  human 
nature,  he  was  distracted  by  two  contrary  inclinations.  For 
when  he  contemplated  the  bloody  death  he  was  about  to  un- 
dergo, stricken  with  a dread  of  it,  he  would  gladly  have  escaped. 
On  the  contrary,  when  he  considered  that  he  was  called  to  it 
by  the  Divine  will,  suppressing  all  fear,  he  unreluctantly  and 
even  cheerfully  submitted  to  it.  It  must  be  our  study,  there- 
fore, if  we  would  be  the  disciples  of  Christ,  that  our  minds 
may  be  imbued  with  so  great  a reverence  for  God,  and  such  an 
unreserved  obedience  to  him,  as  may  overcome  all  contrary  af- 
fections, and  make  them  submit  to  his  appointments.  Thus, 
whatever  kind  of  affliction  we  endure,  even  in  the  greatest  dis- 
tresses of  the  mind,  we  shall  constantly  retain  our  patience. 
For  adversity  itself  will  have  its  stings,  with  which  we  shall 
be  wounded.  Thus,  when  afflicted  with  disease,  we  shall 
groan  and  be  disquieted,  and  pray  for  the  restoration  of  health ; 
thus,  when  oppressed  with  poverty,  we  shall  feel  the  stings  of 
solicitude  and  sorrow ; thus  we  shall  be  affected  with  the  grief 
of  ignominy,  contempt,  and  injury ; thus  we  shall  shed  the 
tears  due  to  nature  at  the  funerals  of  our  friends ; but  we  shall 
always  recur  to  this  conclusion,  This  affliction  is  appointed  by 
the  Lord,  therefore  let  us  submit  to  his  will.  Even  in  the 
agonies  of  grief,  amid  groans  and  tears,  there  is  a necessity  for 
the  intervention  of  this  reflection,  in  order  to  incline  the  heart 
cheerfully  to  bear  those  things  by  which  it  is  so  aflected. 

XL  But  as  we  have  deduced  the  principal  reason  for  bear- 
ing the  cross  from  a consideration  of  the  Divine  will,  we  must 
briefly  point  out  the  difference  between  philosophical  and 
Christian  patience.  For  very  few  of  the  philosophers  have 
risen  to  such  an  eminence  of  reason,  as  to  perceive  that  we  are 


(q)  John  XXI.  18. 


638  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

exercised  with  afflictions  by  the  Divine  hand,  and  to  conclude 
that  God  ought  to  be  obeyed  in  these  occurrences ; and  even 
those  who  have  gone  to  this  length,  adduce  no  other  reason, 
than  because  it  is  necessary.  What  is  this  but  saying,  that  we 
must  submit  to  God,  because  it  were  in  vain  to  contend  against 
him  ? For  if  we  obey  God  only  from  necessity,  if  it  were  pos- 
sible to  escape  from  him,  our  obedience  would  cease.  But  the 
Scripture  enjoins  us  to  consider  the  Divine  will  in  a very  dif- 
ferent point  of  view  ; first,  as  consistent  with  justice  and  equity ; 
secondly,  as  directed  to  the  accomplishment  of  our  salvation. 
Christian  exhortations  to  patience,  then,  are  such  as  these : 
Whether  we  are  afflicted  with  poverty,  or  exile,  or  imprison- 
ment, or  reproach,  or  disease,  or  loss  of  relatives,  or  any  other 
similar  calamity,  we  must  reflect  that  none  of  these  things 
happen  without  the  appointment  and  providence  of  God  ; and, 
moreover,  that  he  does  nothing  but  with  the  most  systematic 
justice.  Do  not  our  innumerable  and  daily  transgressions 
deserve  more  severe  and  grievous  chastisements  than  those 
which  his  clemency  inflicts  on  us  ? Is  it  not  highly  reasonable 
that  our  flesh  should  be  subdued,  and  as  it  were  accustomed  to 
the  yoke,  lest  it  should  break  out,  according  to  its  propensities, 
into  lawless  excesses  ? Are  not  the  righteousness  and  truth  of 
God  worthy  of  our  labours  on  their  account  ? But  if  the  equity 
of  God  evidently  appears  in  our  afflictions,  we  cannot  without 
iniquity  either  murmur  or  resist.  We  no  longer  hear  that 
frigid  maxim  of  the  philosophers,  We  must  submit  to  necessity  ; 
but  a lesson  lively  and  full  of  efficacy.  We  must  obey,  because 
it  is  unlawful  to  resist ; we  must  patiently  suffer,  because 
impatience  is  a rebellious  opposition  to  the  justice  of  God. 
Because  nothing  is  really  amiable  to  us  but  what  we  know 
to  be  conducive  to  our  benefit  and  salvation,  our  most  mer- 
ciful Father  affords  us  consolation  also  in  this  respect,  by 
declaring,  that  even  in  afflicting  us  with  the  cross,  he  pro- 
motes our  salvation.  _ But  if  it  be  evident  that  tribulations 
are  salutary  for  us,  why  should  we  not  endure  them  with 
grateful  and  placid  hearts  ? In  patiently  bearing  them,  there- 
fore, we  do  not  submit  to  necessity,  but  acquiesce  in  our 
own  benefit.  The  effect  of  these  considerations  is,  that  in 
proportion  as  our  minds  are  oppressed  under  the  cross  with 
the  natural  sense  of  affliction,  so  greatly  are  they  dilated 
with  spiritual  joy.  This  is  attended  also  by  thanksgiving, 
which  cannot  be  without  joy.  But  if  praise  and  thanksgiving 
to  the  Lord  can  only  proceed  from  a cheerful  and  joyful  heart, 
— and  there  is  nothing  which  ought  to  repress  these  emotions 
within  us,  — this  shows  how  necessary  it  is  that  the  bitterness 
of  the  cross  should  be  tempered  with  spiritual  joy. 


CHAP.  IX.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


639 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MEDITATION  ON  THE  FUTURE  LIFE. 

With  whatever  kind  of  tribulation  we  may  be  afflicted,  we 
should  always  keep  this  end  in  view  — to  habituate  ourselves  to 
a contempt  of  the  present  life,  that  we  may  thereby  be  excited  to 
meditation  on  that  which  is  to  come.  For  the  Lord,  well 
knowing  our  strong  natural  inclination  to  a brutish  love  of  the 
world,  adopts  a most  excellent  method  to  reclaim  us  and  rouse 
us  from  our  insensibility,  that  we  may  not  be  too  tenaciously 
attached  to  that  foolish  affection.  There  is  not  one  of  us  who 
is  not  desirous  of  appearing,  through  the  whole  course  of  his 
life,  to  aspire  and  strive  after  celestial  immortality.  For  we 
are  ashamed  of  excelling  in  no  respect  the  brutal  herds,  whose 
condition  would  not  be  at  all  inferior  to  ours,  unless  there  re- 
mained to  us  a hope  of  eternity  after  death.  But  if  you 
examine  the  designs,  pursuits,  and  actions  of  every  individual, 
you  will  find  nothing  in  them  but  what  is  terrestrial.  Hence 
that  stupidity,  that  the  mental  eyes,  dazzled  with  the  vain 
splendour  of  riches,  power,  and  honours,  cannot  see  to  any 
considerable  distance.  The  heart  also,  occupied  and  oppressed 
with  avarice,  ambition,  and  other  inordinate  desires,  cannot  rise 
to  any  eminence.  In  a word,  the  whole  soul,  fascinated  by 
carnal  allurements,  seeks  its  felicity  on  earth.  To  oppose  this 
evil,  the  Lord,  by  continual  lessons  of  miseries,  teaches  his 
children  the  vanity  of  the  present  life.  That  they  may  not 
promise  themselves  profound  and  secure  peace  in  it,  therefore 
he  permits  them  to  be  frequently  disquieted  and  infested  with 
wars  or  tumults,  with  robberies  or  other  injuries.  That  they 
may  not  aspire  with  too  much  avidity  after  transient  and  un- 
certain riches,  or  depend  on  those  which  they  possess,  — some- 
times by  exile,  sometimes  by  the  sterility  of  the  land,  sometimes 
by  a conflagration,  sometimes  by  other  means,  he  reduces  them 
to  indigence,  or  at  least  confines  them  within  the  limits  of  me- 
diocrity. That  they  may  not  be  too  complacently  delighted 
with  conjugal  blessings,  he  either  causes  them  to  be  distressed 
with  the  wickedness  of  their  wives,  or  humbles  them  with  a 
wicked  offspring,  or  afflicts  them  with  want  or  loss  of  children. 
But  if  in  all  these  things  he  is  more  indulgent  to  them,  yet  that 
they  may  not  be  inflated  with  vain  glory,  or  improper  confi- 
dence, he  shows  them  by  diseases  and  dangers  the  unstable 
and  transitory  nature  of  all  mortal  blessings.  We  therefore 
truly  derive  advantage  from  the  discipline  of  the  cross,  only 


640  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

when  we  learn  that  this  life,  considered  in  itself,  is  unquiet, 
turbulent,  miserable  in  numberless  instances,  and  in  no  respect 
altogether  happy  ,*  and  that  all  its  reputed  blessings  are  uncer- 
tain, transient,  vain,  and  adulterated  with  a mixture  of  many 
evils ; and  in  consequence  of  this  at  once  conclude,  that 
nothing  can  be  sought  or  expected  on  earth  but  conflict,  and 
that  when  we  think  of  a crown  we  must  raise  our  eyes  to- 
wards heaven.  For  it  must  be  admitted,  that  the  mind  is 
never  seriously  excited  to  desire  and  meditate  on  the  future 
life,  without  having  previously  imbibed  a contempt  of  the 
present. 

II.  There  is  no  medium  between  these  two  extremes  ; either 
the  earth  must  become  vile  in  our  estimation,  or  it  must  retain 
our  immoderate  love.  Wherefore,  if  we  have  any  concern 
about  eternity,  we  must  use  our  most  diligent  efforts  to  ex- 
tricate ourselves  from  these  fetters.  Now,  since  the  present  life 
has  numerous  blandishments  to  attract  and  much  pleasure, 
beauty,  and  sweetness  to  delight  us,  — it  is  very  necessary  to 
our  highest  interests,  that  we  should  be  frequently  called  off, 
that  we  may  not  be  fascinated  with  such  allurements.  For 
what  would  be  the  consequence,  if  we  were  perpetually  happy 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings  of  this  life  ; since  we  cannot, 
even  by  the  incessant  stimulus  of  calamity  after  calamity,  be 
sufficiently  aroused  to  a consideration  of  its  misery?  That 
human  life  is  like  a vapour  or  a shadow,  is  not  only  known  to 
the  learned,  but  even  the  vulgar  have  no  proverb  more  com- 
mon ; and  perceiving  it  to  be  a thing  the  knowledge  of  which 
would  be  eminently  useful,  they  have  represented  it  in  many 
remarlcable  sentences.  But  there  is  scarcely  any  thing  which 
we  more  carelessly  consider,  or  sooner  forget ; for  we  under- 
take every  thing  as  though  we  were  erecting  for  ourselves  an 
immortality  on  earth.  If  a funeral'  pass  by,  or  we  walk  among 
the  tombs,  because  the  image  of  death  is  then  presented  to  our 
eyes,  we  philosophize,  I confess,  in  an  admirable  manner  con- 
cerning the  vanity  of  the  present  life  ; although  even  that  is 
not  always  the  case,  for  frequently  we  are  quite  unaffected 
with  all  these  things.  But  when  this  effect  is  produced,  our 
philosophy  is  momentary,  vanishing  as  soon  as  we  withdraw, 
and  leaving  not  even  the  smallest  vestige  behind  it ; in  short, 
it  passes  away,  and  is  forgotten  just  like  the  plaudits  of  a the- 
atre at  any  entertaining  exhibition.  And  forgetting  not  only 
death,  but  mortality  itself,  as  though  no  rumour  concerning  it 
had  ever  reached  us,  we  relapse  into  a supine  security  of  im- 
mortality on  earth.  If  any  one,  in  the  mean  time,  reminds  us 
of  the  unwelcome  proverb,  that  man  is  a creature  of  a day,  we 
acknowledge  the  truth  of  it  indeed,  but  with  such  inattention 
that  the  idea  of  perpetually  living  here  still  remains  fixed  in 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


641 


CHAP.  IX.] 

oar  minds.  Who,  then,  can  deny,  that  it  is  highly  useful  to  us 
all,  I do  not  say  to  be  admonished  by  words,  but  by  every  pos- 
sible evidence  to  be  convinced,  of  the  miserable  condition  of 
the  present  life  ; since  even  after  we  are  convinced  of  it,  we 
scarcely  cease  to  be  besotted  with  a perverse  and  foolish  ad- 
miration of  it,  as  though  it  contained  the  greatest  attainable 
blessings  ? But  if  it  be  necessary  for  God  to  instruct  us,  it  is, 
on  the  other  hand,  our  duty  to  listen  to  him  when  he  calls,  and 
rebukes  our  sluggishness  ; in  order  that,  despising  the  world, 
we  may  apply  ourselves  with  our  whole  heart  to  meditate  on 
the  life  which  is. to  come. 

III.  But  believers  should  accustom  themselves  to  such  a 
contempt  of  the  present  life,  as  may  not  generate  either  hatred 
of  life,  or  ingratitude  towards  God.  For  this  life,  though  it  is 
replete  with  innumerable  miseries,  is  yet  deservedly  reckoned 
among  the  Divine  blessings  which  must  not  be  despised. 
Wherefore,  if  we  discover  nothing  of  the  Divine  beneficence  in 
it,  we  are  already  guilty  of  no  small  ingratitude  towards  God 
himself.  But  to  believers  especially  it  should  be  a testimony 
of  the  Divine  benevolence,  since  the  whole  of  it  is  destined  to 
the  advancement  of  their  salvation.  For  before  he  openly  dis- 
covers to  us  the  inheritance  of  eternal  glory,  he  intends  to  re- 
veal himself  as  our  Father  in  inferior  instances;  and  those  are 
the  benefits  which  he  daily  confers  on  us.  Since  this  life, 
then,  is  subservient  to  a knowledge  of  the  Divine  goodness, 
shall  we  fastidiously  scor^t,  as  tho^h  it  contained  no  particle 
of  goodness  in  it  ? W'i  must  thelefore  have  this  sense  and 
affection,  to  class  it  among  the  bounties  of  the  Divine  benignity 
which  are  not  to  be  rejected.  For  if  Scripture  testimonies 
were  wanting,  which  are  very  numerous  and  clear,  even  nature 
itself  exhorts  us  to  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  for  having  intro- 
duced us  to  the  light  of  life,  for  granting  us  the  use  of  it,  and 
giving  us  all  the  helps  necessary  to  its  preservation.  And  it  is 
a far  superior  reason  for  gratitude,  if  we  consider  that  here  we 
are  in  some  measure  prepared  for  the  glory  of  the  heavenly 
kingdom.  For  the  Lord  has  ordained,  that  they  who  are  to 
be  hereafter  crowned  in  heaven,  must  first  engage  in  conflicts 
on  earth,  that  they  may  not  triumph  without  having  surmount- 
ed the  difficulties  of  warfare  and  obtained  the  victory.  Another 
reason  is,  that  here  we  begin  in  various  blessings  to  taste  the 
sweetness  of  the  Divine  benignity,  that  our  hope  and  desire 
may  be  excited  after  the  full  revelation  of  it.  When  we  have 
come  to  this  conclusion,  that  our  life  in  this  world  is  a gift  of 
the  Divine  clemency,  which,  as  we  owe  to  him,  we  ought 
to  remember  with  gratitude,  it  will  then  be  time  for  us  to 
descend  to  a consideration  of  its  most  miserable  condition,  that 
VOL.  I.  81  • 


642  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

we  may  be  delivered  from  excessive  love  of  it,  to  which,  as  has 
been  observed,  we  are  naturally  inclined. 

IV.  Now,  whatever  is  abstracted  from  the  corrupt  love  of 
this  life  should  be  added  to  the  desire  of  a better.  1 grant,  in- 
deed, the  correctness  of  their  opinion,  who  considered  it  as  the 
greatest  blessing  not  to  be  born,  and  as  the  next,  to  die  imme- 
diately. For,  being  heathens,  destitute  of  the  knowledge  of 
God  and  of  true  religion,  what  could  they  see  in  it  but  unhap- 
piness and  misery  ? Nor  was  there  any  thing  irrational  in  the 
conduct  of  those  who  mourned  and  wept  at  the  births  of  their 
relations,  and  solemnly  rejoiced  at  their  funerals.  But  they 
practised  this  without  any  advantage  ; for,  destitute  of  the  true 
doctrine  of  faith,  they  did  not  perceive  how  that  can  conduce 
to  the  benefit  of  the  pious,  which  in  itself  is  neither  blessed 
nor  desirable  ; and  so  their  views  terminated  in  despair.  It 
should  be  the  object  of  believers,  therefore,  in  judging  of 
this  mortal  life,  that  understanding  it  to  be  of  itself  nothing  but 
misery,  they  may  apply  themselves  wholly,  with  increasing 
cheerfulness  and  readiness,  to  meditate  on  the  future  and  eter- 
nal life.  When  we  come  to  this  comparison,  then  indeed  the 
former  may  be  not  only  securely  neglected,  but,  in  competition 
with  the  latter,  altogether  despised  and  abhorred.  For  if 
heaven  is  our  country,  what  is  the  earth  but  a place  of  exile  ? 
If  the  departure  out  of  the  world  is  an  entrance  into  life,  what 
is  the  world  but  a sepulchre  ? What  is  a continuance  in  it 
but  an  absorption  in  deatl^?  If  deliverance  from  the  body  is 
an  introduction  into  comjWete  liberty,  what  is  the  body  but  a 
prison  ? If  to  enjoy  the  presence  of  God  is  the  summit  of 
felicity,  is  it  not  misery  to  be  destitute  of  it  ? But  till  we  es- 
cape out  of  the  world,  ‘‘we  are  absent  from  the  Lord.”  (r) 
Therefore,  if  the  terrestrial  life  be  compared  with  the  celestial, 
it  should  undoubtedly  be  despised  and  accounted  of  no  value. 
It  certainly  is  never  to  be  hated,  except  in  as  much  as  it  keeps 
us  obnoxious  to  sin  ; although  even  that  hatred  is  not  properly 
to  be  applied  to  life  itself.  It  becomes  us,  however,  to  be  so 
atfected  with  weariness  or  hatred  of  it,  as  to  desire  its  end,  but 
to  be  also  prepared  to  remain  in  it  during  the  Divine  pleasure  ; 
that  is  to  say,  our  weariness  should  be  remote  from  all  mur- 
muring and  impatience.  For  it  is  a post  at  which  the  Lord 
has  placed  us,  to  be  retained  by  us  till  he  call  us  away.  Paul, 
indeed,  bewails  his  lot,  that  he  is  kept  in  bondage  by  the  fetters 
of  the  body  longer  than  he  would  wish,  and  sighs  with  an 
ardent  desire  of  deliverance  ; (s)  nevertheless,  obedient  to  the 
Divine  authority,  he  professes  himself  prepared  for  both  ; for 
lie  acknowledges  himself  under  an  obligation  to  God  to  glorify 


(r)  2 Cor.  v.  6. 


(s)  Rom.  vii.  24. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


643 


CHAP.  IX.] 

his  name  either  by  life  or  by  death  ; {t)  but  that  it  belongs  to 
the  Lord  to  determine  what  will  conduce  most  to  his  glory. 
Therefore,  if  it  becomes  us  ‘‘  to  live  and  to  die  to  the  Lord,” 
let  us  leave  the  limits  of  our  life  and  death  to  his  decision ; yet 
in  such  a manner,  as  ardently  to  desire  and  continually  to  me- 
ditate on  the  latter,  but  to  despise  the  former  in  comparison  with 
future  immortality,  and  on  account  of  the  servitude  of  sin,  to 
wish  to  forsake  it  whenever  it  shall  please  the  Lord. 

V.  But  it  is  monstrous,  that  instead  of  this  desire  of  death, 
multitudes  who  boast  themselves  to  be  Christians,  are  filled 
with  such  a dread  of  it,  that  they  tremble  whenever  it  is  men- 
tioned, as  if  it  were  the  greatest  calamity  that  could  befall 
them.  It  is  no  wonder,  indeed,  if  our  natural  feelings  should 
be  alarmed  at  hearing  of  our  dissolution.  But  it  is  intolerable 
that  there  should  not  be  in  a Christian  breast  sufficient  light  of 
piety  to  overcome  and  suppress  all  that  fear  with  superior  con- 
solation. For  if  we  consider,  that  this  unstable,  depraved, 
corruptible,  frail,  withering,  and  rotten  tabernacle  of  our  body 
is  dissolved,  in  order  that  it  may  hereafter  be  restored  to  a 
durable,  perfect,  incorruptible,  and  heavenly  glory,  — will  not 
faith  constrain  us  ardently  to  desire  what  nature  dreads  ? If 
we  consider,  that  by  death  we  are  recalled  from  exile  to 
inhabit  our  own  country,  and  that  a heavenly  one,  shall  we 
derive  thence  no  consolation  ? But  it  will  be  said,  There  is 
nothing  that  does  not  desire  to  be  permanent.  I admit  it ; 
and  contend  that  we  ought  therefore  to  direct  our  views  to  a 
future  immortality,  where  we  may  obtain  a fixed  condition, 
which  is  nowhere  to  be  found  on  earth.  For  Paul  excellently 
teaches  believers  to  go  with  alacrity  to  death,  not  for  that 
they  would  be  unclothed,  but  clothed  upon.”  (x)  Shall  brute 
animals,  and  even  inanimate  creatures,  down  to  stocks  and 
stones,  conscious  of  their  present  vanity,  be  looking  forward  to 
the  resurrection  at  the  last  day,  that  they  may  be  delivered 
from  vanity,  together  with  the  children  of  God  ; and  shall  we, 
endued  with  the  light  of  understanding,  and,  what  is  superior 
to  the  natural  understanding,  illuminated  with  the  Spirit  of 
God,  when  the  question  respects  our  own  existence,  not  raise 
our  minds  above  the  corruption  of  this  world  ? But  it  is  not 
necessary  to  my  present  design,  nor  suitable  in  this  place,  to 
argue  against  such  extreme  perverseness.  And  I have  already 
declared  in  the  beginning,  that  I Avould  not  undertake  a diffuse 
discussion  of  commonplace  topics.  I would  persuade  such 
timid  minds  to  read  Cyprian’s  treatise  on  Mortality,  did  they 
not  deserve  rather  to  be  referred  to  the  philosophers,  that 
they  may  begin  to  blush,  when  they  see  the  contempt  of  death 


(t)  Phil.  i.  20. 


(m)  Rom.  xiv.  7,  8. 


(x)  2 Cor.  V.  4. 


644 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III, 


discovered  by  them.  But  this  we  may  positive  .y  conclude, 
that  no  man  has  made  any  good  proficiency  in  the  school  of 
Christ,  but  he  who  joyfully  expects  both  the  day  of  death  and 
that  of  the  final  resurrection.  For  Paul  describes  all  believers 
by  this  character,  {y)  and  the  Scripture  often  recalls  our  atten- 
tion to  it,  when  it  intends  to  furnish  us  with  a reason  for  true 
joy.  “Look  up,”  saith  the  Lord,  “and  lift  up  your  heads; 
for  your  redemption  draweth  nigh.”  (2:)  Is  it  reasonable,  that 
what  he  designed  so  powerfully  to  excite  us  to  exultation  and 
alacrity,  should  produce  nothing  but  sorrow  and  consternation  ? 
If  this  be  the  case,  why  do  we  still  glory  in  him  as  our  Mas- 
ter ? Let  us  therefore  acquire  a sounder  judgment ; and  not- 
withstanding the  opposition  of  the  blind  and  stupid  cupidity  of 
our  flesh,  let  us  not  hesitate  ardently  to  desire  the  advent  of 
the  Lord,  as  of  all  events  the  most  auspicious.  For  he  shall 
come  to  us  as  a Redeemer,  to  deliver  us  from  this  bottomless 
gulf  of  all  evils  and  miseries,  and  introduce  us  into  that  blessed 
inheritance  of  his  life  and  glory. 

YI.  It  is  certainly  true,  that  the  whole  family  of  believers, 
as  long  as  they  dwell  on  the  earth,  must  be  “accounted  as 
sheep  for  the  slaughter,”  (a)  that  they  may  be  conformed  to 
Christ  their  Head.  Their  state,  therefore,  would  be  extreme- 
ly deplorable,  if  they  did  not  elevate  their  thoughts  towards 
heaven,  rise  above  all  sublunary  things,  and  look  beyond  pre- 
sent appearances,  {h)  On  the  contrary,  when  they  have  once 
raised  their  heads  above  this  world,  although  they  see  the 
impious  flourishing  in  riches  and  honours,  and  enjoying  the 
most  profound  tranquillity ; though  they  see  them  boasting  of 
their  splendour  and  luxury,  and  behold  them  abounding  in 
every  delight ; though  they  may  also  be  harassed  by  their 
wickedness,  insulted  by  their  pride,  defrauded  by  their  avarice, 
and  may  receive  from  them  any  other  lawless  provocations,  — 
yet  they  will  find  no  difficulty  in  supporting  themselves  even 
under  such  calamities  as  these.  For  they  will  keep  in  view 
that  day  when  the  Lord  will  receive  his  faithful  servants  into 
his  peaceful  kingdom ; will  wipe  every  tear  from  their  eyes,  (c; 
invest  them  with  robes  of  joy,  adorn  them  with  crowns  of 
glory,  entertain  them  with  his  ineffable  delights,  exalt  them  to 
fellowship  with  his  majesty,  and,  in  a word,  honour  them  with 
a participation  of  his  happiness.  But  the  impious,  who  have 
been  great  in  this  world,  he  will  precipitate  down  to  the  loAvest 
ignominy ; he  will  change  their  delights  into  torments,  and 
their  laughter  and  mirth  into  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth , 
he  will  disturb  their  tranquillity  with  dreadful  agonies  of  con- 


(a)  Rom.  viii.  36. 


(y)  Titus  ii.  13. 


{b)  1 Cor.  XV.  19. 


(z)  Luke  xxi.  28. 

(c)  Isaiah  xxv.  8.  Rev.  vii.  17. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  645 

science,  and  will  punish  their  delicacy  with  inextinguishable 
fire,  and  even  put  them  in  subjection  to  the  pious,  whose 
patience  they  have  abused.  For,  according  to  Paul,  it  is  a 
righteous  thing  with  God  to  recompense  tribulation  to  them 
that  trouble”  the  saints,  ‘^and  to  ” them  ^‘who  are  troubled, 
rest,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven.”  [d) 
This  is  our  only  consolation ; and  deprived  of  this,  we  must 
of  necessity  either  sink  into  despondency  of  mind,  or  solace 
ourselves  to  our  own  destruction  with  the  vain  pleasures  of 
the  world.  For  even  the  Psalmist  confesses  that  he  stag- 
gered, (e)  when  he  was  too  much  engaged  in  contemplating 
the  present  prosperity  of  the  impious ; and  that  he  could 
no  otherwise  establish  himself,  till  he  entered  the  sanctuary 
of  God,  and  directed  his  views  to  the  last  end  of  the  godly 
and  of  the  wicked.  To  conclude  in  one  word,  the  cross 
of  Christ  triumphs,  in  the  hearts  of  believers,  over  the  devil  and 
the  flesh,  over  sin  and  impious  men,  only  when  their  eyes  are 
directed  to  the  power  of  the  resurrection. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  RIGHT  USE  OF  THE  PRESENT  LIFE  AND  ITS  SUPPORTS. 

By  such  principles,  the  Scripture  also  fully  instructs  us  in 
the  right  use  of  terrestrial  blessings  — a thing  that  ought  not  to 
be  neglected  in  a plan  for  the  regulation  of  life.  For  if  we 
must  live,  we  must  also  use  the  necessary  supports  of  life  ; nor 
can  we  avoid  even  those  things  which  appear  to  subserve  our 
pleasures  rather  than  our  necessities.  It  behooves  us,  therefore, 
to  observe  moderation,  that  we  may  use  them  with  a pure 
conscience,  whether  for  necessity  or  for  pleasure.  This  the 
Lord  prescribes  in  his  word,  when  he  teaches  us,  that  to  his 
servants  the  present  life  is  like  a pilgrimage,  in  which  they 
are  travelling  towards  the  celestial  kingdom.  If  we  are  only 
to  pass  through  the  earth,  we  ought  undoubtedly  to  make 
such  a use  of  its  blessings  as  will  rather  assist  than  retard  us 
in  our  journey.  It  is  not  without  reason,  therefore,  that  Paul 
advises  us  to  use  this  world  as  though  we  used  it  not,  and  to 
buy  with  the  same  disposition  with  which  we  sell.  (/)  But 
as  this  is  a difficult  subject,  and  there  is  danger  of  falling  into 
one  of  two  opposite  errors,  let  us  endeavour  to  proceed  on  safe 
ground,  that  we  may  avoid  both  extremes.  For  there  have 


2 Thess,  i.  C,  7. 


(e)  Psaira  Ixxiii.  2,  &c. 


(/)  1 Cor.  vii.  30,  31. 


646  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III 

been  some,  in  other  respects  good  and  holy  men,  who,  seeing 
that  intemperance  and  luxury,  unless  restrained  with  more  than 
ordinary  severity,  would  perpetually  indulge  the  most  extrava- 
gant excesses,  and  desiring  to  correct  such  a pernicious  evil, 
have  adopted  the  only  method  which  occurred  to  them,  by 
permitting  men  to  use  corporeal  blessings  no  further  than  their 
necessity  should  absolutely  require.  This  advice  was  well 
intended,  but  they  were  far  too  austere.  For  they  committed 
the  very  dangerous  error  of  imposing  on  the  conscience  stricter 
rules  than  those  which  are  prescribed  to  it  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord.  By  restriction  within  the  demands  of  necessity,  they 
meant  an  abstinence  from  every  thing  from  which  it  is  possible 
to  abstain  ; so  that,  according  to  them,  it  would  scarcely  be 
lawful  to  eat  or  drink  any  thing  but  bread  and  water.  Others 
have  discovered  still  greater  austerity,  like  Crates  the  Theban, 
who  is  said  to  have  thrown  his  wealth  into  the  sea,  from  an 
apprehension  that,  unless  it  were  destroyed,  he  should  himself 
be  destroyed  by  it.  On  the  contrary,  many  in  the  present  day, 
who  seek  a pretext  to  excuse  intemperance  in  the  use  of  exter- 
nal things,  and  at  the  same  time  desire  to  indulge  the  licen- 
tiousness of  the  flesh,  assume  as  granted,  what  I by  ho  means 
concede  to  them,  that  this  liberty  is  not  to  be  restricted  by  any 
limitation ; but  that  it  ought  to  be  left  to  the  conscience  of 
every  individual  to  use  as  much  as  he  thinks  lawful  for  him- 
self. I grant,  indeed,  that  it  is  neither  right  nor  possible  to 
bind  the  conscience  with  the  fixed  and  precise  rules  of  law  in 
this  case  ; but  since  the  Scripture  delivers  general  rules  for  the 
lawful  use  of  earthly  things,  our  practice  ought  certainly  to  be 
regulated  by  them. 

II.  It  must  be  laid  down  as  a principle,  that  the  use  of  the 
gifts  of  God  is  not  erroneous,  when  it  is  directed  to  the  same 
end  for  which  the  Creator  himself  has  created  and  appointed 
them  for  us  ; since  he  has  created  them  for  our  benefit,  not  for 
our  injury.  Wherefore,  no  one  will  observe  a more  proper  rule, 
than  he  who  shall  diligently  regard  this  end.  Now,  if  we  con- 
sider for  what  end  he  has  created  the  various  kinds  of  aliment, 
we  shall  find  that  he  intended  to  provide  not  only  for  our  ne- 
cessity, but  likewise  for  oiir  pleasure  and  delight.  So  in  cloth- 
ing, he  has  had  in  view  not  mere  necessity,  but  propriety  and 
decency.  In  herbs,  trees,  and  fruits,  beside  their  various  uses, 
his  design  has  been  to  gratify  us  by  graceful  forms  and  pleasant 
odours.  For  if  this  were  not  true,  the  Psalmist  would  not  re- 
count among  the  Divine  blessings,  “ wine  that  maketh  glad  the 
heart  of  man,  and  oil  to  make  his  face  to  shine  ; ” (g)  nor 
would  the  Scriptures  universally  declare,  in  commendation  of 
his  goodness,  that  he  has  given  all  these  things  to  men.  And 

(g)  Psalm  civ.  15. 


CHAP.  X.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  647 

even  the  natural  properties  of  things  sufficiently  indicate  for 
what  end,  and  to  what  extent,  it  is  lawful  to  use  them.  But 
shall  the  Lord  have  endued  flowers  with  such  beauty,  to  pre- 
sent itself  to  our  eyes,  with  such  sweetness  of  smell,  to  impress 
our  sense  of  smelling  ; and  shall  it  be  unlawful  for  our  eyes  to 
be  affected  with  the  beautiful  sight,  or  our  olfactory  nerves 
with  the  agreeable  odour  ? What ! has  he  not  made  such  a 
distinction  of  colours  as  to  render  some  more  agreeable  than 
others  ? Has  he  not  given  to  gold  and  silver,  to  ivory  and 
marble,  a beauty  which  makes  them  more  precious  than  other 
metals  or  stones  ? In  a word,  has  he  not  made  many  things 
worthy  of  our  estimation,  independently  of  any  necessary  use  ? 

III.  Let  us  discard,  therefore,  that  inhuman  philosophy 
which,  allowing  no  use  of  the  creatures  but  what  is  absolutely 
necessary,  not  only  malignantly  deprives  us  of  the  lawful  en- 
joyment of  the  Divine  beneficence,  but  which  cannot  be  em- 
braced till  it  has  despoiled  man  of  all  his  senses,  and  reduced 
him  to  a senseless  block.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must, 
with  equal  diligence,  oppose  the  licentiousness  of  the  flesh  ; 
which,  unless  it  be  rigidly  restrained,  transgresses  every  bound. 
And,  as  I have  observed,  it  has  its  advocates,  who,  under  the 
pretext  of  liberty,  allow  it  every  thing.  In  the  first  place,  it 
will  be  one  check  to  it,  if  it  be  concluded,  that  all  things  are 
made  for  us,  in  order  that  we  may  know  and  acknowledge 
their  Author,  and  celebrate  his  goodness  towards  us  by  giving 
him  thanks.  What  will  become  of  thanksgiving,  if  you  over- 
charge yourself  with  dainties  or  wine,  so  as  to  be  stupefied  or 
rendered  unfit  for  the  duties  of  piety  and  the  business  of  your 
station  ? Where  is  any  acknowledgment  of  God,  if  your  body, 
in  consequence  of  excessive  abundance,  being  inflamed  with  the 
vilest  passions,  infects  the  mind  with  its  impurity,  so  that  you 
cannot  discern  what  is  right  or  virtuous  ? Where  is  gratitude 
towards  God  for  clothing,  if,  on  account  of  our  sumptuous 
apparel,  we  admire  ourselves  and  despise  others  ? if  witlr  the 
elegance  and  beauty  of  it,  we  prepare  ourselves  for  unchastity  ? 
Where  is  our  acknowledgment  of  God,  if  our  minds  be  fixed 
on  the  splendour  of  our  garments  ? For  many  so  entirely  de- 
vote all  their  senses  to  the  pursuit  of  pleasure,  that  the  mind 
is,  as  it  were,  buried  in  it ; many  are  so  delighted  with  marble, 
gold,  and  pictures,  that  they  become  like  statues,  are,  as  it 
were,  metamorphosed  into  metal,  and  resemble  painted  images. 
The  flavour  of  meats,  or  the  sweetness  of  odours,  so  stupefies 
some,  that  they  have  no  relish  for  any  thing  spiritual.  The  same 
may  be  observed  in  other  cases.  Wherefore  it  is  evident,  that 
this  principle  lays  some  restraint  on  the  license  of  abusing  the 
Divine  bounties,  and  confirms  the  rule  given  us  by  Paul,  that 
we  “ make  not  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  there- 


648 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III 

of;”(z)  which,  if  they  are  allowed  too  much  latitude,  will 
transgress  all  the  bounds  of  temperance  and  moderation. 

IV.  But  there  is  no  way  more  certain  or  concise,  than  what 
we  derive  from  a contempt  of  the  present  life,  and  meditation 
on  a heavenly  immortality.  For  thence  follow  two  rules, 
"^hp  .first  is,  that  they  that  have  wives  be  as  though  they  had 
none ; and  they  that  buy,  as  though  they  possessed  not ; and 
they  that  use  this  world,  as  not  abusing  it;  ” {k)  according  to 
the  direction  of  Paul : .the,  second,  that  we  should  learn  to  bear 
penury  with  tranquillity  and  patience,  as  well  as  to  enjoy 
abundance  with  moderation.  He  who  commands  us  to  use 
this  world  as  though  we  used  it  not,  prohibits  not  only  all  in- 
temperance in  eating  and  drinking,  and  excessive  delicacy,  am- 
bition, pride,  haughtiness,  and  fastidiousness  in  our  furniture, 
our  habitations,  and  our  apparel,  but  every  care  and  affection, 
which  would  either  seduce  or  disturb  us  from  thoughts  of  the 
heavenly  life,  and  attention  to  the  improvement  of  our  souls. 
Now,  it  was  anciently  and  truly  observed  by  Cato,  That  there 
is  a great  concern  about  adorning  the  body,  and  a great  care- 
lessness about  virtue  ; and  it  is  an  old  proverb.  That  they  who 
are  much  engaged  in  the  care  of  the  body,  are  generally  negli- 
gent of  the  soul.  Therefore,  though  the  liberty  of  believers 
in  external  things  cannot  be  reduced  to  certain  rules,  yet  it  is 
evidently  subject  to  this  law,  That  they  should  indulge  them- 
selves as  little  as  possible ; that,  on  the  contrary,  they  should 
perpetually  and  resolutely  exert  themselves  to  retrench  all  su- 
perfluities and  to  restrain  luxury ; and  that  they  should  dili- 
gently beware  lest  they  pervert  into  impediments  things  which 
were  given  for  their  assistance. 

V. ^  The  other  rule  will  be.  That  persons  whose  property  is 
small  should  learn  to  be  patient  under  their  privations,  that 
they  may  not  be  tormented  with  an  immoderate  desire  of 
riches.  They  who  observe  this  moderation,  have  attained  no 
small  proficiency  in  the  school  of  the  Lord,  as  he  who  has 
made  no  proficiency  in  this  point  can  scarcely  give  any  proof 
of  his  being  a disciple  of  Christ.  For  besides  that  an  inordi- 
nate desire  of  earthly  things  is  accompanied  by  most  other 
vices,  he  who  is  impatient  under  penury,  in  abundance  gene- 
rally betrays  the  opposite  passion.  By  this  I mean,  that  he  who 
is  ashamed  of  a mean  garment,  will  be  proud  of  a splendid  one  ; 
he  who,  not  content  with  a slender  meal,  is  disquieted  with  the 
desire  of  a more  sumptuous  one,  would  also  intemperately 
abuse  those  dainties,  should  they  fall  to  his  lot  ; he  who  bears 
a private  and  mean  condition  with  discontent  and  disquie- 
tude, would  not  abstain  from  pride  and  arrogance,  should  he 


(i)  Rom.  xiii.  14. 


{k)  1 Cor.  vii.  29,  30,  31. 


CHAP.  X.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


649 


rise  to  eminence  and  honours.  Let  all,  therefore,  who  are  sin- 
cere in  the  practice  of  piety,  earnestly  endeavour  to  learn,  after 
the  apostolic  example,  “ both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both 
to  abound  and  to  suffer  need.”  (1)  The  Scripture  has  also  a 
third  rule,  by  which  it  regulates  the  use  of  earthly  things  ; of 
which  something  was  said,  when  we  treated  of  the  precepts  of 
charity.  For  it  states,  that  while  all  these  things  are  given  to 
us  by  the  Divine  goodness,  and  appointed  for  our  benefit,  they 
are,  as  it  were,  deposits  intrusted  to  our  care,  of  which  we  must 
one  day  give  an  account.  We  ought,  therefore,  to  manage 
them  in  such  a manner  that  this  alarm  may  be  incessantly 
sounding  in  our  ears,  “ Give  an  account  of  thy  stewardship.”  (m) 
Let  it  also  be  remembered  by  whom  this  account  is  demanded  ; 
that  it  is  by  him  who  has  so  highly  recommended  abstinence, 
sobriety,  frugality,  and  modesty  ; who  abhors  profusion,  pride, 
ostentation,  and  vanity  ; who  approves  of  no  other  management 
of  his  blessings,  than  such  as  is  connected  with  charity ; who 
has  with  his  own  mouth  already  condemned  all  those  pleasures 
which  seduce  the  heart  from  chastity  and  purity,  or  tend  to 
impair  the  understanding. 

VI.  Lastly,  it  is  to  be  remarked,  that  the  Lord  commands 
every  one  of  us,  in  all  the  actions  of  life,  to  regard  his  vocation. 
For  he  knows  with  what  great  inquietude  the  human  mind  is 
inflamed,  with  what  desultory  levity  it  is  hurried  hither  and 
thither,  and  how  insatiable  is  its  ambition  to  grasp  dilferent 
things  at  once.  Therefore,  to  prevent  universal  confusion  be- 
ing prodaced  by  our  folly  and  temerity,  he  has  appointed  to  all 
their  particular  duties  in  different  spheres  of  life.  And  that  no 
one  might  rashly  transgress  the  limits  prescribed,  he  has  styled 
such  spheres  of  life  vocations^  or  callings.  Every  individual’s 
line  of  life,  therefore,  is,  as  it  were,  a post  assigned  him  by 
the  Lord,  that  he  may  not  wander  about  in  uncertainty  all  his 
days.  And  so  necessary  is  this  distinction,  that  in  his  sight  all 
our  actions  are  estimated  according  to  it,  and  often  very  differ- 
ently from  the  sentence  of  human  reason  and  philosophy. 
There  is  no  exploit  esteemed  more  honourable,  even  among 
philosophers,  than  to  deliver  our  country  from  tyranny  ; but  the 
voice  of  the  celestial  Judge  openly  condemns  the  private  man 
who  lays  violent  hands  on  a tyrant.  It  is  not  my  design,  how- 
ever, to  stay  to  enumerate  examples.  It  is  sufficient  if  we 
know  that  the  principle  and  foundation  of  right  conduct  in 
every  case  is  the  vocation  of  the  Lord,  and  that  he  who  disre- 
gards it  will  never  keep  the  right  way  in  the  duties  of  his  sta- 
tion. He  may  sometimes,  perhaps,  achieve  sometliing  appa- 
rej  itly  laudable ; but  however  it  may  appear  in  the  eyes  of  men. 


VOL.  I. 


(0  Phil.  iv.  12. 
I.  82 


(m)  Luke  xvi.  2. 


650  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III 

it  will  be  rejected  at  the  throne  of  God  ; besides  which,  there 
will  be  no  consistency  between  the  various  parts  of  his  life. 
Our  life,  therefore,  will  then  be  best  regulated,  when  it  is  di- 
rected to  this  mark  ; since  no  one  will  be  impelled  by  his  own 
temerity  to  attempt  more  than  is  compatible  with  his  calling, 
because  he  will  know  that  it  is  unlawful  to  transgress  the 
bounds  assigned  him.  He  that  is  in  obscurity  Avill  lead  a pri- 
vate life  without  discontent,  so  as  not  to  desert  the  station  in 
which  God  has  placed  him.  It  will  also  be  no  small  alleviation 
of  his  cares,  labours,  troubles,  and  other  burdens,  when  a man 
knows  that  in  all  these  things  he  has  God  for  his  guide.  The 
magistrate  will  execute  his  office  with  greater  pleasure,  the 
father  of  a family  will  confine  himself  to  his  duty  with  more 
satisfaction,  and  all,  in  their  respective  spheres  of  life,  will  bear 
and  surmount  the  inconveniences,  cares,  disappointments,  and 
anxieties  which  befall  them,  when  they  shall  be  persuaded  that 
every  individual  has  his  burden  laid  upon  him  by  God.  Hence 
also  will  arise  peculiar  consolation,  since  there  will  be  no  em- 
ployment so  mean  and  sordid  (provided  we  follow  our  vocation) 
as  not  to  appear  truly  respectable,  and  be  deemed  highly  im- 
portant in  the  sight  of  God. 


CHAPTER  XL 

JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH.  THE  NAME  AND  THING  DEFINED. 

I THINK  I have  already  explained,  with  sufficient  care,  how 
that  men,  being  subject  to  the  curse  of  the  law,  have  no  means 
left  of  attaining  salvation  but  through  faith  alone  ; and  also 
what  faith  itself  is,  what  Divine  blessings  it  confers  on  man, 
and  what  effects  it  produces  in  him.  The  substance  of  what  I 
have  advanced  is,  that  Christ,  being  given  to  us  by  the  good- 
ness of  God,  is  apprehended  and  possessed  by  us  by  faith,  by  a 
participation  of  whom  we  receive  especially  two  benefits.  In 
the  first  place,  being  by  his  innocence  reconciled  to  God,  we 
have  in  heaven  a propitious  father  instead  of  a judge ; in  the 
next  place,  being  sanctified  by  his  Spirit,  we  devote  ourselves 
to  innocence  and  purity  of  life.  Of  regeneration,  which  is  the 
second  benefit,  I have  said  what  I thought  was  sufficient. 
The  method  of  justification  has  been  but  slightly  touched,  be- 
cause it  was  necessary,  first  to  understand  that  the  faith,  by 
which  alone  we  attain  gratuitous  justification  through  the  Di- 
vine mercy,  is  not  unattended  with  good  works,  and  what  is 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  651 

the  nature  of  the  good  works  of  the  saints,  in  which  part  of 
this  question  consists.  The  subject  of  justification,  therefore, 
must  now  be  fully  discussed,  and  discussed  with  the  recollection 
that  it  is  the  principal  hinge  by  which  religion  is  supported,  in 
order  that  we  may  apply  to  it  with  the  greater  attention  and 
care.  For  unless  we  first  of  all  apprehend  in  what  situation 
we  stand  with  respect  to  God,  and  what  his  judgment  is  con- 
cerning us,  we  have  no  foundation  either  for  a certainty  of  sal- 
vation, or  for  the  exercise  of  piety  towards  God.  But  the  ne- 
cessity of  knowing  this  subject  will  be  more  evident  from  the 
knowledge  itself. 

II.  But  that  we  may  not  stumble  at  the  threshold,  (which 
would  be  the  case  were  we  to  enter  on  a disputation  concerning 
a subject  not  understood  by  us,)  let  us  first  explain  the  meaning 
of  these  expressions  To  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,  To 
he  justified  by  faith  or  by  works.  He  is  said  to  he.  justified  in 
the  sight  of  God  who  in  the  Divine  judgment  is  reputed  right- 
eous, and  accepted  on  account  of  his  righteousness  ; for  as 
iniquity  is  abominable  to  God,  so  no  sinner  can  find  favour  in 
his  sight,  as  a sinner,  or  so  long  as  he  is  considered  as  such. 
Wherever  sin  is,  therefore,  it  is  accompanied  with  the  wrath 
and  vengeance  of  God.  He  is  justified  who  is  considered  not 
as  a sinner,  but  as  a righteous  person,  and  on  that  account 
stands  in  safety  before  the  tribunal  of  God,  where  all  sinners 
are  confounded  and  ruined.  As,  if  an  innocent  man  be  brought 
under  an  accusation  before  the  tribunal  of  a just  judge,  when 
judgment  is  passed  according  to  his  innocence,  he  is  said  to  be 
justified  or  acquitted  before  the  judge,  so  he  is  justified  before 
God,  who,  not  being  numbered  among  sinners,  has  God  for 
a witness  and  asserter  of  his  righteousness.  Thus  he  must  be 
said,  therefore,  to  he  justified  by  ujorks,  whose  life  discovers  such 
purity  and  holiness,  as  to  deserve  the  character  of  righteousness 
before  the  throne  of  God ; or  who,  by  the  integrity  of  his 
works,  can  answer  and  satisfy  the  divine  judgment.  On  the 
other  hand,  he  will  be  justified  by  faith,  who,  being  excluded 
from  the  righteousness  of  works,  apprehends  by  faith  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  invested  in  which,  he  appears,  in  the  sight 
of  God,  not  as  a sinner,  but  as  a righteous  man.  Thus  we 
simply  explain  justification  to  be  an  acceptance,  by  which  God 
receives  us  into  his  favour,  and  esteems  us  as  righteous  persons  ; 
and  we  say  that  it  consists  in  the  remission  of  sins  and  the 
imputation  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 

III.  For  the  confirmation  of  this  point  there  are  many  plain 
testimonies  of  Scripture.  In  the  first  place,  that  this  is  the 
proper  and  most  usual  signification  of  the  word,  cannot  be 
denied.  But  since  it  would  be  too  tedious  to  collect  all  the 
passages  and  compare  them  together,  let  it  suffice  to  have 


652  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

suggested  it  to  the  reader ; for  he  will  easily  observe  it  of  him- 
self. I will  only  produce  a few  places,  where  this  justification, 
which  we  speak  of,  is  expressly  handled.  First,  where  Luke 
relates  that  “ the  people  that  heard  Christ  justified  God  ; ” and 
where  Christ  pronounces  that  wisdom  is  justified  of  all  her 
children.”  {n)  To  justify  God,  in  the  former  passage,  does 
not  signify  to  confer  righteousness,  which  always  remains 
perfect  in  him,  although  the  whole  world  endeavour  to  rob  him 
of  it ; nor,  in  the  latter  passage,  does  the  justifying  of  ivisdom 
denote  making  the  doctrine  of  salvation  righteous,  which  is  so 
of  itself ; but  both  passages  imply  an  ascription  to  God  and  to  his 
doctrine  of  the  praise  which  they  deserve.  Again,  when  Christ 
reprehends  the  Pharisees  for  ‘‘justifying  themselves,”  (o)  he 
does  not  mean  that  they  attained  righteousness  by  doing  what 
was  right,  but  that  they  ostentatiously  endeavoured  to  gain  the 
character  of  righteousness,  of  which  they  were  destitute.  This 
is  better  understood  by  persons  who  are  skilled  in  the  Hebrew 
language  ; which  gives  the  appellation  of  sinners,  not  only  to 
those  who  are  conscious  to  themselves  of  sin,  hut  to  persons  who 
fall  under  a sentence  of  condemnation.  For  Bathsheba,  when 
she  says,  “ land  my  son  Solomon  shall  be  counted  offenders,”  or 
sinners,  {p)  confesses  no  crime,  but  complains,  that  she  and  her 
son  will  be  exposed  to  the  disgrace  of  being  numbered  among 
condemned  criminals.  And  it  appears  from  the  context,  that 
this  word,  even  in  the  translation,  cannot  be  understood  in  any 
other  than  a relative  sense,  and  that  it  does  not  denote  the  real 
character.  But  with  respect  to  the  present  subject,  where  Paul 
says,  “ The  Scripture  foresaw  that  God  would  justify  the  heathen 
through  faith,”  [q)  what  can  we  understand,  but  that  God  im- 
putes righteousness  through  faith?  Again,  when  he  says  that 
God  “justifieth  the  ungodly  which  believeth  in  Jesus,”  (r) 
what  can  be  the  meaning,  but  that  he  delivers  him  by  the 
blessing  of  faith  from  the  condemnation  deserved  by  his  ungod- 
liness ? He  speaks  still  more  plainly  in  the  conclusion,  when  he 
thus  exclaims  : “ Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God’s 
elect  ? It  is  God  that  justifieth.  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ? 
It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  also 
maketh  intercession  for  us.”  (s)  For  it  is  just  as  if  he  had 
said.  Who  shall  accuse  them  whom  God  absolves  ? Who  shall 
condemn  those  for  whom  Christ  intercedes?  Justification, 
therefore,  is  no  other  than  an  accpiittal  from  guilt  of  him  who 
was  accused,  as  though  his  innocence  had  been  proved.  Since 
God,  therefore,  justifies  us  through  the  mediation  of  Christ,  he 
accpiits  us,  not  by  an  admission  of  our  personal  innocence,  but 


(/?)  Luke  vii.  20,  35. 
(o)  Luke  xvi.  15. 


(p)  1 Kings  i.  21. 
(</)  Gal.  iii.  8. 


(r)  Rom,  iii.  26 ; iv.  5. 

(s)  Rom.  viii.  33,  34. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


653 


CHAP.  XI.] 

by  an  imputation  of  righteousness ; so  that  we,  who  are  un- 
righteous in  ourselves,  are  considered  as  righteous  in  Christ. 
This  is  the  doctrine  preached  by  Paul  in  the  thirteenth  chapter 
of  the  Acts : “ Through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the 
forgiveness  of  sins;  and  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justifies d 
from  all  things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law 
of  Moses.”  (t)  We  see  that  after  remission  of  sins,  this  jus- 
tification is  mentioned,  as  if  by  way  of  explanation : we  see 
clearly  that  it  means  an  acquittal ; that  it  is  separated  from  the 
works  of  the  law  ; that  it  is  a mere  favour  of  Christ ; that  it  is 
apprehended  by  faith : we  see,  finally,  the  interposition  of 
a satisfaction,  when  he  says  that  we  are  justified  from  sms  by 
Christ.  Thus,  when  it  is  said,  that  the  publican  “ went  down 
to  his  house  justified,”  (ii)  we  cannot  say  that  he  obtained 
righteousness  by  any  merit  of  works.  The  meaning  therefore 
is,  that  after  he  had  obtained  the  pardon  of  his  sins,  he  was 
considered  as  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God.  He  was  righteous, 
therefore,  not  through  any  approbation  of  his  works,  but  through 
God’s  gracious  absolution.  Wherefore  Ambrose  beautifully 
styles  confession  of  sins,  a legitimate  justification. 

IV.  But  leaving  all  contention  about  the  term,  if  we  attend 
to  the  thing  itself,  as  it  is  described  to  us,  every  doubt  will  be 
removed.  For  Paul  certainly  describes  justification  as  an  ac- 
ceptance, when  he  says  to  the  Ephesians,  God  hath  predesti- 
nated us  to  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself, 
according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  to  the  praise  of  the 
glory  of  his  grace,  wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted.”  (iv) 
The  meaning  of  this  passage  is  the  same  as  when  in  another 
place  we  are  said  to  be  “justified  freely  by  his  grace.”  (.r) 
But  in  the  fourth  chapter  to  the  Romans,  he  first  mentions  an 
imputation  of  righteousness,  and  immediately  represents  it  as 
consisting  in  remission  of  sins.  “ David,”  says  he,  “ describeth 
the  blessedness  of  the  man  unto  whom  God  imputeth  right- 
eousness without  works,  saying,  Blessed  are  they  whose  iniqui- 
ties are  forgiven,”  dec.  (y)  He  there,  indeed,  argues  not  con- 
cerning a branch,  but  the  whole  of  justification.  He  also  ad- 
duces the  definition  of  it  given  by  David,  when  he  pronounces 
them  to  be  blessed  who  receive  the  free  forgiveness  of  their 
sins  ; whence  it  appears,  that  this  righteousness  of  which  he 
speaks  is  simply  opposed  to  guih.  But  the  most  decisive  pas- 
sage of  all  on  this  point,  is  where  he  teaches  us  that  the  grand 
object  of  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  is,  that  we  may  “ be  re- 
conciled to  God,”  because  he  is  pleased  to  receive  us  into  his 
favour  through  Christ,  “ not  imputing  ” our  “ trespasses  unto  ” 


(u)  Luke  xviii.  14.  (to)  Eph.  i.  5,  6. 

(y)  Rom.  iv.  G — b. 


(t)  Acts  xiii.  38,  39. 

(x)  Rom.  iii.  24. 


654 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

US.  {z)  Let  the  reader  carefully  examine  the  whole  context ; 
for  when,  by  way  of  explanation,  he  just  after  adds,  in  order  to 
describe  the  method  of  reconciliation,  that  Christ,  “ who  knew 
no  sin,”  Wcis  “made  sin  for  us,”  (a)  he  undoubtedly  means  by 
the  term  “ reconciliation,”  no  other  than  justification.  Nor 
would  there  be  any  truth  in  what  he  affirms  in  another  place, 
that  we  are  “made  righteous  by  the  obedience  of  Christ,”  {h) 
unless  we  are  reputed  righteous  before  God,  in  him,  and  out 
of  ourselves. 

V.  But  since  Osiander  has  introduced  I know  not  what 
monstrous  notion  of  essential  righteousness,  by  which,  though 
he  had  no  intention  to  destroy  justification  by  grace,  yet  he 
has  involved  it  in  such  obscurity  as  darkens  pious  minds,  and 
deprives  them  of  a serious  sense  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  — it 
will  be  worth  while,  before  I pass  to  any  thing  else,  to  refute 
this  idle  notion.  In  the  first  place,  this  speculation  is  the  mere 
fruit  of  insatiable  curiosity.  He  accumulates,  indeed,  many 
testimonies  of  Scripture,  to  prove  that  Christ  is  one  with  us, 
and  we  one  with  him,  of  which  there  is  no  proof  necessary ; 
but  for  want  of  observing  the  bond  of  this  union,  he  bewilders 
himself.  For  us,  however,  who  hold  that  we  are  united  to 
Christ  by  the  secret  energy  of  his  Spirit,  it  will  be  easy  to  ob- 
viate all  his  sophisms.  He  had  conceived  a notion  similar  to 
what  was  held  by  the  Manichmans,  so  that  he  wished  to  trans- 
fuse the  Divine  essence  into  men.  Hence  another  discovery 
of  his,  that  Adam  was  formed  in  the  image  of  God,  because, 
even  antecedently  to  the  fall,  Christ  had  been  appointed  the 
exemplar  of  the  human  nature.  But  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  I 
shall  only  insist  on  the  subject  now  before  us.  He  says  that 
we  are  one  with  Christ.  This  we  admit ; but  we  at  the  same 
time  deny  that  Christ’s  essence  is  blended  with  ours.  In  the 
next  place,  we  assert  that  this  principle  — that  Christ  is  our 
righteousness  because  he  is  the  eternal  God,  the  fountain  of 
righteousness,  and  the  essential  righteousness  of  God  — is  grossly 
perverted  to  support  his  fallacies.  The  reader  will  excuse  me, 
if  I now  just  hint  at  these  things,  which  the  order  of  the  treatise 
requires  to  be  deferred  to  another  place.  But  though  he  al- 
leges, in  vindication  of  himself,  that  by  the  term  essential 
righteousness  he  only  intends  to  oppose  the  opinion  that  we 
are  reputed  righteous  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  yet  he  manifestly 
shows,  that,  not  content  with  that  righteousness  which  has 
been  procured  for  us  by  the  obedience  and  sacrificial  death 
of  Christ,  he  imagines  that  we  are  substantially  righteous  in 
God,  by  the  infusion  of  his  essence  as  well  as  his  character. 
For  this  is  the  reason  why  he  so  vehemently  contends,  that 


(z)  2 Cor.  V.  18,  19. 


(a)  2 Cor.  v.  21. 


(6)  Rom.  V.  19. 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  655 

not  only  Christ,  but  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit  also  dwell 
in  us ; which,  though  I allow  it  to  be  a truth,  yet  I maintain 
that  he  has  grossly  perverted.  For  he  ought  to  have  fully  com 
sidered  the  nature  of  this  inhabitation ; namely,  that  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Spirit  are  in  Christ ; and  that  as  “ all  the  fulness 
of  the  Godhead  dwelleth  in  him,”  {z)  so  in  him  we  possess  the 
whole  Deity.  Whatever,  therefore,  he  advances  concerning 
the  Father  and  the  Spirit  separately,  has  no  other  tendency 
but  to  seduce  the  simple  from  Christ.  In  the  next  place,  he 
introduces  a mixture  of  substances,  by  which  God,  transfusing 
himself  into  us,  makes  us,  as  it  were,  a part  of  himself.  For  he 
considers  it  as  of  no  importance,  that  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  unites  us  to  Christ,  so  that  he  becomes  our  head  and  we 
become  his  members,  unless  his  essence  be  blended  with  ours. 
But  when  speaking  of  the  Father  and  the  Spirit,  he  more 
openly  betrays  his  opinion  ; which  is,  that  we  are  not  justified 
by  the  sole  grace  of  the  Mediator,  and  that  righteousness  is  not 
simply  or  really  offered  to  us  in  his  person  ; but  that  we  are 
made  partakers  of  the  Divine  righteousness  when  God  is  essen- 
tially united  with  us. 

VI.  If  he  had  only  said,  that  Christ  in  justifying  us  becomes 
ours  by  an  essential  union,  and  that  he  is  our  head  not  only  as 
man,  but  that  the  essence  of  his  Divine  nature  also  is  infused 
into  us,  — he  might  have  entertained  himself  with  his  fancies 
with  less  mischief,  nor  perhaps  would  so  great  a contention 
have  been  excited  about  this  reverie.  But  as  this  principle  is 
like  a cuttlefish,  which,  by  the  emission  of  black  and  turbid 
blood,  conceals  its  many  tails,  there  is  a necessity  for  a vigorous 
opposition  to  it,  unless  we  mean  to  submit  to  be  openly  robbed 
of  that  righteousness  which  alone  affords  us  any  confidence 
concerning  ^ur  salvation.  For  throughout  this  discussion,  the 
terms  righteousness  and  justify  are  extended  by  him  to  two 
things.  First,  he  understands  that  to  be  justified  ” denotes 
not  only  to  be  reconciled  to  God  by  a free  pardon,  but  also  to 
be  made  righteous ; and  that  righteousness  is  not  a gratuitous 
imputation,  but  a sanctity  and  integrity  inspired  by  the  Divine 
essence  which  resides  in  us.  Secondly,  he  resolutely  denies 
that  Christ  is  our  righteousness,  as  having,  in  the  character  of  a 
priest,  expiated  our  sins  and  appeased  the  Father  on  our  behalf, 
but  as  being  the  eternal  God  and  everlasting  life.  To  prove 
the  first  assertion,  that  God  justifies  not  only  by  pardoning,  but 
also  by  regenerating,  he  inquires  whether  God  leaves  those 
whom  he  justifies  in  their  natural  state,  without  any  reformation 
of  their  manners.  The  answer  is  very  easy ; as  Christ  cannot 
be  divided,  so  these  two  blessings,  which  we  receive  together 

(z)  Col.  ii.  9. 


656  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

in  him,  are  also  inseparable.  Whomsoever,  therefore,  God  re- 
ceives into  his  favour,  he  likewise  gives  them  the  Spirit  of 
adoption,  by  whose  power  he  renews  them  in  his  own  image. 
But  if  the  brightness  of  the  sun  be  inseparable  from  his  heat, 
shall  we  therefore  say  that  the  earth  is  warmed  by  his  light, 
and  illuminated  by  his  heat  ? Nothing  can  be  more  apposite 
to  the  present  subject  than  this  similitude.  The  beams  of  the 
sun  quicken  and  fertilize  the  earth,  his  rays  brighten  and  illu- 
minate it.  Here  is  a mutual  and  indivisible  connection.  Yet 
reason  itself  prohibits  us  to  transfer  to  one  what  is  peculiar  to 
the  other.  In  this  confusion  of  two  blessings  which  Osiander 
obtrudes  on  us,  there  is  a similar  absurdity.  For  as  God  ac- 
tually renews  to  the  practice  of  righteousness  those  whom  he 
gratuitously  accepts  as  righteous,  Osiander  confounds  that  gift 
of  regeneration  with  this  gracious  acceptance,  and  contends 
that  they  are  one  and  the  same.  But  the  Scripture,  though  it 
connects  them  together,  yet  enumerates  them  distinctly,  that 
the  manifold  grace  of  God  may  be  the  more  evident  to  us. 
For  that  passage  of  Paul  is  not  superfluous,  that  “Christ  is 
made  unto  us  righteousness  and  sanctification.”  (a)  And 
whenever  he  argues,  from  the  salvation  procured  for  us,  from 
the  paternal  love  of  God,  and  from  the  grace  of  Christ,  that  we 
are  called  to  holiness  and  purity,  he  plainly  indicates  that  it  is 
one  thing  to  be  justified,  and  another  thing  to  be  made  new 
creatures.  When  Osiander  appeals  to  the  Scripture,  he  cor- 
rupts as  many  passages  as  he  cites.  The  assertion  of  Paul, 
that  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that 
justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteous- 
ness,” (6)  is  explained  by  Osiander  to  denote  making  a man 
righteous.  With  the  same  temerity  he  corrupts  the  whole  of 
that  fourth  chapter  to  the  Romans,  and  hesitates  rj^t  to  impose 
the  same  false  gloss  on  the  passage  just  cited,  “ Who  shall  lay 
any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God’s  elect  ? It  is  God  that  justifi- 
eth ; ” where  it  is  evident  that  the  apostle  is  treating  simply 
of  accusation  and  absolution,  and  that  his  meaning  wholly  rests 
on  the  antithesis.  His  folly,  therefore,  betrays  itself  both  in 
his  arguments  and  in  his  citations  of  Scripture  proofs.  With 
no  more  propriety  does  he  treat  of  the  word  righteousness, 
when  he  says,  “that  faith  was  reckoned  to  Abraham  for 
righteousness,”  because  that  after  having  embraced  Christ, 
(who  is  the  righteousness  of  God,  and  God  himself,)  he  was 
eminent  for  the  greatest  virtues.  Whence  it  appears,  that  of 
two  good  parts,  he  erroneously  makes  one  corrupt  whole ; for 
the  righteousness  there  mentioned  does  not  belong  to  the  whole 
course  of  Abraham’s  life  ; but  rather  the  Spirit  testifies  that. 


(a)  1 Cor.  i.  30. 


(If)  Rom.  iv.  5. 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  657 

notwithstanding  the  singular  eminence  of  Abraham’s  virtues, 
and  his  laudable  and  persevering  advancement  in  them,  yet  he 
did  not  please  God  any  otherwise  than  in  receiving  by  faith  the 
grace  offered  in  the  promise.  Whence  it  follows,  that  in  justi- 
fication there  is  no  regard  paid  to  works,  as  Paul  conclusively 
argues  in  that  passage. 

VII.  His  objection,  that  the  power  of  justifying  belongs  not 
to  faith  of  itself,  but  only  as  it  receives  Christ,  I readily  admit. 
For  il  faith  were  to  justify  of  itself,  or  by  an  intrinsic  efficacy, 
as  it  is  expressed,  being  always  weak  and  imperfect,  it  never 
could  eifect  this  but  in  part ; and  thus  it  would  be  a defective 
justification,  which  would  only  confer  on  us  a partial  salvation. 
IS'ow,  we  entertain  no  such  notion  as  the  objection  supposes  ; on 
the  contrary,  we  affirm  that,  strictly  speaking,  it  is  God  that 
justifies  ; ” and  then  we  transfer  this  to  Christ,  because  he  is 
given  to  us  for  righteousness.  Faith  we  compare  to  a vessel ; 
for  unless  we  come  empty  with  the  mouth  of  our  soul  open  to  im- 
plore the  grace  of  Christ,  we  cannot  receive  Christ.  Whence  it 
may  be  inferred,  that  we  do  not  detract  from  Christ  the  power 
of  justifying,  when  we  teach  that  faith  receives  him  before  it 
receives  his  righteousness.  Nevertheless,  I cannot  admit  the 
intricate  comparisons  of  this  sophist,  when  he  says  that  faith  is 
Christ ; as  though  an  earthen  vessel  were  a treasure,  because 
gold  is  concealed  in  it.  For  faith,  although  intrinsically  it  is 
of  no  dignity  or  value,  justifies  us  by  an  application  of  Christ, 
just  as  a vessel  full  of  money  constitutes  a man  rich.  There- 
fore I maintain  that  faith,  which  is  only  the  instrument  by 
which  righteousness  is  received,  cannot  without  absurdity  be 
confounded  with  Christ,  who  is  the  material  cause,  and  at 
once  the  author  and  dispenser  of  so  great  a benefit.  We  have 
now  removed  the  difficulty  as  to  the  sense  in  which  the  word 
faith  ought  to  be  understood,  when  it  is  applied  to  justification. 

VIII.  Respecting  the  reception  of  Christ,  he  goes  still  greater 
lengths  ; asserting  that  the  internal  word  is  received  by  the  mi- 
nistry of  the  external  word,  by  which  he  would  divert  us  from 
the  priesthood  of  Christ  and  the  person  of  the  Mediator,  to  his 
eternal  divinity.  We  do  not  divide  Christ,  but  we  maintain 
that  the  same  person,  who,  by  reconciling  us  to  the  Father  in 
his  own  flesh,  has  given  us  righteousness,  is  the  eternal  Word 
of  God  ; and  we  confess  that  he  could  not  otherwise  have  dis- 
charged the  office  of  Mediator,  and  procured  righteousness  for 
us,  if  he  were  not  the  eternal  God.  But  the  opinion  of  Osian- 
der  is,  that  since  Christ  is  both  God  and  man,  he  is  made 
righteousness  to  us,  in  respect  of  his  Divine,  not  his  human 
nature.  Now,  if  this  properly  belong  to  the  Divinity,  it  will 
not  be  peculiar  to  Christ,  but  common  also  to  the  Father  and 
the  Spirit ; since  the  righteousness  of  one  is  the  same  as  that 

VOL.  I.  83 


658  INSTITUTES  or  THE  [bOOK  III. 

of  the  others.  Besides,  what  has  been  naturally  eternal,  can- 
not  with  propriety  be  said  to  be  ‘^made  unto  us.”  But  though 
we  grant  that  God  is  made  righteousness  unto  us,  how  will  it 
agree  with  the  clause  which  is  inserted,  that  “ of  God,”  he  “is 
made  unto  us  righteousness  ? ” This  is  certainly  peculiar  to 
the  character  of  the  Mediator,  who,  though  he  contains  in 
himself  the  Divine  nature,  yet  is  designated  by  this  appropriate 
title,  by  which  he  is  distinguished  from  the  Father  and  the 
Spirit.  But  he  ridiculously  triumphs  in  that  single  expression 
of  Jeremiah,  where  he  promises  that  “ the  Lord,”  Jehovah^ 
will  be  “ our  righteousness.”  (c)  He  can  deduce  nothing  from 
this,  but  that  Christ,  who  is  our  righteousness,  is  God  mani- 
fested in  the  flesh.  We  have  elsewhere  recited  from  Paul's 
sermon,  that  “God  hath  purchased  the  Church  with  his  own 
blood.”  {d)  If  any  should  infer  from  this,  that  the  blood  by 
which  our  sins  were  expiated,  was  Divine,  and  part  of  the 
Divine  nature,  who  could  bear  so  monstrous  an  error  ? But 
Osiander  thinks  he  has  gained  every  thing  by  this  very  puerile 
cavil  ; he  swells,  exults,  and  fills  many  pages  with  his  swelling 
words,  though  the  passage  is  simply  and  readily  explained,  by 
saying  that  Jehovah,  when  he  should  become  the  seed  of 
David,  would  be  the  righteousness  of  the  pious ; and  in  the 
same  sense  Isaiah  informs  us,  “ by  his  knowledge  shall  my 
righteous  servant  justify  many.”  (e)  Let  us  remark,  that  the 
speaker  here  is  the  Father  ; that  he  attributes  to  his  Son  the 
office  of  justifying  ; that  he  adds  as  a reason,  that  he  is  right- 
eous ; and  that  he  places  the  mode  or  means  of  effecting  this, 
in  the  doctrine  by  which  Christ  is  made  kiiQwn.  For  it  is 
more  suitable  to  understand  the  word  nyn  in  a passive  sense. 
Hence  I conclude,  first,  that  Christ  was  made  righteousness 
when  he  assumed  the  form  of  a servant ; secondly,  that  he 
justifies  us  by  his  own  obedience  to  the  Father ; and,  therefore, 
that  he  does  this  for  us,  not  according  to  his  Divine  nature,  but 
by  reason  of  the  dispensation  committed  to  him.  F or  though 
God  alone  is  the  fountain  of  righteousness,  and  we  are  righteous 
only  by  a participation  of  him,  yet,  because  we  have  been  alien- 
ated from  his  righteousness  through  the  unhappy  breach  oc- 
casioned by  the  fall, we  are  under  the  necessity  of  descending  to 
this  inferior  remedy,  to  be  justified  by  Christ,  by  the  efficacy  of 
his  death  and  resurrection. 

IX.  If  Osiander  object,  that  the  excellence  of  this  work 
surpasses  the  nature  of  man,  and  therefore  can  be  ascribed  only 
to  the  Divine  nature,  — the  former  part  of  the  objection  I admit, 
but  in  the  latter  I maintain  that  he  is  grossly  mistaken.  For 
although  Christ  could  neither  purify  our  souls  with  his  blood, 


(c)  Jer.  xxiii.  6 J xxxiii.  16. 


{d)  Acts  XX.  28 


(e)  Isaiah  liii  11. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


659 


CHAP.  XI.] 

nor  appease  the  Father  by  his  sacrifice,  nor  absolve  us  from 
guilt,  nor,  in  short,  perform  the  functions  of  a priest,  if  he  were 
not  truly  God,  because  human  power  would  have  been  un- 
equal to  so  great  a burden,  yet  it  is  certain  that  he  performed 
all  these  things  in  his  human  nature.  For  if  it  be  inquired. 
How  are  we  justified  ? Paul  replies,  “ By  the  obedience  ” 
of  Christ.  (/)  But  has  he  obeyed  in  any  other  way  than 
by  assuming  the  form  of  a servant  ? Hence  we  infer,  that 
righteousness  \s  presented  to  us  in  his  flesh.  In  the  other 
passage  also,  which  I much  wonder  that  Osiander  is  not 
ashamed  to  quote  so  frequently,  Paul  places  the  source  of 
righteousness  wholly  in  the  humanity  of  Christ.  He  hath 
made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.”  (^)  Osiander  lays 
great  stress  on  the  righteousness  of  God,”  and  triumphs  as 
though  he  had  evinced  it  to  be  his  notion  of  essential  right- 
eousness ; whereas  the  words  convey  a very  different  idea,  — 
that  we  are  righteous  through  the  expiation  effected  by  Christ. 
That  the  righteousness  of  God  ” means  that  which  God 
approves,  ought  to  have  been  known  to  the  youngest  novices  ; 
just  as  in  John  the  praise  of  God  ” is  opposed  to  ^The  praise 
of  men.”  (A)  I know  that  “ the  righteousness  of  God  ” some- 
times denotes  that  of  Avhich  he  is  the  author,  and  which  he 
bestows  upon  us ; but,  without  any  observation  of  mine,  the 
judicious  reader  will  perceive  that  the  meaning  of  this  passage 
' is  only,  that  we  stand  before  the  tribunal  of  God  supported  by 
the  atoning  death  of  Christ.  Nor  is  the  term  of  such  great 
importance,  provided  that  Osiander  coincides  with  us  in  this, 
that  we  are  justified  in  Christ,  inasmuch  as  he  was  made  an 
expiatory  sacrifice  for  us  ; which  is  altogether  incompatible 
Avith  his  Divine  nature.  For  this  reason,  when  Christ  designs 
to  seal  the  righteousness  and  salvation  which  he  has  presented 
to  us,  he  exhibits  a certain  pledge  of  it  in  his  flesh.  He  calls 
himself,  indeed,  “ living  bread  ; ” but  adds,  by  way  of  explana- 
tion, my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.” 
This  method  of  instruction  is  discovered  in  the  sacraments  ,* 
Avhich,  although  they  direct  our  faith  to  the  whole  of  the  per- 
son of  Christ,  not  to  a part  of  him  only,  yet  at  the  same 
time  teach  that  the  matter  of  justification  and  ^alvation  resides 
in  his  human  nature  ; not  that  he  either  justifies  or  vivifies,  of 
himself  as  a mere  man,  but  because  it  has  pleased  God  to  ma- 
nifest in  the  Mediator  that  which  was  incomprehensible  and 
hidden  in  himself.  Wherefore  I am  accustomed  to  say,  that 
Christ  is,  as  it  were,  a fountain  opened  to  us,  whence  we  may 
draw  what  were  otherwise  concealed  and  useless  in  that  secret 


(/)  Rom.  V.  19. 


Qr)  2 Cor.  V.  21 . 


(h)  John  xii.  43. 


G60  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  HI, 

and  deep  fountain  which  flows  to  us  in  the  person  of  the 
Mediator.  In  this  manner,  and  in  this  sense,  provided  he  will 
submit  to  the  clear  and  forcible  arguments  which  I have 
adduced,  I do  not  deny  that  Christ  justifies  us,  as  he  is  God 
and  man,  and  that  this  work  is  common  also  to  the  Father  and 
the  Spirit ; and,  finally,  that  the  righteousness  of  which  Christ 
makes  us  partakers,  is  the  eternal  righteousness  of  the  eternal 
God. 

X.  Moreover,  that  his  cavils  may  not  deceive  the  inexj^eri- 
enced,  I confess  that  we  are  destitute  of  this  incomparable 
blessing,  till  Christ  becomes  ours.  I attribute,  therefore,  the 
highest  importance  to  the  connection  between  the  head  and 
members  ; to  the  inhabitation  of  Christ  in  our  hearts  ; in  a word, 
to  the  mystical  union  by  which  we  enjoy  him,  so  that  being 
made  ours,  he  makes  us  partakers  of  the  blessings  with  which 
he  is  furnished.  We  do  not,  then,  contemplate  him  at  a dis- 
tance out  of  ourselves,  that  his  righteousness  may  be  imputed 
to  us ; but  because  we  have  put  him  on,  and  are  ingrafted  into 
his  body,  and  because  he  has  deigned  to  unite  us  to  himself, 
therefore  we  glory  in  a participation  of  his  righteousness. 
Thus  we  refute  the  cavil  of  Osiander,  that  faith  is  considered 
by  us  as  righteousness ; as  though  we  despoiled  Christ  of  his 
right,  when  we  affirm,  that  by  faith  we  come  to  him  empty, 
that  he  alone  may  fill  us  with  his  grace.  But  Osiander,  de- 
spising this  spiritual  connection,  insists  on  a gross  mixture  of 
Christ  with  believers ; and  therefore  invidiously  gives  the  ap- 
pellation of  Zuinglians  to  all  who  do  not  subscribe  to  his  fa- 
natical error  concerning  essential  righteousness ; because  they 
are  not  of  opinion  that  Christ  is  substantially  eaten  in  the  sa- 
cred supper.  As  for  myself,  indeed,  I consider  it  the  highest 
honour  to  be  thus  reproached  by  a man  so  proud  and  so  ab- 
sorbed in  his  own  delusions  ; although  he  attacks  not  me  alone, 
but  other  writers  well  known  in  the  world,  whom  he  ought  to 
have  treated  with  modest  respect.  But  this  does  not  at  all 
affect  me,  who  am  supporting  no  private  interest  ; wherefore 
I the  more  unreservedly  advocate  this  cause,  conscious  that  I 
am  free  from  every  sinister  motive.  His  great  importunity  in 
insisting  on  essential  righteousness,  and  an  essential  inhabita- 
tion of  Christ  iii  us,  goes  to  this  length  — first,  that  God  trans- 
fuses himself  into  us  by  a gross  mixture  of  himself  with  us,  as 
he  pretends  that  there  is  a carnal  eating  in  the  sacred  supper  ; 
secondly,  that  God  inspires  his  righteousness  into  us,  by  which 
we  are  really  righteous  with  him,  since,  according  to  this  man, 
such  righteousness  is  as  really  God  himself,  as  the  goodness,  or 
holiness,  or  perfection  of  God.  I shall  not  take  much  trouble 
to  refute  the  testimonies  adduced  by  him,  which  he  violently 
perverts  from  the  celestial  to  the  present  state.  By  Christ,  says 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


661 


CHAP.  XI.] 

Peter,  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious  pro- 
mises ; that  by  these  ye  might  be  partakers  of  the  Divine  na- 
ture.” (^)  As  though  we  were  now  such  as  the  gospel  promises 
we  shall  be  at  the  second  advent  of  Christ ; nay,  John  apprizes 
us,  that  then  “ we  shall  be  like  God  ; for  we  shall  see  him  as  he 
is.”  {k)  I have  thought  proper  to  give  the  reader  only  a small 
specimen,  and  endeavoured  to  pass  over  these  impertinences, 
not  that  it  is  difficult  to  refute  them,  but  because  I am  unwill- 
ing to  be  tedious  in  labouring  to  no  purpose. 

XL  There  is  yet  more  latent  poison  in  the  second  particular, 
in  which  he  maintains,  that  we  are  righteous  together  with 
God.  I think  I have  already  sufficiently  demonstrated,  that 
although  this  dogma  were  not  so  pestiferous,  yet  because  it  is 
weak  and  unsatisfactory,  and  evaporates  through  its  own  inani- 
ty, it  ought  justly  to  be  rejected  by  all  judicious  and  pious 
readers.  But  this  is  an  impiety  not  to  be  tolerated  — under  the 
pretext  of  a twofold  righteousness  to  weaken  the  assurance  of 
salvation,  and  to  elevate  us  above  the  clouds,  that  we  may  not 
embrace  by  faith  the  grace  of  expiation,  and  call  upon  God 
with  tranquillity  of  mind.  Osiander  ridicules  those  who  say 
that  justification  is  a forensic  term,  because  it  is  necessary  for 
us  to  be  actually  righteous : nor  is  there  any  thing  that  he  more 
dislikes  than  the  doctrine  that  we  are  justified  by  gratuitous 
imputation.  Now,  if  God  do  not  justify  by  absolving  and  par- 
doning us,  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  declaration  of  Paul  ? 

God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not 
imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them.  For  he  hath  made  him 
to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin  ; that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him.”  {1)  First  I find,  that  they  are 
accounted  righteous  who  are  reconciled  to  God  : the  manner  is 
specified,  that  God  justifies  by  pardoning  ; just  as,  in  another 
passage,  justification  is  opposed  to  accusation ; which  antithesis 
clearly  demonstrates,  that  the  form  of  expression  is  borrowed 
from  the  practice  of  courts.  Nor  is  there  any  one,  but  tolerably 
versed  in  the  Hebrew  language,  provided  at  the  same  time  that 
he  be  in  his  sound  senses,  who  can  be  ignorant  that  this  is  the 
original  of  the  phrase,  and  that  this  is  its  import  and  mean- 
ing. Now,  let  Osiander  answer  me  whether,  where  Paul  says 
that  ‘‘  David  describeth  righteousness  without  works,  saying. 
Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,”  (m)  whether,  I 
say,  this  be  a complete  definition' or  a partial  one.  Certainly 
Paul  does  not  adduce  the  testimony  of  the  Psalmist,  as  teaching 
that  pardon  of  sins  is  a part  of  righteousness,  or  concurs  to  the 
justification  of  a man ; but  he  includes  the  whole  of  righteous- 
ness in  a free  remission,  pronouncing,  Blessed  are  they  Avhose 


(i)  2 Peter  i.  4.  {h)  1 John  iii.  2.  (J)  2 Cor.  v.  19,  21.  (m)  Rom.  iv.  6 — 8. 


662 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III, 

iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered.  Blessed  is 
the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin.”  He  thence 
estimates  and  judges  of  the  felicity  of  such  a man,  because  in 
this  way  he  becomes  righteous,  not  actually,  but  by  imputation. 
Osiander  objects,  that  it  would  be  dishonourable  to  God,  and 
contrary  to  his  nature,  if  he  justified  those  who  still  remain 
actually  impious.  But  it  should  be  remembered  that,  as  I have 
already  observed,  the  grace  of  justification  is  inseparable  from 
regeneration,  although  they  are  distinct  things.  But  since  it  is 
sufiiciently  known  from  experience,  that  some  relics  of  sin 
always  remain  in  the  righteous,  the  manner  of  their  justifica- 
tion must  of  necessity  be  very  different  from  that  of  their  reno- 
vation to  newness  of  life.  For  the  latter  God  commences  in 
his  elect,  and  as  long  as  they  live  carries  it  on  gradually,  and 
sometimes  slowly,  so  that  they  are  always  obnoxious  at  his  tri- 
bunal to  the  sentence  of  death.  He  justifies  them,  however, 
not  in  a partial  manner,  but  so  completely,  that  they  may 
boldly  appear  in  heaven,  as  being  invested  with  the  purity  of 
Christ.  For  no  portion  of  righteousness  could  satisfy  our  con- 
sciences, till  we  have  ascertained  that  God  is  pleased  with  us, 
as  being  unexceptionably  righteous  before  him.  Whence  it 
follows,  that  the  doctrine  of  justification  is  perverted  and  totally 
overturned,  when  doubts  are  injected  into  the  mind,  when  the 
confidence  of  salvation  is  shaken,  when  bold  and  fearless  wor- 
ship is  interrupted,  and  when  quiet  and  tranquillity  with  spirit- 
ual joy  are  not  established.  Whence  Paul  argues  from  the 
incompatibility  of  things  contrary  to  each  other,  that  the  in- 
heritance is  not  of  the  law,  because  then  faith  would  be 
rendered  vain  ; {n)  which,  if  it  be  fixed  upon  works,  must  in- 
evitably fall  ; since  not  even  the  most  holy  of  all  saints  will 
find  them  afford  any  ground  of  confidence.  This  difference 
between  justification  and  regeneration  (which  Osiander  con- 
founds together,  and  denominates  a twofold  righteousness)  is 
beautifully  expressed  by  Paul  ; for,  speaking  of  his  real  right- 
eousness, or  of  the  integrity  Avhich  he  possessed,  to  Avhich  Osi- 
ander gives  the  appellation  of  essential  righteousness,  he  sor- 
rowfully exclaims,  “ O wretched  man  that  I am  ! who  shall 
deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ? ” (o)  But  resorting  to 
the  righteousness  which  is  founded  in  the  Divine  mercy  alone, 
he  nobly  triumphs  over  life,  and  death,  and  reproaches,  and 
famine,  and  the  sword,  and  all  adverse  things  and  persons. 

Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God’s  elect  ? It  is 
God  that  justifieth.  For  I am  persuaded,  that  nothing  shall  be 
able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord.”  {p)  He  plainly  declares  himself  to  be  pos- 

(w)  Gal.  iii  18.  (o)  Rom.  vii.  24.  (p)  Rom.  viii.  33,  33,  39. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


663 


CHAP.  XI.] 

sessed  of  that  righteousness,  which  alone  is  fully  sufficient  for 
salvation  in  the  sight  of  God ; so  that  the  miserable  servitude, 
in  a consciousness  of  which  he  was  just  before  bewailing  his 
condition,  neither  diminishes,  nor  in  the  smallest  degree  inter- 
rupts, the  confidence  with  which  he  triumphs.  This  diversity  is 
sufficiently  known,  and  is  even  familiar  to  all  the  saints,  who 
groan  under  the  burden  of  their  iniquities,  and  yet  with  victo- 
rious confidence  rise  superior  to  every  fear.  But  the  objection 
of  Osiander,  that  it  is  incongruous  to  the  nature  of  God,  recoils 
upon  himself ; for,  although  he  invests  the  saints  with  a two- 
fold righteousness,  as  with  a garment  covered  with  skins,  he  is, 
notwithstanding,  constrained  to  acknowledge  that  no  man  can 
please  God  without  the  remission  of  his  sins.  If  this  be  true, 
he  should  at  least  grant  that  they  who  are  not  actually  right- 
eous, are  accounted  righteous  in  proportion,  as  it  is  expressed,  to 
the  degree  of  imputation.  But  how  far  shall  a sinner  extend 
this  gracious  acceptance,  which  is  substituted  in  the  place  of 
righteousness  ? Shall  he  estimate  it  by  the  weight  ? Truly 
he  will  be  in  great  uncertainty  to  which  side  to  incline  the 
balance  ; because  he  will  not  be  able  to  assume  to  himself  as 
much  righteousness  as  may  be  necessary  to  his  confidence.  It 
is  well  that  he,  who  would  Avish  to  prescribe  laws  to  God,  is  not 
the  arbiter  of  this  cause.  But  this  address  of  David  to  God  will 
remain : “ That  thou  mightest  be  justified  when  thou  speakest, 
and  be  clear  when  thou  judgest.”  {q)  And  what  extreme  arro- 
gance it  is  to  condemn  the  supreme  Judge  when  he  freely  ab- 
solves, and  not  to  be  satisfied  with  this  answer,  ‘‘I  will  show 
mercy  on  Avhom  I Avill  show  mercy ! ” (r)  And  yet  the  inter- 
cession of  Moses,  which  God  checked  with  this  reply,  was  not 
that  he  would  spare  none,  but  that,  though  they  Avere  guilty,  he 
Avould  remove  their  guilt  and  absolve  them  all  at  once.  We 
affirm,  therefore,  that  those  who  Avere  undone  are  justified  be- 
fore God  by  the  obliteration  of  their  sins ; because,  sin  being 
the  object  of  his  hatred,  he  can  love  none  but  those  Avhom  he 
justifies.  But  this  is  a wonderful  method  of  justification,  that 
sinners,  being  invested  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  dread 
not  the  judgment  which  they  have  deserved  ; and  that,  Avhile 
they  justly  condemn  themselves,  they  are  accounted  righteous 
out  of  themselves. 

XII.  But  the  readers  must  be  cautioned  to  pay  a strict 
attention  to  the  mystery  Avhicli  Osiander  boasts  that  he  Avill 
not  conceal  from  them.  For,  after  having  contended  Avith 
great  prolixity,  that  Ave  do  not  obtain  favour  with  God  solely 
through  the  imputation  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  because 
't  Avould  be  impossible  for  him  to  esteem  those  as  righteous 


{q)  Psalm  li.  4. 


(r)  Exod.  xxxin.  id. 


664  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

who  are  not  so,  (I  use  his  own  Avords,)  he  at  length  concludes, 
that  Christ  is  given  to  us  for  righteousness,  not  in  respect  of 
his  human,  but  of  his  Divine  nature ; and  that,  though  this 
righteousness  can  only  be  found  in  the  person  of  the  Mediator, 
yet  it  is  the  righteousness,  not  of  man,  but  of  God.  He  does 
not  combine  two  righteousnesses,  but  evidently  deprives  the 
humanity  of  Christ  of  all  concern  in  the  matter  of  justification. 
It  is  worth  while,  however,  to  hear  what  arguments  he 
adduces.  It  is  said  in  the  passage  referred  to,  that  Christ  is 
made  unto  us  wisdom,”  (s)  which  is  applicable  only  to  the 
ett'rnal  Word.  Neither,  therefore,  is  Christ,  considered  as  man 
our  righteousness.  I reply,  that  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God  was  indeed  his  eternal  wisdom  ; but  this  title  is  here 
ascribed  to  him  by  Paul  in  a different  sense,  because  in  him 
are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge.”  (t)  What, 
therefore,  he  had  with  the  Father,  he  has  manifested  to  us  ; 
and  so  what  Paul  says,  refers  not  to  the  essence  of  the  Son  of 
God,  but  to  our  benefit,  and  is  rightly  applied  to  the  humanity 
of  Christ ; because,  although  he  was  a light  shining  in  dark- 
ness before  his  assumption  of  the  flesh,  yet  he  was  a hidden 
light  till  he  appeared  in  the  nature  of  man  ‘^as  the  Sun  of 
righteousness;  ” (ti)  wherefore  he  calls  himself  ‘^the  light  of 
the  world.”  (w)  Osiander  betrays  his  folly  likewise  in  object- 
ing, that  justification  exceeds  the  power  of  angels  and  men  ; 
since  it  depends  not  upon  the  dignity  of  any  creature,  but  upon 
the  appointment  of  God.  If  angels  were  desirous  to  offer  a 
satisfaction  to  God,  it  Avould  be  unavailing ; because  they  have 
not  been  appointed  to  it.  This  was  peculiar  to  the  man  Christ, 
who  was  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  us  from  the  curse 
of  the  law.”  {x)  He  likewise  very  unjustly  accuses  those  Avho 
deny  that  Christ  is  our  righteousness  according  to  his  Divine 
nature,  of  retaining  only  one  part  of  Christ,  and  (what  is 
worse)  making  two  Gods;  because,  though  they  acknowledge 
that  God  dwells  in  us,  yet  they  flatly  deny  that  Ave  are  right- 
eous through  the  righteousness  of  God.  For  if  Ave  call  Christ 
the  author  of  life  in  consequence  of 'his  having  suffered  death, 
that  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  poAver  of  death,”  (y) 
it  is  not  to  be  inferred  that  we  deny  this  honour  to  his  com- 
plete person,  as  God  manifested  in  the  flesh : Ave  only  state 
Avith  precision  the  means  by  Avhich  the  righteousness  of  God  is 
conveyed  to  us,  so  that  Ave  may  enjoy  it.  In  this,  Osiander 
has  fall(?n  into  a very  pernicious  error.  We  do  not  deny,  that 
what  is  openly  exhibited  to  us  in  Christ  floAvs  from  the  secret 
grace  and  poAAmr  of  God  ; nor  do  we  refuse  to  admit,  that  the 

(5)  1 Cor.  i.  30.  (m)  Mai.  iv.  2.  (z)  Gal.  iii.  13;  iv.  4. 

p)  Col.  ii.  3.  iic)  John  viii.  12.  \ij)  Heb.  ii.  14. 


CHAP.  XI.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


665 


righteousness  conferred  on  us  by  Christ  is  the  righteousness 
of  God  as  proceeding  from  him ; but  we  constantly  maintain 
that  we  have  righteousness  and  life  in  the  death  and  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ.  I pass  over  that  shameful  accumulation  of 
passages,  with  which,  without  any  discrimination,  and  even 
without  common  sense,  he  has  burdened  the  reader,  in  order  to 
evince,  that  wherever  mention  is  made  of  righteousness,  it 
ought  to  be  understood  of  this  essential  righteousness  ; as 
where  David  implores  the  righteousness  of  God  to  assist  him  ; 
which  as  he  does  above  a hundred  times,  Osiander  hesitates 
not  to  pervert  such  a great  number  of  passages.  Nor  is  there 
any  thing  more  solid  in  his  other  objection,  that  the  term 
righteousness  ” is  properly  and  rightly  applied  to  that  by 
which  we  are  excited  to  rectitude  of  conduct,  and  that  God 
alone  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do.”  (2;)  Now,  we 
do  not  deny,  that  God  renews  us  by  his  Spirit  to  holiness  and 
righteousness  of  life  ; but  it  should  first  be  inquired,  whether 
he  does  this  immediately  by  himself,  or  through  the  medium 
of  his  Son,  with  whom  he  has  deposited  all  the  plenitude  of 
his  Spirit,  that  with  his  abundance  he  might  relieve  the  neces- 
sities of  his  members.  Besides,  though  righteousness  flows  to 
us  from  the  secret  fountain  of  the  Divinity,  yet  it  does  not 
follow  that  Christ,  who  in  the  flesh  sanctified  himself  for  our 
sakes,  («)  is  our  righteousness  with  respect  to  his  Divine 
nature.  Equally  frivolous  is  his  assertion,  that  Christ  himself 
was  righteous  with  the  righteousness  of  God  ; because,  if  he 
had  not  been  influenced  by  the  will  of  the  Father,  not  even  he 
could  have  performed  the  part  assigned  him.  For  though  it 
has  been  elsewhere  observed,  that  all  the  merit  of  Christ  him- 
self flows  from  the  mere  favour  of  God,  yet  this  affords  no 
countenance  to  the  fanciful  notion  with  which  Osiander  fasci- 
nates his  own  eyes  and  those  of  the  injudicious.  For  who 
would  admit  the  inference,  that  because  God  is  the  original 
source  of  our  righteousness,  we  are  therefore  essentially  right- 
eous, and  have  the  essence  of  the  Divine  righteousness  residing 
in  us  ? In  redeeming  the  Church  (Isaiah  says)  God  put  on 
righteousness  as  a breastplate  ; ” (6)  but  was  it  to  spoil  Christ  of 
the  armour  which  he  had  given  him,  and  to  prevent  his  being 
a perfect  Redeemer?  The  prophet  only  meant  that  God 
borrowed  nothing  extrinsic  to  himself,  and  had  no  assistance 
in  the  work  of  our  redemption.  Paul  has  briefly  intimated 
the  same  in  other  words,  saying  that  he  has  given  us  salvation 
in  order  to  declare  his  righteousness.”  (c)  Nor  does  this 
at  all  contradict  what  he  states  in  another  place,  that  by  the 


(z)  Phil.  H.  13. 

(a)  John  xvii.  19. 


(Ij)  Isaiah  lix,  17. 
(c)  Rom.  iii.  24,  25. 


VOL. 


84 


666 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

obedience  of  one  we  are  made  righteous.”  {d)  To  conclude  : 
whoever  fabricates  a twofold  righteousness,  that  wretched 
souls  may  not  rely  wholly  and  exclusively  on  the  Divine 
mercy,  makes  Christ  an  object  of  contempt,  and  crowns  him 
with  platted  thorns. 

XIII.  But  as  many  persons  imagine  righteousness  to  be 
composed  of  faith  and  works,  let  us  also  prove,  before  we  pro- 
ceed, that  the  righteousness  of  faith  is  so  exceedingly  dilferent 
from  that  of  works,  that  if  one  be  established,  the  other  must 
necessarily  be  subverted.  The  apostle  says,  “ I count  all 
things  but  dung,  that  I may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him, 
not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but 
that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness 
which  is  of  God  by  faith.”  (e)  Here  we  see  a comparison  of 
two  opposites,  and  an  implication  that  his  own  righteousness 
must  be  forsaken  by  him  who  wishes  to  obtain  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ.  Wherefore,  in  another  place,  he  states  this  to 
have  been  the  cause  of  the  ruin  of  the  Jews,  that,  “ going 
about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  they  have  not  sub- 
mitted themselves  unto  the  righteousness  of  God.”  (/)  If,  by 
establishing  our  own  righteousness,  we  reject  the  righteousness 
of  God,  then,  in  order  to  obtain  the  latter,  the  former  must 
doubtless  be  entirely  renounced.  He  conveys  the  same  senti- 
ment when  he  asserts,  that  boasting  is  excluded.  By  what 
law  ? of  works  ? Nay  ; but  by  the  law  of  faith.”  {g)  Whence 
it  follows,  that  as  long  as  there  remains  the  least  particle  of 
righteousness  in  our  works,  we  retain  some  cause  for  boasting. 
But  if  faith  excludes  all  boasting,  the  righteousness  of  works 
can  by  no  means  be  associated  with  the  righteousness  of  faith. 
To  this  purpose  he  speaks  so  clearly  in  the  fourth  chapter  to 
the  Romans,  as  to  leave  no  room  for  cavil  or  evasion.  ‘‘  If 
Abraham  (says  he)  were  justified  by  works,  he  hath  whereof 
to  glory.”  He  adds,  but  ” he  hath  “ not  ” whereof  to  glory 
‘‘before  God.”  (/i)  It  follows,  therefore,  that  he  was  not 
justified  by  works.  Then  he  advances  another  argument  from 
two  opposites.  “ To  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward  not 
reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt.”  {i)  But  righteousness  is 
attributed  to  faith  through  grace.  Therefore  it  is  not  from  the 
merit  of  works.  Adieu,  therefore,  to  the  fanciful  notion  of 
those  who  imagine  a righteousness  compounded  of  faith  and 
works. 

XIV.  The  sophists,  who  amuse  and  delight  themselves  with 
perversion  of  the  Scripture  and  vain  cavils,  think  they  have 
found  a most  excellent  subterfuge,  when  they  explain  ico?'ks, 
in  these  passages,  to  mean  those  Avhich  men  yet  unregenerate 

(d)  Rom.  V.  19.  (/)  Rom.  x.  3.  (A)  Rom.  iv.  2. 

(c)  Rhil.  iii.  8,  9.  (g)  Rom  iii.  27.  p')  Rom.  iv.  4. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


667 


CHAP.  XI.] 

perform  without  the  grace  of  Christ,  merely  through  the  un- 
assisted efforts  of  their  own  free-will ; and  deny  that  they  relate 
to  spiritual  works.  Thus,  according  to  them,  a man  is  jus- 
tified both  by  faith  and  by  works,  only  the  works  are  not 
properly  his  own,  but  the  gifts  of  Christ  and  the  fruits  of 
regeneration.  For  they  say  that  Paul  spoke  in  this  manner, 
only  that  the  Jews,  who  relied  on  their  own  strength,  might  be 
convinced  of  their  folly  in  arrogating  righteousness  to  them- 
selves, whereas  it  is  conferred  on  us  solely  by  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  not  by  any  exertion  properly  our  own.  But  they  do 
not  observe,  that  m the  contrast  of  legal  and  evangelical  right- 
eousness, which  Paul  introduces  in  another  place,  all  works  are 
excluded,  by  what  title  soever  they  may  be  distinguished. 
For  he  teaches  that  this  is  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  that  he 
who  has  fulfilled  the  command  of  the  law  shall  obtain  salva- 
tion ]{k)  but  that  the  righteousness  of  faith  consists  in  believing 
that  Christ  has  died  and  is  risen  again.  {1)  Besides,  we  shall  see, 
as  we  proceed,  in  its  proper  place,  that  sanctification  and  right- 
eousness are  separate  blessings  of  Christ.  Whence  it  follows, 
that  even  spiritual  works  are  not  taken  into  the  account,  when 
the  power  of  justifying  is  attributed  to  faith.  And  the  assertion 
of  Paul,  in  the  place  just  cited,  that  Abraham  has  not  whereof 
to  glory  before  God,  since  he  was  not  justified  by  works,  ought 
not  to  be  restricted  to  any  literal  appearance  or  external  display 
of  virtue,  or  to  any  efforts  of  free-will ; but  though  the  life  of 
the  patriarch  was  spiritual,  and  almost  angelic,  yet  his  works 
did  not  possess  sufficient  merit  to  justify  him  before  God. 

XV.  The  errors  of  the  schoolmen,  who  mingle  their  pre- 
parations, are  rather  more  gross ; but  they  instil  into  the  simple 
and  incautious  a doctrine  equally  corrupt,  while  under  the 
pretext  of  the  Spirit  and  of  grace,  they  conceal  the  mercy  of 
God,  which  alone  can  calm  the  terrors  of  the  conscience.  We 
confess,  indeed,  Avith  Paul,  that  the  doers  of  the  law  are 
justified  before  God ; ” {m)  but  since  we  are  all  far  from  being 
observers  of  the  law,  we  conclude,  that  those  Avorks  which 
should  be  principally  available  to  justification,  afford  us  no  as- 
sistance, because  Ave  are  destitute  of  them.  With  respect  to 
the  common  Papists,  or  schoolmen,  they  are  in  this  matter 
doubly  deceived  ; both  in  denominating  faith  a certainty  of 
conscience  in  expecting  from  God  a reAvard  of  merit,  and  in 
explaining  the  grace  of  God  to  be,  not  an  imputation  of  gra- 
tuitous righteousness,  but  the  Spirit  assisting  to  the  pursuit  of 
holiness.  They  read  in  the  apostle,  He  that  cometh  to  God 
must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a reAvarder  of  them  that 
diligently  seek  him.”  {n)  But  they  do  not  consider  the  man- 


(li)  Rom.  X.  5,  &c.  (1)  Gal.  iii.  11.  (m)  Rom.  ii.  13.  (n)  Heb.  xi.  6 


668  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

ner  of  seeking  him.  And  that  they  mistake  the  sense  of  the 
word  grace,”  is  evident  from  their  writings.  For  Lombard 
represents  justification  by  Christ  as  given  us  in  two  ways.  He 
says,  The  death  of  Christ  justifies  us,  first,  because  it  excites 
charity  in  our  hearts,  by  which  we  are  made  actually  righteous  ; 
secondly,  because  it  destroys  sin,  by  which  the  devil  held  us  in 
captivity,  so  that  now  it  cannot  condemn  us.”  We  see  how 
he  considers  the  grace  of  God  in  justification  to  consist  in  our 
being  directed  to  good  works  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
He  wished,  indeed,  to  follow  the  opinion  of  Augustine  ; but  he 
follows  him  at  a great  distance,  and  even  deviates  considerably 
from  a close  imitation  of  him  ; for  whatever  he  finds  clearly 
stated  by  him,  he  obscures,  and  whatever  he  finds  pure  in 
him,  he  corrupts.  The  schools  have  always  been  running  into 
worse  and  worse  errors,  till  at  length  they  have  precipitated 
themselves  into  a kind  of  Pelagianism.  Nor,  indeed,  is  the 
opinion  of  Augustine,  or  at  least  his  manner  of  expression,  to 
be  altogether  admitted.  For  though  he  excellently  despoils 
man  of  all  the  praise  of  righteousness,  and  ascribes  the  whole 
to  the  grace  of  God,  yet  he  refers  grace  to  sanctification,  in 
which  we  are  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  to  newness  of  life. 

XVI.  The  Scripture,  when  speaking  of  the  righteousness 
of  faith,  leads  us  to  something  very  different.  It  teaches  us, 
that  being  diverted  from  the  contemplation  of  our  own  works, 
we  should  regard  nothing  but  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  per- 
fection of  Christ.  For  it  states  this  to  be  the  order  of  jus- 
tification ; that  from  the  beginning  God  deigns  to  embrace 
sinful  man  with  his  pure  and  gratuitous  goodness,  contemplating 
nothing  in  him  to  excite  mercy,  but  his  misery ; (for  God  be- 
holds him  utterly  destitute  of  all  good  works  ;)  deriving  from 
himself  the  motive  for  blessing  him,  that  he  may  affect  the  sinner 
himself  with  a sense  of  his  supreme  goodness,  who,  losing  all 
confidence  in  his  own  works,  rests  the  whole  of  his  salvation 
on  the  Divine  mercy.  This  is  the  sentiment  of  faith,  by  which 
the  sinner  comes  to  the  enjoyment  of  his  salvation,  when  he 
knows  from  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  that  he  is  reconciled  to 
God ; that  having  obtained  remission  of  sins,  he  is  justified  by 
the  intervention  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ ; and  though 
regenerated  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  thinks  on  everlasting 
righteousness  reserved  for  him,  not  in  the  good  works  to  which 
he  devotes  himself,  but  solely  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
W hen  all  these  things  shall  have  been  particularly  examined, 
they  will  afford  a perspicuous  explication  of  our  opinion.  They 
will,  however,  be  better  digested  in  a different  order  from  that 
in  which  tliey  have  been  proposed.  But  it  is  of  little  impor- 
tance, provided  they  are  so  connected  with  each  other,  that  we 
may  have  the  whole  subject  rightly  stated  and  well  confirmed. 


CHAP.  XI.] 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


669 


XYII.  Here  it  is  proper  to  recall  to  remembrance  the  relation 
we  have  before  stated  between  faith  and  the  gospel  ; since  the 
reason  why  faith  is  said  to  justify,  is,  that  it  receives  and  em- 
braces the  righteousness  offered  in  the  gospel.  But  its  being 
offered  by  the  gospel  absolutely  excludes  all  consideration  of 
works.  This  Paul  very  clearly  demonstrates  on  various  occa- 
sions ; and  particularly  in  two  passages.  In  his  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  contrasting  the  law  and  the  gospel,  he  says,  “ Moses 
describeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  that  the  man 
which  doeth  those  things  shall  live  by  them.  But  the  right- 
eousness which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise  : That  if  thou 
shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe 
in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou 
shalt  be  saved.”  (o)  Do  you  perceive  how  he  thus  discriminates 
between  the  law  and  the  gospel,  that  the  former  attributes 
righteousness  to  works,  but  the  latter  bestows  it  freely,  without 
the  assistance  of  works  ? It  is  a remarkable  passage,  and  may 
serve  to  extricate  us  from  a multitude  of  difficulties,  if  we 
understand  that  the  righteousness  which  is  given  us  by  the 
gospel  is  free  from  all  legal  conditions.  This  is  the  reason 
why  he  more  than  once  strongly  opposes  the  promise  to  the 
law.  “If  the  inheritance  be  of  the  law,  it  is  no  more  of  pro- 
mise ; ” (p)  and  more  in  the  same  chapter  to  the  same  purpose. 
It  is  certain  that  the  law  also  has  its  promises.  Wherefore,  un- 
less we  will  confess  the  comparison  to  be  improper,  there  must 
be  something  distinct  and  different  in  the  promises  of  the  gos- 
pel. Now,  what  can  that  be,  but  that  they  are  gratuitous  and 
solely  dependent  on  the  Divine  mercy,  whilst  the  promises  of 
the  law  depend  on  the  condition  of  works  ? Nor  let  any  one 
object,  that  it  is  only  the  righteousness  which  men  would 
obtrude  on  God  from  their  own  natural  powers  and  free-will 
that  is  rejected  ; since  Paul  teaches  it  as  a universal  truth,  that 
the  precepts  of  the  law  are  unprofitable,  because,  not  only 
among  the  vulgar,  but  even  among  the  very  best  of  men,  there 
is  not  one  who  can  fulfil  them,  {q)  Love  is  certainly  the 
principal  branch  of  the  law  : when  the  Spirit  of  God  forms  us 
to  it,  why  does  it  not  constitute  any  part  of  our  righteousness, 
but  because  even  in  the  saints  it  is  imperfect,  and  therefore  of 
itself  deserves  no  reward  ? 

XVIII.  The  other  passage  is  as  follows  : “ That  no  man  is 
justified  by  the  l^w  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  is  evident ; for.  The 
just  shall  live  by  faith.  And  the  law  is  not  of  faith  ; but.  The 
man  that  doeth  them  shall  live  in  them.”  (r)  How  could  this 
argument  be  supported,  unless  it  were  certain  that  works  do 
not  come  into  the  account  of  faith,  but  are  to  be  entirely  sepa- 


(o)  Rom.  X.  5,  6,  9. 

(p)  Gal.  iii.  18. 


{q)  Rom.  iii.  10,  &c. 
(r)  Gal.  iii.  11,  12. 


670  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

rated  from  it  ? The  law,  he  says,  differs  from  faith.  Why  ? 
Because  works  are  required  to  the  righteousness  of  the  law.  It 
follows,  therefore,  that  works  are  not  required  to  the  righteous- 
ness of  faith.  From  this  statement  it  appears,  that  they  who 
are  justified  by  faith,  are  justified  without  the  merit  of  works, 
and  beyond  the  merit  of  works  ; for  faith  receives  that  right- 
eousness which  the  gospel  bestows ; and  the  gospel  differs  from 
the  law  in  this  respect,  that  it  does  not  confine  righteousness  to 
works,  but  rests  it  entirely  on  the  mercy  of  God.  He  argues 
in  a similar  manner  to  the  Romans,  that  “ Abraham  had  not 
\\  hereof  to  glory  ; for  he  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted 
unto  him  for  righteousness  ; ” (s)  and  by  way  of  confirmation 
he  subjoins,  that  then  there  is  room  for  the  righteousness  of 
faith  when  there  are  no  works  which  merit  any  reward.  He 
tells  us,  that  where  there  are  works,  they  receive  a reward 
of  debt,’’  but  that  what  is  given  to  faith  is  of  grace  : ” for 
this  is  the  clear  import  of  the  language  which  he  there  uses. 
When  he  adds,  a little  after,  “ Therefore  it  is  of  faith  ” that  we 
obtain  the  inheritance,  in  order  that  it  might  be  by  grace,”  {t) 
he  infers  that  the  inheritance  is  gratuitous,  because  it  is  re- 
ceived by  faith  : and  why  is  this,  but  because  faith,  without 
any  assistance  of  works,  depends  wholly  on  the  Divine  mercy  ? 
And  in  the  same  sense  undoubtedly  he  elsewhere  teaches  us, 
that  “ the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  manifested, 
being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets  ; ” (n)  because,  by 
excluding  the  law,  he  denies  that  righteousness  is  assisted  by 
works,  or  that  we  obtain  it  by  working,  but  asserts  that  we 
come  empty  in  order  to  receive  it. 

XIX.  The  reader  will  now  discover,  with  what  justice  the 
sophists  of  the  present  day  cavil  at  our  doctrine,  when  we  say 
that  a man  is  justified  by  faith  only.  That  a man  is  justified 
by  faith^  they  do  not  deny,  because  the  Scripture  so  often  de- 
clares it ; but  since  it  is  nowhere  expressly  said  to  be  by  faith 
only^  they  cannot  bear  this  addition  to  be  made.  But  what 
reply  will  they  give  to  these  words  of  Paul,  where  he  con- 
tends that  righteousness  is  not  of  faith  unless  it  be  gratui- 
tous ? ” {w)  How  can  any  thing  gratuitous  consist  with 
works  ? And  by  what  cavils  will  they  elude  what  he  asserts 
in  another  place,  that  in  the  gospel  ‘‘  is  the  righteousness  of 
God  revealed  ? ” {x)  If  righteousness  is  revealed  in  the  gospel, 
it  is  certainly  not  a mutilated  and  partial,  but  a complete  and 
perfect  one.  The  law,  therefore,  has  no  concern  in  it.  And 
respecting  this  exclusive  particle,  only^  they  rest  on  an  evasion 
which  is  not  only  false,  but  glaringly  ridiculous.  For  does  not 

(m)  Rom.  iii.  21. 

{x)  Rom.  i.  17. 


{s)  Rom.  iv.  2,  3.  {t)  Rom.  iv.  16. 

(?c)  Rom.  iv.  2. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


671 


CHAP.  XI.] 

he  most  completely  attribute  every  thing  to  faith  alone,  who 
denies  every  thing  to  works  ? What  is  the  meaning  of  these 
expressions  of  Paul?  ‘‘Righteousness  is  manifested  without 
the  law,”  “justified  freely  by  his  grace,”  “justified  without 
the  deeds  of  the  law.”  {y)  Here  they  have  an  ingenious  sub- 
terfuge, which,  though  it  is  not  of  their  own  invention,  but 
borrowed  from  Origen  and  some  of  the  ancients,  is  nevertheless 
very  absurd.  They  pretend  that  the  works  excluded  are  the 
ceremonial  works  of  the  law,  not  the  moral  works.  They 
have  made  such  a proficiency  by  their  perpetual  disputations, 
that  they  have  forgotten  the  first  elements  of  logic.  Do  they 
suppose  the  apostle  to  have  been  insane,  when  he  adduced 
these  passages  in  proof  of  his  doctrine  ? “ The  man  that 

doeth  them  shall  live  in  them  ; ” and  “ Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them.”  {z)  If  they  be  in  their  sober 
senses,  they  will  not  assert  that  life  was  promised  to  the  ob- 
servers of  ceremonies,  and  the  curse  denounced  merely  on  the 
transgressors  of  them.  If  these  places  are  to  be  understood  of 
the  moral  law,  it  is  beyond  a doubt,  that  moral  works  likewise 
are  excluded  from  the  power  to  justify.  To  the  same  purpose 
are  these  arguments  which  he  uses : “ For  by  the  law  is  the 
knowledge  of  sin  ; ” consequently  not  righteousness.  “ Be- 
cause the  law  worketh  wrath,”  {a)  therefore  not  righteousness. 
Since  the  law  cannot  assure  our  consciences,  neither  can  it 
confer  righteousness.  Since  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness, 
consequently  righteousness  is  not  a reward  of  works,  but  is 
gratuitously  bestowed.  Since  we  are  justified  by  faith,  boast- 
ing is  precluded.  “ If  there  had  been  a law  given  which  could 
have  given  life,  verily  righteousness  should  have  been  by  the 
law.  But  the  Scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the 
promise  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  might  be  given  to  them  that 
believe.”  {b)  Let  them  idly  pretend,  if  they  dare,  that  these 
are  applicable  to  ceremonies,  not  to  morals  ; but  even  children 
would  explode  such  consummate  impudence.  We  may  therefore 
be  assured,  that  when  the  power  of  justifying  is  denied  to  the 
law,  the  whole  law  is  included. 

XX.  If  any  one  should  wonder  why  the  apostle  does  not 
content  himself  with  simply  mentioning  works,  but  says  luorks 
of  the  law,  the  reason  is  obvious.  For  though  works  are  so 
greatly  esteemed,  they  derive  their  value  from  the  Divine  ap- 
probation rather  than  from  any  intrinsic  excellence.  For  who 
can  dare  to  boast  to  God  of  any  righteousness  of  works,  but 
what  he  has  approved  ? Who  can  dare  to  claim  any  reward  as 
due  to  them,  but  what  he  has  promised?  It  is  owfing,  therefore, 


672  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

to  the  Divine  favour,  that  they  are  accounted  worthy  both  of 
the  title  and  of  the  reward  of  righteousness ; and  so  they  are 
valuable,  only  when  they  are  intended  as  acts  of  obedience  to 
God.  Wherefore  the  apostle,  in  another  place,  in  order  to  prove 
that  Abraham  could  not  be  justified  by  works,  alleges,  that 
the  law  was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after  the  covenant 
was  confirmed.”  (c)  Ignorant  persons  Avould  ridicule  such  an 
argument,  because  there  might  have  been  righteous  works 
before  the  promulgation  of  the  law  ; but  knowing  that  works 
have  no  such  intrinsic  worth,  independently  of  the  testimony 
and  esteem  of  God,  he  has  taken  it  for  granted  that,  antece- 
dently to  the  law,  they  had  no  power  to  justify.  We  know 
why  he  expressly  mentions  the  works  of  the  law,”  when  he 
means  to  deny  justification  by  works  ; it  is  because  they  alone 
can  furnish  any  occasion  of  controversy.  However,  he  like- 
wise excludes  all  works,  without  any  limitation,  as  when  he 
says,  “ David  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man,  unto 
whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without  works.”  {d)  They 
cannot,  therefore,  by  any  subtleties  prevent  us  from  retaining 
this  general  exclusive  particle.  It  is  in  vain,  also,  that  they 
catch  at  another  frivolous  subtlety,  alleging  that  we  are  justi- 
fied only  by  that  ‘‘faith  which  worketh  by  love  ; ” (c)  with  a 
view  to  represent  righteousness  as  depending  on  love.  We  ac- 
knowledge, indeed,  with  Paul,  that  no  other  faith  justifies,  ex- 
cept that  “ which  worketh  by  love ; ” but  it  does  not  derive  its 
power  to  justify  from  the  efficacy  of  that  love.  It  justifies  in 
no  other  way  than  as  it  introduces  us  into  a participation  of  the 
righteousness  of  Christ.  Otherwise  there  would  be  no  force  in 
the  argument  so  strenuously  urged  by  the  apostle.  “ To  him 
that  worketh,”  says  he,  “ is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace, 
but  of  debt.  But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on 
him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  right- 
eousness.” (/)  Was  it  possible  for  him  to  speak  more  plainly 
than  by  thus  asserting,  that  there  is  no  righteousness  of  faith, 
except  where  there  are  no  works  entitled  to  any  reward  ; and 
that  faith  is  imputed  for  righteousness,  only  when  righteousness 
is  conferred  through  unmerited  grace  ? 

XXL  Now,  let  us  examine  the  truth  of  what  has  been 
asserted  in  the  definition,  that  the  righteousness  of  faith  is  a 
reconciliation  with  God,  which  consists  solely  in  remission  of 
sins,  {g)  We  must  always  return  to  this  axiom  — That  the  Di- 
vine wrath  remains  on  all  men,  as  long  as  they  continue  to  be 
sinners.  This  Isaiah  has  beautifully  expressed  in  the  following 
words : “ The  Lord’s  hand  is  not  shortened,  that  it  cannot 
save ; neither  is  his  ear  heavy,  that  it  cannot  hear ; but  your 

(e)  Gal.  V.  6. 

{g)  Sect.  II. 


(c)  Gal.  iii.  17.  {d)  Rom.  iv.  6. 

(/)  Rorn.  iv.  4,  5. 


CHAP.  XI.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  673 

iniquities  have  separated  between  you  and  your  God,  and  your 
sins  have  hid  his  face  from  you,  that  he  will  not  hear.”  (A) 
We  are  informed,  that  sin  makes  a division  between  man  and 
God,  and  turns  the  Divine  countenance  away  from  the  sinner. 
Nor  can  it  be  otherwise  ; because  it  is  incompatible  with  his 
righteousness  to  have  any  communion  with  sin.  Hence  the 
apostle  teaches,  that  man  is  an  enemy  to  God,  till  he  be  recon- 
ciled to  him  through  Christ,  {i)  Whom,  therefore,  the  Lord  re- 
ceives into  fellowship,  him  he  is  said  to  justify ; because  he 
cannot  receive  any  one  into  favour  or  into  fellowship  with  him- 
self, without  making  him  from  a sinner  to  be  a righteous  person. 
This,  we  add,  is  accomplished  by  the  remission  of  sins.  For 
if  they,  whom  the  Lord  has  reconciled  to  himself,  be  judged 
according  to  their  works,  they  will  still  be  found  actually  sin- 
ners ; who,  notwithstanding,  must  be  absolved  and  free  from 
sin.  It  appears,  then,  that  those  whom  God  receives,  are  made 
righteous  no  otherwise  than  as  they  are  purified  by  being 
cleansed  from  all  their  defilements  by  the  remission  of  their 
sins ; so  that  such  a righteousness  may,  in  one  word,  be  deno- 
minated a remission  of  sins. 

XXII.  Both  these  points  are  fully  established  by  the  lan- 
guage of  Paul,  which  I have  already  recited.  God  was  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their 
trespasses  unto  them ; and  hath  committed  unto  us  the  word 
of  reconciliation.”  {k)  Then  he  adds  the  substance  of  his 
ministry  : He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no 
sin ; that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him.”(/)  The  terms  righteousness  ” and  “reconciliation” 
are  here  used  by  him  indiscriminately,  to  teach  us  that  they 
are  mutually  comprehended  in  each  other.  And  he  states  the 
manner  of  obtaining  this  righteousness  to  consist  in  our  trans- 
gressions not  being  imputed  to  us.  Wherefore  we  can  no 
longer  doubt  fipw  God  justifies,  when  we  hear  that  he  recon- 
ciles us  to  himself  by  not  imputing  our  sins  to  us.  Thus,  in 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  the  apostle  proves,  that  “ God  im- 
puteth  righteousness  without  works,”  from  the  testimony  of 
David,  who  declares,  “ Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities  are 
forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  to 
whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin.”  {m)  By  “ blessedness,” 
in  this  passage,  he  undoubtedly  means  righteousness ; for  since 
he  asserts  it  to  consist  in  remission  of  sins,  there  is  no  reason 
for  our  adopting  any  other  definition  of  it.  Wherefore  Zach- 
ariah,  the  father  of  John  the  Baptist,  places  “ the  knowledge 
of  salvation”  in  “the  remission  of  sins.”(?2)  And  Paul, 
observing  the  same  rule  in  the  sermon  which  he  preached  to 

{h)  Isaiah  lix.  1,  2.  {k)  2 Cor.  v.  19,  (m)  Rom.  iv.  6 — 8. 

(i)  Rom.  V.  8 — 10.  (Z)  2 Cor.  v.  21.  (n)  Luke  i.  77. 

VOL.  I.  85 


674  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III, 

the  people  of  Antioch  on  the  subject  of  salvation,  is  stated  by 
Luke  to  have  concluded  in  the  following  manner : Through 
this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins ; and  by 
him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things,  from  which 
ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.”  (o)  The 
apostle  thus  connects  “forgiveness  of  sins”  with  “justifica- 
tion,” to  show  that  they  are  identically  the  same  ; whence  he 
' justly  argues,  that  this  righteousness  which  we  obtain  through 
the  favour  of  God  is  gratuitously  bestowed  upon  us.  Nor 
should  it  be  thought  a strange  expression,  that  believers  are 
justified  before  God,  not  by  their  works,  but  by  his  gracious 
acceptance  of  them  ; since  it  occurs  so  frequently  in  the 
Scripture,  and  sometimes  also  in  the  fathers.  Augustine  says, 
“ The  righteousness  of  the  saints,  in  this  world,  consists  rather 
in  the  remission  of  their  sins  than  in  the  perfection  of  their 
virtues.”  With  which  corresponds  the  remarkable  observation 
of  Bernard  ; “ Not  to  sin  at  all,  is  the  righteousness  of  God ; 
but  the  righteousness  of  man  is  the  Divine  grace  and  mercy.” 
He  had  before  asserted,  “ that  Christ  is  righteousness  to  us  in 
absolution,  and  therefore  that  they  alone  are  righteous  who 
have  obtained  pardon  through  his  mercy.” 

XXIII.  Hence,  also,  it  is  evident,  that  we  obtain  justification 
before  God,  solely  by  the  intervention  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ.  Which  is  equivalent  to  saying,  that  a man  is  righteous, 
not  in  himself,  but  because  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  com- 
municated to  him  by  imputation ; and  this  is  a point  which 
deserves  an  attentive  consideration.  For  it  supersedes  that  idle 
notion,  that  a man  is  justified  by  faith,  because  faith  receives 
the  Spirit  of  God  by  whom  he  is  made  righteous  ; which  is  too 
repugnant  to  the  foregoing  doctrine,  ever  to  be  reconcilable  to  it. 
For  he  must  certainly  be  destitute  of  all  righteousness  of  his  own, 
who  is  taught  to  seek  a righteousness  out  of  himself.  This  is 
most  clearly  asserted  by  the  apostle,  when  he  ^ys,  “ He  hath 
made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin  ; that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  Godin  him.”(|))  We  see  that 
our  righteousness  is  not  in  ourselves,  but  in  Christ ; and  that 
all  our  title  to  it  rests  solely  on  our  being  partakers  of  Christ ; 
for  in  possessing  him,  we  possess  all  his  riches  with  him.  Nor 
does  any  objection  arise  from  what  he  states  in  another  place, 
that  “God,  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh, 
and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh ; that  the  righteousness 
of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us  ; ” (y)  v/here  he  intends  no 
other  fulfilment  than  what  we  obtain  by  imputation.  For  the 
Lord  Christ  so  communicates  his  righteousness  to  us,  that,  with 
reference  to  the  Divine  judgment,  he  transfuses  its  virtue  into 
ns  in  a most  wonderful  manner.  That  the  apostle  intended 

(o)  Acts  xiii,  38,  39.  (p)  2 Cor.  v.  21.  (q)  Rom.  viii.  3, 4. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


675 


CHAP.  XII.] 

no  other,  abundantly  appears  from  another  declaration,  which 
he  had  made  just  before  : “ As  by  one  man’s  disobedience 
many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  shall 
many  be  made  righteous.”  (r)  What  is  placing  our  righteous- 
ness in  the  obedience  of  Christ,  but  asserting,  that  we  are 
accounted  righteous  only  because  his  obedience  is  accepted  for 
us  as  if  it  were  our  own  ? Wherefore  Ambrose  appears  to  me 
to  have  very  beautifully  exemplified  this  righteousness  in  the 
benediction  of  Jacob  ; that  as  he,  who  had  on  his  own  account 
no  claim  to  the  privileges  of  primogeniture,  b,3ing  concealed  in 
his  brother’s  habit,  and  invested  with  his  garment,  which  dif- 
fused a most  excellent  odour,  insinuated  himself  into  the  favour 
of  his  father,  that  he  might  receive  the  benediction  to  his  own 
advantage,  under  the  character  of  another  ; so  we  shelter  our- 
selves under  the  precious  purity  of  Christ  our  elder  brother,  that 
we  may  obtain  the  testimony  of  righteousness  in  the  sight  of 
God.  The  words  of  Ambrose  are,  “ That  Isaac  smelled  the 
odour  of  the  garments,  perhaps  indicates,  that  we  are  justified 
not  by  works,  but  by  faith  ; since  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh  is 
an  impediment  to  works,  but  the  brightness  of  faith,  which 
merits  the  pardon  of  sin,  conceals  the  error  of  our  actions.”  And 
such  is  indeed  the  real  fact ; for  that  we  may  appear  before  the 
face  of  God  to  salvation,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  be  perfumed 
with  his  fragrance,  and  to  have  all  our  deformities  concealed 
and  absorbed  in  his  perfection. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A CONSIDERATION  OF  THE  DIVINE  TRIBUNAL,  NECESSARY  TO  A 
SERIOUS  CONVICTION  OF  GRATUITOUS  JUSTIFICATION. 

Though  it  appears,  from  the  plainest  testimonies,  that  all 
these  things  are  strictly  true,  yet  we  shall  not  clearly  discover 
how  necessary  they  are,  till  we  shall  have  taken  a view  of 
what  ought  to  be  the  foundation  of  all  this  argument.  In  the 
first  place,  therefore,  we  should  reflect  that  we  are  not  treating 
of  the  righteousness  of  a human  court,  but  of  that  of  the  hea- 
venly tribunal ; in  order  that  we  may  not  apply  any  diminutive 
standard  of  our  own,  to  estimate  the  integrity  of  conduct  re- 
quired to  satisfy  the  Divine  justice.  But  it  is  wonderful,  with 
what  temerity  and  presumption  this  isifeommonly  decided ; and  it 
is  even  observable,  that  no  men  give  us  more  confident  or  pom- 
pous declamations  concerning  the  righteousness  of  works,  than 


(r)  Rom.  V.  19. 


676  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

those  who  are  notoriously  guilty  of  open  sins  or  addicted  to 
secret  vices.  This  arises  from  their  never  thinking  of  the 
righteousness  of  God,  the  smallest  sense  of  which  would  pre- 
vent them  from  treating  it  with  such  contempt.  And  certainly 
it  is  exceedingly  undervalued,  if  it  be  not  acknowledged  to  be 
so  perfect  that  nothing  can  be  acceptable  to  it  but  what  is 
absolutely  complete  and  immaculate,  such  as  it  never  was,  nor 
ever  will  be,  possible  to  find  in  fallen  man.  It  is  easy  for  any 
one  in  the  cloisters  of  the  schools,  to  indulge  himself  in  idle 
speculations  on  the  merit  of  works  to  justify  men ; but  when 
he  comes  into  the  presence  of  God,  he  must  bid  farewell  to 
these  amusements,  for  there  the  business  is  transacted  with 
seriousness,  and  no  ludicrous  logomachy  practised.  To  this 
point,  then,  must  our  attention  be  directed,  if  we  wish  to  make 
any  useful  inquiry  concerning  true  righteousness  ; how  Ave 
can  answer  the  celestial  Judge,  when  he  shall  call  us  to  an 
account.  Let  us  place  that  Judge  before  our  eyes,  not  accord- 
ing to  the  spontaneous  imaginations  of  our  minds,  but  ac- 
cording to  the  descriptions  given  of  him  in  the  Scripture ; 
which  represents  him  as  one  whose-  refulgence  eclipses  the 
stars,  whose  power  melts  the  mountains,  whose  anger  shakes 
the  earth,  whose  wisdom  takes  the  subtle  in  their  own  crafti- 
ness, whose  purity  makes  all  things  appear  polluted,  whose 
righteousness  even  the  angels  are  unable  to  bear,  who  acquits 
not  the  guilty,  whose  vengeance,  when  it  is  once  kindled, 
penetrates  even  to  the  abyss  of  hell.*  Let  him  seat  himself;  I 
say,  on  the  tribunal,  to  examine  the  actions  of  men  : who  will 
present  himself  fearless  before  his  throne  ? “ Who  shall  dAvell 

with  the  devouring  fire  ? ” saith  the  prophet.  “ Who  shall 
dwell  with  everlasting  burnings?  He  that  walketh  right- 
eously and  speaketh  uprightly,”  &c.  (s)  Now  let  him  come 
forward,  whoever  he  is.  But  this  answer  causes  not  one  to 
appear.  For,  on  the  contrary,  we  hear  this  fearful  speech, 
If  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquities,  O Lord,  who  shall 
stand  ? ” (^)  In  truth,  all  must  speedily  perish,  as  it  is  written 
in  another  place,  ‘‘  Shall  mortal  man  be  more  just  than  God  ? 
Shall  a man  be  more  pure  than  his  Maker?  Behold,  he  put 
no  trust  in  his  servants ; and  his  angels  he  charged  with  folly  ; 
how  much  less  in  them  that  dwell  in  houses  of  clay,  whose 
foundation  is  in  the  dust,  which  are  crushed  before  the  moth  ? 
They  are  destroyed  from  morning  to  evening.”  (u)  Again  : 

Behold,  he  putteth  no  trust  in  his  saints  ; yea,  the  heavens 
are  not  clean  in  his  sight  ; how  much  more  abominable  and 
filthy  is  man,  Avhich  diinketh  iniquity  like  water  ?”(i47)  I 
confess  that  in  the  Book  of  Job  mention  is  made  of  a right- 

* See  particularly  the  Book  of  Job.  (s)  Isaiah  xxxiii.  14,  15. 

(t)  Psalm  cxxx.  3.  (w)  Job  iv.  17 — 20.  (^o)  Job  xv.  15,  1C. 


CHAP.  XII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  677 

eousness  which  is  superior  to  the  observance  of  the  law.  And 
it  will  be  of  use  to  remember  this  distinction ; because,  though 
any  one  could  satisfy  the  law,  he  coTild  not  even  then  stand 
the  scrutiny  of  that  righteousness  which  exceeds  all  compre- 
hension. Therefore,  though  Job  is  conscious  of  his  own  in- 
tegrity, yet  he  is  mute  with  astonishment,  when  he  sees  that 
God  could  not  be  pleased  even  with  the  sanctity  of  angels,  if 
he  were  to  enter  into  a strict  examination  of  their  works.  I 
shall,  therefore,  now  pass  over  that  righteousness  to  which  I 
have  alluded,  because  it  is  incomprehensible,  and  content  my- 
self with  asserting,  that  we  must  be  worse  than  stupid,  if,  on 
an  examination  of  our  lives  by  the  rule  of  the  written  law,  we 
are  not  tormented  with  awful  dread  in  consequence  of  so 
many  maledictions,  which  God  has  designed  to  arouse  us,  and 
among  the  rest  this  general  one  : Cursed  be  he  that  confirmeth 
not  all  the  words  of  this  law  to  do  them.”  {x)  In  short,  this 
whole  controversy  will  be  uninteresting  and  useless,  unless 
every  one  present  himself  as  a criminal  before  the  celestial 
Judge,  and  voluntarily  prostrate  and  humble  himself  in  deep 
solicitude  concerning  his  absolution. 

II.  To  this  point  our  eyes  ought  to  have  been  raised,  that 
we  might  learn  rather  to  tremble  through  fear,  than  to  indulge 
in  vain  exultation.  It  is  easy,  indeed,  while  the  comparison  is 
made  only  between  men,  for  every  man  to  imagine  himself  to 
be  possessed  of  somethfhg  which  others  ought  not  to  contemn  ; 
but  when  we  ascend  to  the  contemplation  of  God,  that  confi- 
dence is  immediately  lost.  And  the  case  of  our  soul  with  re- 
spect to  God  is  similar  to  that  of  our  body  with  respect  to  the 
visible  heavens ; for  the  eye,  as  long  as  it  is  employed  in  be- 
holding adjacent  objects,  receives  proofs  of  its  own  perspica- 
city ; but  if  it  be  directed  towards  the  sun,  dazzled  and  con- 
founded with  his  overpowering  brightness,  it  feels  no  less  de- 
bility in  beholding  him,  than  strength  in  the  view  of  inferior  ob- 
jects. Let  us  not,  then,  deceive  ourselves  with  a vain  confidence, 
although  we  consider  ourselves  equal  or  superior  to  other  men. 
That  is  nothing  to  God,  to  whose  decision  this  cause  must  be 
submitted.  But  if  our  insolence  cannot  be  restrained  by  these 
admonitions,  he  will  reply  to  us  in  the  language  which  he 
addressed  to  the  Pharisees  : “Ye  are  they  which  justify  your- 
selves before  men  ; but  that  which  is  highly  esteemed  among 
men,  is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God.”  {y)  Go  now,  and 
among  men  proudly  glory  in  your  righteousness,  while  the  God 
of  heaven  abominates  it.  But  what  is  the  language  of  the 
servants  of  God,  who  are  truly  taught  by  his  Spirit  ? One 
says,  “ Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant ; for  in  thy 
sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified.”  (z)  And  another, 


(x)  Deut.  xxvii.  26. 


(y)  Luke  xvi.  15, 


(z)  Psalrn  cxliii.  2. 


678 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE 


[book  III. 

though  in  a sense  somewhat  different,  ‘^How  should  man  be 
just  with  God?  If  he  will  contend  with  him,  he  cannot 
answer  him  one  of  a thousand.”  {a)  Here  we  are  plainly  in- 
formed respecting  the  righteousness  of  God,  that  it  is  such  as 
no  human  works  can  satisfy ; and  such  as  renders  it  impossible 
for  us,  if  accused  of  a thousand  crimes,  to  exculpate  ourselves 
from  one  of  them.  The  same  idea  of  this  righteousness  had 
very  properly  been  entertained  by  Paul,  that  chosen  ves-  ^ 
sel  ” {h)  of  God,  when  he  professed,  I am  conscious  to  myself 
of  nothing  ; yet  am  I not  hereby  justified.”  (c) 

III.  Nor  is  it  only  in  the  sacred  Scriptures  that  such  exam- 
ples are  found.  All  pious  writers  discover  similar  sentiments. 
Thus  Augustine  says,  ‘‘  The  only  hope  of  all  the  pious,  who 
groan  under  this  burden  of  corruptible  flesh,  and  amidst  the 
infirmities  of  this  life,  is,  that  we  have  a Mediator,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous;  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.”  What 
is  the  meaning  of  this  observation  ? If  this  is  their  only  hope, 
where  is  any  confidence  in  works  ? For  when  he  asserts  this 
to  be  the  only  one,  he  precludes  every  other.  Bernard  also 
says.  “And  in  fact  where  can  be  found  safe  and  solid  rest  and 
security  for  the  weak,  but  in  the  wounds  of  the  Saviour? 
There  I dwell  with  the  greater  security,  in  proportion  to  his 
power  to  save.  The  world  rages,  the  body  oppresses,  the  devil 
lies  in  wait  to  destroy.  I do  not  fall,  because  my  foundation 
is  on  a firm  rock.  I have  committed  •'^heinous  sin.  My  con- 
science is  disturbed,  but  shall  not  fall  into  despair,  because  I 
shall  recall  to  remembrance  the  wounds  of  the  Lord.”  From 
these  considerations  he  afterwards  concludes,  “ My  merit, 
therefore,  is  the  compassion  of  the  Lord : I am  clearly  not 
destitute  of  merit,  as  long  as  he  is  not  destitute  of  compassions. 
But  if  the  mercies  of  the  Lord  be  a multitude  of  mercies,  my 
merits  are  likewise  equally  numerous.  Shall  I sing  of  my  own 
righteousness  ? O Lord,  I will  remember  thy  righteousness 
alone.  For  it  is  mine  also,  since  he  is  made  of  God  righteous- 
ness unto  me.”  Again,  in  another  place  : “ This  is  the  whole 
merit  of  man  — to  fix  all  his  hope  on  him  who  saves  the  whole 
man.”  Likewise  in  another  place,  retaining  peace  to  himself, 
and  ascribing  the  glory  to  God,  he  says,  “ To  thee  let  the 
glory  remain  undiminished.  It  is  happy  for  me,  if  I have 
peace.  The  glory  I entirely  renounce ; lest,  if  I usurp  what 
is  not  mine,  I lose  also  that  which  is  offered  me.”  In  another 
place  he  is  still  more  explicit : “ Why  should  the  Church  be 
solicitous  about  merits,  while  it  has  a stronger  and  more  se- 
cure reason  for  glorying  in  the  designs  of  God?  You -need 
not  inquim  on  account  of  what  merits  we  hope  for  blessings, 
especially  when  you  read  in  the  prophet,  ‘ Thus  saith  the 

(a)  Job  ix.  2,  3.  (h)  Acts  ix.  15.  (c)  1 Cor.  iv.  4. 


CHAP.  XII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  679 

Lord  God ; I do  not  this  for  your  sakes,  but  for  mine  holy 
name’s  sake.’  {d)  It  suffices  with  respect  to  merit,  to  know 
that  merits  are  not  sufficient ; but  as  it  suffices  for  merit  not  to 
presume  on  merits,  so  to  be  destitute  of  merits  is  sufficient 
cause  of  condemnation.”  We  must  excuse  his  custom  of 
freely  using  the  word  merits  for  good  works.  But  his  ulti- 
mate design  was  to  terrify  hypocrites,  who  indulge  themselves 
in  a licentious  course  of  sin  against  the  grace  of  God  ; as  he 
presently  declares : “ Happy  is  the  Church  which  wants 

neither  merits  without  presumption,  nor  presumption  without 
merits.  It  has  some  ground  of  presumption,  but  not  merits. 
It  has  merits,  but  in  order  to  deserve,  not  to  presume.  Is  not 
the  absence  of  presumption  itself  a merit  ? Therefore  the 
Church  presumes  the  more  securely,  because  it  does  not  pre- 
sume, having  ample  cause  for  glorying  in  the  multitude  of  the 
Divine  mercies.” 

lY.  This  is  the  real  truth.  The  troubled  conscience  finds 
this  to  be  the  only  asylum  of  safety,  where  it  can  enjoy  any 
tranquillity,  when  it  has  to  do  with  the  Divine  justice.  For  if 
the  stars,  which  appeared  most  brilliant  daring  the  night,  lose 
their  splendour  on  the  rising  of  the  sun,  what  can  we  suppose 
will  be  the  case  with  the  most  excellent  innocence  of  man, 
when  compared  with  the  purity  of  God  ? For  that  will  be 
an  examination  inconceivably  severe,  which  shall  penetrate 
into  all  the  most  secret  thoughts  of  the  heart,  and,  as  Paul 
says,  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  make 
manifest  the  counsels  of  the  hearts  ; ” (e)  which  shall  constrain 
the  reluctant  conscience  to  confess  all  those  things  which  have 
now  passed  away  even  from  our  own  remembrance.  We  shall 
be  urged  by  an  accusing  devil,  who  has  been  privy  to  all  the 
crimes  which  he  has  impelled  us  to  perpetrate.  There  the  ex- 
ternal appearance  of  good  works,  which  now  is  the  sole  object 
of  esteem,  will  be  of  no  avail ; sincerity  of  heart  is  all  that  will 
be  rf^uired.  Wherefore  hypocrisy,  not  only  that  by  which  a 
man,  conscious  of  his  guilt  before  God,  affects  ostentation  before 
men,  but  that  also  by  which  every  man  imposes  on  himself 
before  God,  for  we  are  all  prone  to  self-complacency  and  adu- 
lation ; hypocrisy  in  all  its  forms  will  then  he  overwhelmed  with 
confusion,  however  it  may  now  be  intoxicated  with  presump- 
tion and  pride.  Persons  who  never  look  forward  to  such  a 
spectacle,  may,  indeed,  delightfully  and  complacently  compose 
for  themselves  a temporary  righteousness,  of  which  they  will 
immediately  be  stripped  at  the  Divine  judgment;  just  as  im- 
mense riches,  accumulated  by  us  in  a dream,  vanish  as  soon  as 
we  awake.  But  they  who  inquire  seriously,  and  as  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  respecting  the  true  standard  of  rigliteousness, 
will  certainly  find  that  all  the  actions  of  men,  if  estimated 

{d)  Ezek.  XXX vi.  22.  (e)  1 Cor.  iv.  5, 


680  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III 

according  to  their  intrinsic  worth,  are  utterly  defiled  and  pollu- 
ted ; that  what  is  commonly  considered  as  righteousness,  is,  in 
the  Divine  view,  nothing  but  iniquity ; that  what  is  accounted 
integrity,  is  mere  pollution  ; and  that  what  is  reputed  glory,  is 
real  ignominy. 

V.  From  this  contemplation  of  the  Divine  perfection,  let  us 
not  be  unwilling  to  descend  to  take  a view  of  ourselves,  with- 
out adulation  or  blind  self-love.  For  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  if  we  are  so  extremely  blind  in  this  respect,  since  not  one  of 
us  is  sufficiently  cautious  of  that  pestilent  self-indulgence,  which 
the  Scripture  declares  to  be  naturally  inherent  in  us  all.  Every 
way  of  man,”  says  Solomon,  ‘ffis  right  in  his  own  eyes.”  (/) 
Again  : “ All  the  ways  of  a man  are  clean  in  his  own  eyes.”  {g) 
But  what  follows  from  this  ? Is  he  absolved  from  guilt  by  this 
delusion  ? Not  at  all ; but,  as  is  immediately  added,  the  Lord 
weigheth  the  spirits ; ” that  is,  while  men  are  congratulating 
themselves  on  account  of  the  external  mask  of  righteousness 
which  they  wear,  the  Lord  is  at  the  same  time  weighing  in 
his  own  balance  the  latent  impurity  of  their  hearts.  Since  we 
are  so  far  from  deriving  any  advantage,  therefore,  from  such 
blandishments,  let  us  not  voluntarily  delude  ourselves  to  our 
own  perdition.  That  we  may  examine  ourselves  properly,  it 
is  necessary  for  us  to  summon  our  conscience  to  the  tribunal  of 
God.  For  we  have  the  greatest  need  of  his  light  in  order  to 
detect  the  recesses  of  our  depravity,  which  otherwise  are  too 
deeply  concealed.  For  then  only  shall  we  clearly  perceive  the 
force  of  this  language:  ^^How  can  man  be  justified  with  God  — 
man,  who  is  ” corruption  and  ‘^a  worm,  abominable  and  filthy, 
and  who  drinketh  iniquity  like  water  ? ” {h)  Who  can  bring 
a clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ? Not  one.”  {i)  Then  also 
we  shall  experience  what  Job  said  concerning  himself : If  I 
justify  myself,  mine  own  mouth  shall  condemn  me ; if  I say  I 
am  perfect,  it  shall  also  prove  me  perverse.”  {k)  For  the  com- 
plaint, which  the  prophet  formerly  made  respecting  Israel,^ All 
we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ; we  have  turned  every  one  to 
his  own  way ; ” (/)  is  applicable  not  only  to  one  period  of  time, 
but  to  all  ages.  For  he  there  comprehends  all  to  whom  the 
grace  of  redemption  was  to  extend ; and  the  rigour  of  this  ex- 
amination ought  to  proceed  till  it  shall  have  filled  us  with 
complete  consternation,  and  thus  prepared  us  to  receive  the 
grace  of  Christ.  For  he  is  deceived  who  supposes  himself 
capable  of  this  enjoyment,  without  having  first  been  truly 
humbled.  It  is  a well-known  observation,  that  God  resisteth 
the  proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble.”  (m) 

VI.  But  what  means  have  we  of  humbling  ourselves,  except 
by  submitting,  all  poor  and  destitute,  to  the  Divine  mercy  ? 

(/)  Prov.  xxi.  2.  («■)  Prov.  xvi.  2.  Qi)  Jobxv.  16;  xxv.  4,  6. 

(i)  Job  xiv.  4.  (/i)  Job  ix.  20.  (/)  Isaiah  liii.  6.  (w)  1 Peter  v.  5. 


CHAP.  XII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  681 

For  I do  not  call  it  humility,  if  we  suppose  that  we  have  any 
thing  left.  And  hitherto  they  have  taught  a pernicious  hypo- 
crisy, who  have  connected  these  two  maxims  — that  we  should 
entertain  humble  thoughts  of  ourselves  before  God,  and  that  we 
should  attach  some  dignity  to  our  own  righteousness.  For  if 
we  address  to  God  a confession  which  is  contrary  to  our  real 
sentiments,  we  are  guilty  of  telling  him  an  impudent  falsehood  ; 
but  we  cannot  think  of  ourselves  as  we  ought  to  think,  with- 
out utterly  despising  every  thing  that  may  be  supposed  an  ex- 
cellence in  us.  When  we  hear,  therefore,  from  the  Psalmist, 
that  God  will  save  the  afflicted  people,  but  will  bring  down 
high  looks,”  [n)  let  us  consider,'  first,  that  there  is  no  way  of 
salvation  till  we  have  laid  aside  all  pride,  and  attained  sincere 
humility  ,•  secondly,  that  this  humility  is  not  a species  of 
modesty,  consisting  in  conceding  to  God  a small  portion  of 
what  we  might  justly  claim,  as  they  are  called  humble  among 
men,  who  neither  haughtily  exalt  themselves  nor  behave  with 
insolence  to  others,  while  they  nevertheless  entertain  some 
consciousness  of  excellence : this  humility  is  the  unfeigned 
submission  of  a mind  overwhelmed  with  a weighty  sense  of  its 
own  misery  and  poverty ; for  such  is  the  uniform  description 
of  it  in  the  word  of  God.  When  the  Lord  speaks  thus  in 
Zephaniah,  “ 1 will  take  away  out  of  the  midst  of  thee  them 
that  rejoice  in  thy  pride  ; I will  also  leave  in  the  midst  of  thee 
an  afflicted  and  poor  people,  and  they  shall  trust  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  ; ” (o)  does  he  not  clearly  show  who  are  truly  humble  ? 
even  such  as  are  afflicted  with  a knowledge  of  their  own  poverty. 
On  the  contrary,  he  describes  the  proud  as  persons  ‘-rejoicing,” 
because  this  is  the  usual  consequence  of  prosperity.  But  to  the 
humble,  whom  he  intends  to  save,  he  leaves  nothing  but  that 
“ they  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.”  Thus  also  in  Isaiah, 
“ To  this  man  will  I look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a 
contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth  at  my  word.”  ) Again: 
“ Thus  saith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity, 
whose  name  is  Holy  ; I dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place,  with 
him  also  that  is  of  a contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to  revive  the 
spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart  of  the  contrite 
ones.”  {q)  By  the  contrition  so  frequently  mentioned,  we  must 
understand  a wounded  heart,  which  prevents  a man  from  rising 
when  humbled  in  the  dust.  With  such  contrition  must  our 
heart  be  wounded,  if  we  desire,  according  to  the  declaration  of 
the  Lord,  to  be  exalted  with  the  humble.  If  this  be  not  the 
case,  we  shall  be  abased  by  the  powerful  hand  of  God  to  our 
shame  and  disgrace,  (r) 

VII.  And,  not  content  with  mere  precepts,  our  excellent 

(re)  Psalm  xviii.  27.  {p)  Isaiah  Ixvi.  2.  (r)  Matt,  xxiii.  12.  Luke  xiv, 

(p)  Zeph.  iii.  11,  12.  {q)  Isaiah  Ivii.  15.  11;  xviii.  14. 

VOL.  I.  86 


682  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III 

Master,  in  a parable,  as  in  a picture,  has  presented  us  with  an  ex- 
ample of  genuine  humility.  For  he  introduces  a publican,  who, 
standing  afar  off,  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto 
heaven,  but  smote  upon  his  breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a sinner.”  (s)  We  must  not  conclude  these  circumstances 
— his  not  presuming  to  look  upwards,  standing  afar  off,  smiting 
upon  his  breast,  and  confessing  himself  a sinner  — to  be  marks 
of  feigned  modesty  ; we  may  be  certain  that  they  were  sincere 
evidences  of  the  disposition  of  his  heart.  To  him  our  Lord 
opposes  a Pharisee,  who  said,  God,  I thank  thee  that  I am  not 
as  other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this 
publican.  I fast  twice  in  the  week,  I give  tithes  of  all  that  I 
possess.”  He  openly  confesses  the  righteousness  which  he 
has,  to  be  the  gift  of  God  ; but  because  he  confides  in  his  being 
righteous,  he  departs  from  the  presence  of  God  unacceptable 
and  hateful  to  him.  The  publican,  acknowledging  his  iniquity 
is  justified.  Hence  we  may  see  how  very  pleasing  our  humi- 
liation is  in  the  sight  of  God ; so  that  the  heart  is  not  open  for 
the  reception  of  his  mercy  unless  it  be  divested  of  all  idea  of 
its  own  dignity.  When  this  notion  has  occupied  the  mind,  it 
precludes  the  admission  of  Divine  mercy.  That  no  one  might 
have  any  doubt  of  this,  Christ  was  sent  by  his  Father  into  the 
world  with  a commission,  “ to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the 
meek ; to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted  ; to  proclaim  liberty  to 
the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are 
bound ; to  comfort  all  that  mourn ; to  give  unto  them  beauty 
for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  the  garment  of  praise  for 
the  spirit  of  heaviness.”’  (t)  In  pursuance  of  this  commission, 
he  invites  to  a participation  of  his  benefits  none  but  those  who 
‘labour  and  are  heavy  laden.”  (i^)  And  in  another  place  he 
says,  “ I am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  re- 
pentance.” (v) 

VIH.  Therefore,  if  we  would  obey  the  call  of  Christ,  let  us 
dismiss  all  arrogance  and  carelessness  from  our  minds.  The 
former  arises  from  a foolish  persuasion  of  our  own  righteous- 
ness, when  a man  supposes  himself  to  be  possessed  of  any  thing, 
the  merit  of  which  can  recommend  him  to  God  ; the  latter  may 
exist  without  any  consideration  of  works.  For  multitudes  of 
sinners,  inebriated  with  criminal  pleasures,  and  forgetful  of  the 
Divine  judgment,  are  in  a state,  as  it  were,  of  lethargic  insensi- 
bility, so  that  they  never  aspire  after  the  mercy  which  is  offered 
to  them.  But  it  is  equally  necessary  for  us  to  shake  off  such 
stupidity,  and  to  reject  all  confidence  in  ourselves,  in  order  that, 
being  freed  from  every  incumbrance,  we  may  hasten  to  Christ, 
all  destitute  and  hungry,  to  be  filled  with  his  blessings.  For 
we  shall  never  have  sufficient  confidence  in  him,  unless 

(s)  Luke  xviii.  13.  (t)  Isaiah  Ixi.  1 — 3.  (u)  Matt.  xi.  23.  (r)  Matt.  ix.  13. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


683 


CHAP.  XIII.] 

we  entirely  lose  all  confidence  in  ourselves  ; we  shall  never 
find  sufficient  encouragement  in  him,  unless  we  are  previously 
dejected  in  ourselves ; we  shall  never  enjoy  siifficient  consola- 
tion in  him,  unless  we  are  utterly  disconsolate  in  ourselves. 
We  are  prepared,  therefore,  to  seek  and  obtain  the  grace  of  God, 
discarding  at  the  same  time  all  confidence  in  ourselves,  and  re- 
lying solely  on  the  assurance  of  his  mercy,  “ when,”  as  Augus- 
tine says,  forgetting  our  own  merits,  we  embrace  the  free  gifts 
of  Christ ; because,  if  he  sought  merits  in  us,  we  should  not 
come  to  his  free  gifts.”  With  him  Bernard  fully  agrees,  when 
he  compares  proud  men,  that  arrogate  ever  so  little  to  their  own 
merits,  to  mifaithfnl  servants,  because  they  unjustly  claim  the 
praise  of  the  grace  which  passes  through  them  ; just  as  though 
a wall  should  say  that  it  produces  the  sunbeams  which  it  re- 
ceives through  a window.  But  not  to  dwell  any  longer  on 
this,  we  may  lay  it  down  as  a brief,  but  general  and  certain 
maxim,  that  he  is  prepared  for  a participation  of  the  benefits 
of  Divine  mercy,  who  has  wholly  divested  himself,  I will  not 
say  of  his  righteousness,  which  is  a mere  nullity,  but  of  the 
vain  and  airy  phantom  of  righteousness ; for  as  far  as  any  man 
is  satisfied  with  himself,  so  far  he  raises  an  impediment  to  the 
exercise  of  the  grace  of  God. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

TWO  THINGS  NECESSARY  TO  BE  OBSERVED  IN  GRATUITOUS 
JUSTIFICATION. 

Here  are  two  things  to  which  we  must  always  be  particu- 
larly attentive ; to  maintain  the  glory  of  the  Lord  unimpaired 
and  undiminished,  and  to  preserve  in  our  own  consciences  a 
placid  composure  and  serene  tranquillity  with  regard  to  the 
Divine  judgment.  We  see  how  frequently  and  solicitously  the 
Scripture  exhorts  us  to  render  ascriptions  of  praise  to  God  alone, 
when  it  treats  of  justification.  And,  indeed,  the  apostle  assures 
us  that  the  design  of  the  Lord  in  conferring  righteousness  upon 
us  in  Christ,  is  to  manifest  his  own  righteousness.  The  nature 
of  that  manifestation  he  immediately  subjoins:  it  is,  ‘‘that  he 
might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  belie veth  in 
Jesus.”  {lu)  The  righteousness  of  God,  we  see,  is  not  suffi- 
ciently illustrious,  unless  he  alone  be  esteemed  righteous,  and 
communicate  the  grace  of  justification  to  the  unworthy.  For 
this  reason  it  is  his  will  “ that  every  mouth  be  stopped,  and  all 

{w)  Rom.  iii.  26. 


684  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  U \ 

the  world  become  guilty  before  him ; ” (x)  because,  as  long  as 
man  has  any  thing  to  allege  in  his  own  defence,  it  detracts 
something  from  the  glory  of  God.  Thus  in  Ezekiel  he 
teaches  us  how  greatly  we  glorify  his  name  by  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  our  iniquity:  “Ye  shall  remember  your  ways, 
(saith  he,)  and  all  your  doings,  wherein  ye  have  been  defiled  ; 
and  ye  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight  for  all  your 
evils  that  ye  have  committed.  And  ye  shall  know  that  I am 
the  Lord,  when  I have  wrought  with  you  for  my  name’s  sake, 
not  according  to  your  wicked  ways,  nor  according  to  your  cor- 
rupt doings.”  (y)  If  these  things  are  contained  in  the  true 
knowledge  of  God,  that,  humbled  with  a consciousness  of  our 
iniquity,  we  should  consider  him  as  indulging  us  with  bless- 
ings of  which  we  are  unworthy,  why  do  we  attempt,  to  our 
own  serious  injury,  to  pilfer  the  smallest  particle  of  the  praise 
due  to  his  gratuitous  goodness  ? Thus  also  when  Jeremiah 
proclaims,  “ Let  not  the  wise  man  glory  in  his  wisdom,  neither 
let  the  mighty  man  glory  in  his  might,  let  not  the  rich  man 
glory  in  his  riches ; but  let  him  that  glorieth  glory  in  the 
Lord ; ” (2:)  does  he  not  suggest  that  the  glory  of  God  sustains 
some  diminution,  if  any  man  glory  in  himself?  To  this  use 
these  words  are  clearly  applied  by  Paul,  when  he  states,  that 
all  the  branches  of  our  salvation  are  deposited  with  Christ, 
that  we  may  not  glory  except  in  the  Lord,  (a)  For  he  inti- 
mates, that  they  who  suppose  themselves  to  have  even  the 
least  ground  for  glorying  in  themselves,  are  guilty  of  rebelling 
against  God,  and  obscuring  his  glory. 

II.  The  truth,  then,  is,  that  we  never  truly  glory  in  him,  till 
we  have  entirely  renounced  all  glory  of  our  own.  On  the 
converse,  this  may  be  admitted  as  an  axiom  universally  true,  that 
they  who  glory  in  themselves,  glory  in  opposition  to  God.  For 
Paul  is  of  opinion  that  the  world  is  not  “ subject  to  the  judg- 
ment of  God,”  till  men  are  deprived  of  all  foundation  for  glory- 
ing. (b)  Therefore  Isaiah,  when  he  announces,  that  “in  the 
Lord  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be  justified,”  adds  also,  “and 
shall  glory  ; ” as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  end  of  God  in 
justifying  the  elect  was,  that  they  might  glory  in  himself,  and 
in  no  other.  But  how  we  should  glory  in  the  Lord,  he  had 
stated  in  the  preceding  verse  : “ Surely,  shall  one  say,  in  the 
Lord  have  I righteousness  and  strength.”  Let  us  observe,  that 
what  is  required  is  not  a simple  confession,  but  a confession 
confirmed  by  an  oath  ; that  we  may  not  suppose  any  fictitious 
pretence  of  humility  to  be  sufficient,  (c)  Here  let  no  one  plead 
that  he  does  not  glory  at  all,  when  without  arrogance  he  recog- 
nizes his  own  righteousness  ; for  such  an  opinion  cannot  exist 

(i)  Rom.  iii.  19.  (z)  Jer.  \x.  23,  24.  (h)  Rom.  iii.  19. 

(y)  Ezek.  XX.  43,  44.  («)  1 Cor.  i.  29—31.  (c)  Isaiah  xlv.  23—25. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


CHAP.  XIII.] 


685 


without  generating  confidence,  nor  confidence  without  being 
attended  with  glorying.  Let  us  remember,  therefore,  in  the 
whole  controversy  concerning  righteousness,  that  this  end  must 
be  kept  in  view,  that  all  the  praise  of  it  may  remain  perfect 
and  undiminished  with  the  Lord  ; because,  according  to  the 
apostle’s  testimony,  he  has  bestowed  his  grace  on  us  in  order 
‘‘  to  declare  his  righteousness  ; that  he  might  be  just,  and  the 
justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus.”  (c?)  Wherefore,  in 
another  place,  after  having  declared  that  the  Lord  has  conferred 
salvation  on  us  in  order  to  display  “ the  praise  of  the  glory  of 
his  grace,”  (e)  repeating,  as  it  were,  the  same  sentiment,  he 
adds,  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith  ; and  that  not  of 
yourselves ; it  is  the  gift  of  God  ; not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast.”  (/)  And  when  Peter  admonishes  us  that  we 
are  called  to  the  hope  of  salvation,  ‘‘  that  we  should  show  forth 
the  praises  (or  virtues)  of  him  who  hath  called  us  out  of  dark- 
ness into  his  marvellous  light,”  (g')  he  evidently  means  that  the 
praises  of  God  alone  should  resound  in  the  ears  of  believers, 
so  as  to  impose  total  silence  on  all  the  presumption  of  the  flesh. 
The  conclusion  of  the  whole  is,  that  man  cannot  without  sa- 
crilege arrogate  to  himself  the  least  particle  of  righteousness, 
because  it  is  so  much  detracted  and  diminished  from  the  glory 
of  the  righteousness  of  God. 

III.  Now,  if  we  inquire  by  what  means  the  conscience  can 
obtain  peace  before  God,  we  shall  find  no  other  than  our  re- 
ception of  gratuitous  righteousness  from  his  free  gift.  Let  us 
always  remember  the  inquiry  of  Solomon  — “Who  can  say,  I 
have  made  my  heart  clean,  I am  pure  from  my  sin  ? ” (/i)  It 
is  certain  that  there  is  no  man  who  is  not  covered  with  infinite 
pollution.  Let  a man  of  the  most  perfect  character,  then,  retire 
into  his  own  conscience,  and  enter  into  a scrutiny  of  his  ac- 
tions, and  what  will  be  the  result  ? Will  he  feel  a high  degree 
of  satisfaction,  as  though  there  were  the  most  entire  agreement 
between  God  and  him  ? or  will  he  not  rather  be  lacerated  with 
terrible  agonies,  on  perceiving  in  himself  such  ample  cause  for 
condemnation,  if  he  be  judged  according  to  his  works  ? If  the 
conscience  reflect  on  God,  it  must  either  enjoy  a solid  peace 
with  his  judgment,  or  be  surrounded  with  the  terrors  of  hell. 
We  gain  nothing,  therefore,  in  our  discussions  of  this  point, 
unless  we  establish  a righteousness,  the  stability  of  which  will 
support  our  souls  under  the  scrutiny  of  the  Divine  judgment. 
When  our  souls  shall  possess  what  will  enable  them  to  appear 
with  boldness  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  to  await  and  receive 
his  judgment  without  any  fear,  then,  and  not  before,  we  may 
be  assured  that  we  have  found  a righteousness  which  truly 


(d)  Rom.  iii.  26.  (e)  Ephes.  i.  6.  (/)  Ephes.  ii.  8. 

(g)  1 Peter  ii.  9.  (k)  Prov.  xx.  9. 


686  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [bOOK  III. 

deserves  the  name.  It  is  not  without  reason,  therefore,  that  this 
subject  is  so  largely  insisted  on  by  the  apostle,  whose  words  I 
prefer  to  my  own : “ For  if  they  which  are  of  the  law  be  heirs, 
faith  is  made  void,  and  the  promise  is  made  of  none  effect.”  (^) 
He  first  infers,  that  faith  is  annulled  and  superseded,  if  the 
promise  of  righteousness  respect  the  merit  of  our  works,  or 
depend  on  our  observance  of  the  law.  For  no  man  could  ever 
securely  rely  on  it,  since  he  never  would  be  able  to  determine 
with  certainty  for  himself  that  he  had  fulfilled  the  law,  as  in 
fact  no  man  ever  does  completely  satisfy  it  by  any  works  of  his 
own.  Not  to  seek  far  for  testimonies  of  this  fact,  every  indi- 
vidual may  be  his  own  witness  of  it,  who  will  enter  unpreju- 
diced into  an  examination  of  himself.  And  hence  it  appears 
in  what  deep  and  dark  recesses  hypocrisy  buries  the  minds  of 
men,  while  they  indulge  themselves  in  such  great  security,  and 
hesitate  not  to  oppose  their  self-adulation  to  the  judgment  of 
God,  as  though  they  would  stop  the  proceedings  of  his  tribunal. 
But  believers,  who  sincerely  examine  themselves,  are  trou- 
bled and  distressed  with  a solicitude  of  a very  different  nature. 
The  minds  of  men  universally,  therefore,  ought  to  feel  first 
hesitation,  and  then  despair,  while  considering,  every  one  for 
himself,  the  magnitude  of  the  debt  with  which  they  are  still 
oppressed,  and  their  immense  distance  from  the  conditions  pre- 
scribed to  them.  Behold  their  confidence  already  broken  and 
extinguished  ; for  to  confide  is  not  to  fluctuate,  to  vary,  to  be 
hurried  hither  and  thither,  to  hesitate,  to  be  kept  in  suspense, 
to  stagger,  and  finally  to  despair ; but  it  is,  to  strengthen  the 
mind  with  content,  certainty,  and  solid  security,  and  to  have 
somewhat  upon  which  to  stand  and  to  rest. 

lY.  He  adds  likewise  another  consideration,  that  the  promise 
would  be  void  and  of  none  effect.  For  if  the  fulfilment  of  it 
depend  on  our  merit,  when  shall  we  have  made  such  a progress 
as  to  deserve  the  favour  of  God  ? Besides,  this  second  argu- 
ment is  a consequence  of  the  former,  since  the  promise  will  be 
fulfilled  to  those  alone  who  shall  exercise  faith  in  it.  There- 
fore, if  faith  be  wanting,  the  promise  will  retain  no  force. 

Therefore  the  inheritance  is  of  faith,  that  it  might  be  by 
grace  ; to  the  end  the  promise  might  be  sure  to  all  the  seed.”  (k) 
For  it  is  abundantly  confirmed,  when  it  depends  solely  on  the 
Divine  mercy  ; because  mercy  and  truth  are  connected  by  an 
indissoluble  bond,  and  whatever  God  mercifully  promises,  he 
also  faithfully  performs.  Thus  David,  before  he  implores  sal- 
vation for  himself  according  to  the  word  of  God,  first  repre- 
sents it  as  originating  in  his  mercy  : “ According  to  thy  word 
unto  thy  servant,  let  thy  tender  mercies  come  unto  me,  that  I 
may  live.”  (/)  And  for  this  there  is  sufficient  reason,  since 

(Jc)  Rom.  iv.  16.  (/)  Psalm  cxix.  76,  77. 


(i)  Rom.  iv.  14. 


CHAP.  XIII.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  687 

God  has  no  other  inducement  to  promise  than  what  arises  from 
his  mere  mercy.  Here,  then,  we  must  place,  and,  as  it  were, 
deeply  fix,  all  our  hopes,  without  regarding  our  own  works,  or 
seeking  any  assistance  from  them.  Nor  must  it  be  supposed 
that  we  are  advancing  a new  doctrine,  for  the  same  conduct  is 
recommended  by  Augustine.  Christ,”  says  he,  ‘‘  will  reign 
in  his  servants  for  ever.  God  has  • promised  this,  God  has 
said  it ; if  that  be  insufficient,  God  has  sworn  it.  Since  the 
promise,  therefore,  is  established,  not  according  to  our  merits, 
but  according  to  his  mercy,  no  man  ought  to  speak  with  anx- 
iety of  that  which  he  cannot  doubt.”  Bernard  also  says,  “ The 
disciples  of  Christ  asked.  Who  can  be  saved  ? He  replied,  With 
men  this  is  impossible,  l3Ut  not  with  God.  This  is  all  our  con- 
fidence, this  our  only  consolation,  this  the  whole  foundation  of 
our  hope.  But  certain  of  the  possibility,  what  think  we  of  his 
will  ? Who  knows  whether  he  deserve  love  or  hatred  ? {m) 
Who  has  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  or  who  has  been  his 
counsellor  ? {n)  Here,  now,  we  evidently  need  faith  to  help  us, 
and  his  truth  to  assist  us ; that  what  is  concealed  from  us  in 
the  heart  of  the  Father,  may  be  revealed  by  the  Spirit,  and 
that  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  may  persuade  our  hearts  that 
we  are  sons  of  God ; that  he  may  persuade  us  by  calling  and 
justifying  us  freely  by  faith  ; in  which  there  is,  as  it  were,  an 
intermediate  passage  from  eternal  predestination  to  future  glory.” 
Let  us  draw  the  following  brief  conclusion  : The  Scripture 
declares  that  the  promises  of  God  have  no  efficacy,  unless  they 
be  embraced  by  the  conscience  with  a steady  confidence  ; and 
whenever  there  is  any  doubt  or  uncertainty,  it  pronounces  them 
to  be  made  void.  Again,  it  asserts  that  they  have  no  stability 
if  they  depend  on  our  works.  Either,  therefore,  we  must  be 
for  ever  destitute  of  righteousness,  or  our  works  must  not  come 
into  consideration,  but  the  ground  must  be  occupied  by  faith 
alone,  whose  nature  it  is  to  open  the  ears  and  shut  the  eyes ; 
that  is,  to  be  intent  only  on  the  promise,  and  to  avert  the 
thoughts  from  all  human  dignity  or  merit.  Thus  is  accom- 
plished that  remarkable  prophecy  of  Zechariah  : ‘‘I  will 

remove  the  iniquity  of  that  land  in  one  day.  In  that  day,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  shall  ye  call  every  man  his  neighbour  under 
the  vine  and  under  the  fig-tree  ; ” (o)  in  which  the  prophet 
suggests  that  believers  enjoy  no  true  peace  till  after  they 
have  obtained  the  remission  of  their  sins.  For  this  analogy 
must  be  observed  in  the  prophets,  that  when  they  treat  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  they  exhibit  the  external  bounties  of  God 
as  figures  of  spiritual  blessings.  Wherefore  also  Christ  is 
denominated  the  Prince  of  peace,”  and  ‘‘our  Peace  ;”(j9) 

(m)  Eccles.  ix.  1.  (o)  Zech.  iii.  9,  10. 

(w)  1 Cor.  ii.  IG.  (pj  Isaiah  ix.  G.  Ephes.  ii.  14. 


688  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  [bOOK  III. 

because  he  calms  all  the  agitations  of  the  conscience.  If  we 
inquire,  by  what  means  ; we  must  come  to  the  sacrifice  by 
which  God  is  appeased.  For  no  man  will  ever  lose  his  fears 
who  shall  not  be  assured  that  God  is  propitiated  solely  by  that 
atonement  which  Christ  has  made  by  sustaining  his  wrath.  In 
short,  we  must  seek  for  peace  only  in  the  terrors  of  Christ  our 
Redeemer. 

V.  But  why  do  I use  such  an  obscure  testimony  ? Paul  in- 
variably denies  that  peace  or  tranquillity  can  be  enjoyed  in  the 
conscience,  without  a certainty  that  we  are  justified  by  faith,  (q) 
And  he  also  declares  whence  that  certainty  proceeds  ; it  is 
“ because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the 
Holy  Ghost ; ” (r)  as  though  he  had  said  that  our  consciences 
can  never  be  satisfied  without  a certain  persuasion  of  our  ac- 
ceptance with  God.  Hence  he  exclaims  in  the  name  of  all  be- 
lievers, Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which 
is  in  Christ  ? ” (s)  For  till  we  have  reached  that  port  of  safety, 
we  shall  tremble  with  alarm  at  every  slightest  breeze  ; but 
while  God  shall  manifest  himself  as  our  Shepherd,  we  shall 
fear  no  evil  even  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  (t) 
Whoever  they  are,  therefore,  who  pretend  that  we  are  justified 
by  faith,  because,  being  regenerated,  we  are  righteous  by  living 
a spiritual  life,  they  have  never  tasted  the  sweetness  of  grace, 
so  as  to  have  confidence  that  God  would  be  propitious  to  them. 
Whence  also  it  follows,  that  they  know  no  more  of  the  method 
of  praying  aright,  than  the  Turks  or  any  other  profane  nations. 
For  according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  faith  is  not  genuine  un- 
less it  dictate  and  suggest  that  most  delightful  name  of  Father, 
and  unless  it  open  our  mouth  freely  to  cry,  ‘‘  Abba,  Father  ; ” (u) 
which  he  in  another  place  expresses  still  more  clearly : In 
Christ  we  have  boldness  and  access  with  confidence  by  the 
faith  of  him.”  (v)  This  certainly  arises  not  from  the  gift  of 
regeneration  ; which,  being  always  imperfect  in  the  present 
state,  contains  in  itself  abundant  occasion  of  doubting.  Where- 
fore it  is  necessary  to  come  to  this  remedy ; that  believers 
should  conclude  that  they  cannot  hope  for  an  inheritance  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  on  any  other  foundation,  but  because, 
being  ingrafted  into  the  body  of  Christ,  they  are  gratuitously 
accounted  righteous.  For  with  respect  to  justification,  faith  is 
a thing  merely  passive,  bringing  nothing  of  our  own  to  con- 
ciliate the  favour  of  God,  but  receiving  what  we  need  from 
Christ. 

(q)  Rom.  V.  1.  (s)  Rom,  viii.  35,  &c.  (u)  Gal.  iv.  6. 

(r)  Rom.  V.  5.  (t)  Psalm  xxiii.  4.  (v)  Ephes.  iii.  12. 


END  OF  VOL.  1, 


IP-,. 


1^-' 


t 


" ,V: 


/ 


'i' 


